United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

90 • Part I. The Creed: The Faith Professed

African American community of the rural South. Like a modern version of the singing poets of Scripture, the bards of ancient Greece, and the storytellers of Africa, she shared the Gospel and the gifts of black Ameri cans with all who would listen. She demonstrated a social conscience on many occasions. She spoke to the U.S. bishops on June 17, 1989, at their meeting at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Suffering from bone cancer, she spoke from a wheelchair. Among the many challenges she presented was one about Catholic schools. I’ve got to say one more thing. You-all ain’t going to like this but that’s all right. The Church has repeatedly asked black folk, what do you want, what can the Church do for you? And black folk all over the country are saying, help us to education. We need education. The way out of poverty is education. We can’t be Church without education, because ignorance kills and cripples us. Black people are still asking the Church for education. (“To Be Black and Catholic,” Origins [July 6, 1989]: 117) At the conclusion of her speech—received by the bishops as a warm and moving message—she asked the bishops to join her in singing “We shall overcome,” with their arms joined to bring them closer together. She often said, “We do not want to change the theology of the Church. We just want to express theology within the roots of our black spiritual cul ture” (quoted in Mary Queen Donnelly, “Sr. Thea Bowman [1937-1990],” America [April 25, 1990]). As we proceed to reflect on the death and Resurrection of Jesus, we find that the compelling story of Sr. Thea Bowman shows that she was a witness to this mystery of Christ. She bore her cross courageously and still could sing alleluias from her wheelchair—living the Paschal Mystery every day. Nearing the end of her life she said, “Let us stretch ourselves, going beyond our comfort zones to unite ourselves with Christ’s redemptive work. Let us break bread together. Let us relive the holy and redemptive mystery” (quoted in Catholic News Service, “Sr. Thea Bowman’s Posthumous Plea: Really Live Holy Week” [March 30, 1990]). •