BC Called to Repentance at Black History Month Mass

On Feb. 14, 2021, members of the Boston College community came together for Sunday Mass to celebrate Black History Month at St. Ignatius Church. Fr. Oscar Pratt of St. Katharine Drexel Church in Boston, a historically Black parish, offered the Mass at 8 p.m.

The Church was decorated with pictures of African American bishops and red, yellow and green flowers, representing the Pan-African colors. A similarly-colored cloth was placed on the altar.

Meyer Chambers, Campus Minister for Liturgical Arts, gave an opening address to the congregation, speaking on the meaning of Black History Month and the gifts that African people have brought to America. 

“The major gift that was given by Africans to America,” said Chambers, “was the gift of African Americans.”

Chambers and members of the Liturgy Arts Group then sang “Healing” by Richard Smallwood in Gospel style. Chambers finished by praising Fr. Pratt’s ministry and his response to God’s call to become a priest. Before beginning, Fr. Pratt asked the congregation to be lively and engaged in their responses at Mass.

Fr. Pratt began his homily by singing on his knees, asking the Lord for mercy. Preaching on the Gospel story of Jesus healing the leper, he exhorted the congregation to understand the constant love God has for them. Fr. Pratt called on the members of the congregation to embrace their dignity as a son or daughter of God, saying, “If anybody ever asks you, ‘who do you think you are? Who are you talking to?’ Help them out, tell them … ‘I am one made in the image and likeness of the divine!’”

Fr. Pratt referenced the recent events in the Multicultural Learning Experience (MLE) floor saying, “Why can people not run down a hallway of a dorm saying and doing whatever they want, denigrating the humanity of someone else, the dignity of another child? Because of who they are.”

Speaking on racism and other conflicts in the world he said, “We’ve got a whole lot of stuff to work on, but the beauty is that God never gives up on us. We just have to decide if we are going to conform our wills to God’s will. We have to decide whether we want our desire … to be what compels Jesus of Nazareth, the risen Christ, to restore humanity.” Addressing the congregation, he then asked, “Church, do you want any of this?”

“Let me tell you Church, [racism] is not a political issue, although it deals with the polity. It’s not primarily a social issue, even though it permeates our society. Primarily it is a spiritual issue because we are dealing with God and all those made in the image and likeness of the Divine,” Fr. Pratt said.

He praised the humility of the leper, who fell to his knees and begged for the mercy of Christ in the Gospel: “He had the good sense to accept the will of another. Some lepers became complacent in their infirmity. It was easier to deal with the leprosy than learn to love others.”

“How on Earth can we say we are a Catholic, Christian people? We would have to shut all this down. Catholic schools? Close them. Catholic churches? Close them. Catholic anything! Close them. If it is not about God and God’s will, it has no place in this world.”

“Is anyone tired of being sick? Is anyone ready for healing? … Then, like the leper, join me and take a knee. … and sing, ‘Let us beg God for healing.’” Fr. Oscar ended the homily on his knees himself, singing, “Let us beg God for healing on our knees.”

At the General Intercession, the congregation prayed for an end to poverty, ignorance, prejudice, despair, and racism.

Fr. Pratt ended Mass by thanking Fr. Tony Penna, Meyer Chambers, and all of the campus ministers for his invitation to celebrate Mass that day. He also thanked all of the students for their talents and ministries shared during the liturgy. 

The music selection for the Mass was based on classic African American spiritual music, and featured songs such as “He Has Done Great Things for Me” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The latter, as Chambers informed the congregation after Mass, has come to be known as the Black national anthem.