Week
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February 14, 2001
Inside the Register
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Moore-Mann
to lead evangelization
effort in regional director position
By Roxanne King
Elected last month as regional coordinator for 12 states for the National Black Catholic Congress, Sandra Moore-Mann will be doing on a national level, what she has been on the local — assisting African American Catholic leaders with evangelization.
In her new job, Moore-Mann is in charge of keeping African American Catholic ministries in the western United States and Alaska informed about the activities of the NBCC, which sponsors annual leadership and evangelization training programs for religious and lay faithful.
The position was formerly held by Father Fisher Robinson, S.V.D., a vicar for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Moore-Mann was elected to the position by the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators.
"That was an honor, because those are my peers," Moore-Mann said. "They work as directors and representatives of Black Catholic ministries all over the country. We represent some 95 dioceses across the country."
Her colleagues were glad for the tireless crusader's new position.
"I know Sandra is very committed to making Black Catholics more visible in the Church and is certainly committed to the objectives of the Black Catholic Congress," said Sister Peg Maloney, of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. "She's been working at this for a long time and I certainly wish her well in this challenge."
Moore-Mann also serves as director of African American Catholic ministries for the archdiocese. She has held that position since 1993. In that job, Moore-Mann acts as a liaison between the diocese and the African American community. She helps plan an annual youth retreat, helps to develop vocations programs for people of African descent, and plans faith enrichment programs for African American Catholics.
"I work with several groups — (including) the two predominately Black Catholic parishes, the Denver Council for Black Catholics, the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver — and, last year, the archbishop designated an advisory council to work with me that represents the African American Catholic community and the African American community at large," Moore-Mann said, explaining her diocesan job. "I work with a wonderful group of people here at the archdiocese. With the advisory group that was set up I feel like I have more help now than I've ever had. Hopefully, with this broad advisory group, I will have help identifying what the issues are and solutions."
Those issues include some unique to minority groups, such as racism and helping to ensure the visibility of African American Catholics in the Church, Moore-Mann said, as well as issues of broad concern, such as quality education and crime.
The main task related to her national job is helping to plan the ninth annual National Black Catholic Congress, scheduled July 25-28, 2002, in Chicago. Unfortunately, the date conflicts with World Youth Day, to be held in Canada.
"That's my biggest concern — I'm praying diligently that we can work that out," she said, adding that options the NBCC is considering include changing the date of the congress.
The large region she is responsible for in her new job also is a daunting task, but Moore-Mann is approaching her work with confidence.
"Father Fisher told me he will help me to get started," she said. "He said, `You're already doing what you're supposed to do, you just have more people you're reaching."
The main goals of both her jobs are similar, Moore-Mann said.
"Foremost is evangelization of our community," she said. "We want to reach especially the youth and the unchurched."
A cradle Catholic, Moore-Mann was born and raised in Chicago. She attended Catholic schools from grade school through college. Most of her career has been spent working for the Church. In Chicago in the 1980s, she worked for Catholic Charities investigating child abuse cases.
In 1992, she worked as a legislative network coordinator for Catholic Charities in Denver, where she relocated in 1990. "It's been interesting and challenging working for the Church," Moore-Mann said.
"I like being in a position to provide information to my people. I like being able to provide cultural experiences for them. It's never boring when you're working with people and trying to figure out how to evangelize your community."
Current projects she is involved in include developing a census with the advisory council to count the number of African American Catholics in the diocese. There are 2,600 African Americans registered in parishes, according to the archdiocesan planning office. But Moore-Mann believes the actual number of African American Catholics in the diocese could be as high as 10,000. There are two African priests serving the diocese and two African American deacons, Moore-Mann said.
Nationally, there are two million African American Catholics, 1,100 predominately African American parishes, 350 African American priests, 446 African American deacons, 13 African American bishops and 1,500 African American religious sisters, according to figures compiled by the NBCC in 1995.
In an effort to strengthen ecumenical relationships and to give African American Catholics visibility in the larger community, Moore-Mann works with the Greater Metro-Denver Ministerial Alliance, a largely Protestant African American group.
"Historically, the minister was seen as the leader in the Black community if you wanted to disseminate information," she said. "What (the alliance) does is listen to those people who don't have a voice, the alliance will address those issues." Currently Moore-Mann serves as executive director for the Ministerial Alliance.
But initially, her colleagues weren't quite sure what to think of Moore-Mann. "I was female and not a minister," she said. "They were a little shy and concerned about me. I said, `We live next door to each other, we may worship differently, but we're concerned with the same issues — nobody works harder than the Catholic Church on social justice issues.'" As she tackles her new role, Moore-Mann plans to draw on what she has learned over the years as a community leader. "If you don't know how to serve, how to wash someone's feet, you won't be a good leader," she said. "I remember that when I'm challenged."