In observance of Black Catholic History Month this November, we honor the life and legacy of Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman (1937-90), a prophetic voice whose witness continues to inspire Catholics across the country.
Recently, the National Catholic Reporter highlighted her impact in the article “Kendrick Lamar and Thea Bowman: Mystics of resistance,” comparing the prophetic courage of Sister Thea with the artistic truth-telling of Kendrick Lamar. The publication shares how both voices, in different contexts, challenge injustice and call communities toward dignity, healing and liberation.
Additional features include — Church Life Journal: “The True Truth: Sr. Thea Bowman, the Testifying Evangelist” and NETWORK Lobby: “Love With Action: Black Catholic History Offers Strength and Hope in Our Quest for Justice” — highlighting her commitment to Black Catholic spirituality and the work of justice.
A recent article in the Mississippi Catholic, "Path to sainthood filled with reams of details," provides an update on Sister Thea's cause for canonization. Chancellor and Archivist of the Diocese of Jackson, Mary Woodward, shares in the publication, "The hope is to have all this completed by the end of the year so that in February we can officially close the diocesan phase of the process with a Mass and sealing of the Acts ceremony."
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops shares Sister Thea Bowman’s Path to Sainthood. Watch the video below.
As we honor Black Catholic History Month, we invite everyone to pray for the advancement of Sister Thea’s cause for canonization. May her example inspire us to celebrate the richness of God's creation in every person.
"If I begin to believe that we are all alike, look at what I'm going to miss: the richness, beauty, wholeness and harmony of what God created." — Sister Thea Bowman.