Black Catholics Call for Stronger Voice in Church Hierarchy, Bishop Says

8:03 PM ETDeveloping

Faith Desk

In Short: Bishop Robert Paul Boxie, one of the newest U.S. bishops appointed by Pope Leo XIV, advocates for greater representation of Black Catholics in the church hierarchy.

Bishop Robert Paul Boxie, one of the newest U.S. bishops appointed by Pope Leo XIV, has spoken out about the need for greater representation of Black Catholics in the church hierarchy. According to Bishop Boxie, racism remains an undercurrent in the Catholic Church, and he has faced criticism for his appointment, which some have labeled as part of a diversity, equity, and inclusion program.

In an interview with Catholic News Service, Bishop Boxie dismissed the notion that he was selected solely because of his race, stating, "If I was selected to become a bishop just because I am Black, I am comfortable with that." However, he emphasized that the hierarchy has not always been attentive to the concerns of Black Catholics and the broader Black community.

Before his ordination in July, Bishop Boxie, born in 1980, had a diverse background, having graduated from Vanderbilt University and Harvard Law School and working as an attorney in Washington. He entered the seminary with a strong sense of responsibility as a Black man moving through spaces where few others looked like him. His experiences, including a moment where he refused to enter a room with a Confederate flag displayed, highlighted the ongoing issues of racial sensitivity within the Church.

What's still developing

Black Americans make up more than 15% of the U.S. population, according to the Census Bureau, and Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate determined that 5% of Catholics identify as Black.
Yet, only five of 268 active U.S. bishops are Black, only two of whom are African American, according to data from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Before his ordination in July, Bishop Boxie said a decade had passed since an African American bishop had been ordained in the country.
The Church has always proclaimed the need to protect and promote the inherent dignity of the human person, the bishop said, but Catholics have not always been faithful to that teaching.
Bishop Boxie said he was “totally taken aback” and refused to enter the room while the flag remained there, even though he was “very social” and others frequented his room.
“He wanted to have a conversation, to apologize,” the bishop said.

Sources

OSV News link