The diocesan Ghanaian Catholic community declared its patronage to St. Josephine Bakhita at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge Feb. 2 at St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax.
The Mass was concelebrated by Father Augustine Kofi Owusu, chaplain of the community; Father Anthony A. Appiah, representative to the Ghanaian community; and Father Jamie R. Workman, diocesan vicar general.
St. Bakhita, a former slave in Sudan who served as a Canossian sister in Italy for 45 years, was canonized in 2000, the first black woman canonized in modern times.
St. Bakhita is honored by many African Catholics and was selected as the saint to represent the African Catholic communities in the newly renovated Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
In his homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Bishop Burbidge spoke about the “darkness at this time in our world and nation due to the lack of reverence for all human life and the dignity of all persons as beloved children of God. We are aware of the darkness of violence, racism, division, and hatred. We also know the darkness of our own lives due to our sins and failures.”
Bishop Burbidge said that during the jubilee year, Catholics are “called to be pilgrims of hope.” He spoke about Christ as “the Light that never grows dim.”
“With God’s grace and through the intercession of Mary our Mother, may we recognize, receive, rejoice in, and radiate the Light of Christ, the One who has conquered the darkness, the source of our hope, the One who brightens our world and our very lives,” he said.
The St. Josephine Bakhita Ghanaian Catholic Community meets for Mass at St. Mary of Sorrows on Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
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Go to gccarlington.org.
