Community Conversations

Wednesday, January 15: The "Jim Crown North" and the Untold Struggle for Civil Rights In honor of Martin Luther King Day, Community Conversations will feature a talk from Dr. Matthew Washington, author of The Jim Crow North: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Washington will speak about the often untold struggle for civil rights outside of the southern states, including how an inter-racial working class alliance in Pottstown, Pennsylvania was instrumental in working for racial justice in that state.

Wednesday, February 19: The Gift of the Black Catholic Family  Servant of God Thea Bowman famously asked, "What does it mean to be Black and Catholic?" In honor of Black History Month, Fr. Reginald Samuels, Pastor of St. Laurence Church and Vicar for Catholics of African Descent, will help us unpack recent surveys that point to the gifts of Black Catholic families such as resilience, faithfulness, and family unity.  How might these gifts be received by the universal Church?

Wednesday, March 19: Open Wide Our Hearts Overview and Update  Seven years after the publication of the latest USCCB document to address the sin of racism, how has it impacted the way that race and social justice are discussed in the Catholic Church?  Ms. Danielle Brown, former Director of the USCCB AdHoc Committee Against Racism, will join us to discuss what changes have we seen (or not seen) in our parishes and Catholic institutions.

Wednesday, April 16: The Shroud of Turin, Mystery and Miracle Join us during Holy Week for an enlightening talk by Nora Creech, an expert on the Shroud of Turin which is believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus.  How can contemplating the human face of Christ, help us to see the face of God in all people?

Wednesday, May 21: Delexit Nos - The Human Heart of Christ Amy Auzenne, MSW, MACE will lead a discussion on Delexit Nos, Pope Francis' encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  How can we experience the divine love of God in our daily human existence?  And how can we be a source of that love to others in this fraught and divided society?

Wednesday, June 18: No meeting / Unity Explosion Catechetical & Liturgical Conference in Galveston, Texas

Wednesday, July 19: Fr. Martin de Porres Ward, Our Brother in Brazil Brother Douglass McMillian, OFM, will speak about Franciscan friar Fr. Martin de Porres Ward, a 20th-century African American priest who overcame great personal and social obstacles to become a beloved mentor and missionary in Brazil. In 2024, Fr. Ward became the seventh African American to have his cause for sainthood officially opened.

Wednesday, August 20: Clear Justice: Making the Legal Process Fair & Transparent Judge Stacy Allen Barrow will speak about how our legal system can mitigate bias in the courtroom and make the legal process more transparent to citizens.  Judge Allen Barrow presides over the 487th Harris County Criminal Court. She has presided over 1500+ felony matters and issued written opinions in 50 Post-Conviction Writs of Habeas Corpus before the TX Court of Criminal Appeals. Judge Allen Barrow has served as a youth ministry leader and catechist in her parish for many years.

Wednesday, September 17: Latino Youth - Gifts and Challenges  Latino youth are one of the fastest growing demographics in the United States. Jeanette Gonzalez, Associate Director for the Archdiocesan Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization, will help us understand the unique gifts and challenges of this important group of young people, and how they are shaping the future of our communities.

Wednesday, October 15: Disparities in Maternal Health - Confronting Racism by Achieving Health Equity The theme for Respect Life month 2025, "Life, Our Sign of Hope" recalls the joy of mothers bringing new life into the world.  But for African American women, motherhood is disproportionately impacted by pregnancy-related health issues; issues that can be further complicated by disparities in maternal care.  Dr. Dennis Gonzales and Ms. Kathy Curran will present the Catholic Health Association's initiative "Confronting Racism by Achieving Health Equity"  and discuss what can be done to achieve health equity for all women, especially those most at risk. 

Wednesday, November 12: An Enduring Faith: Tracing the African Roots of the Church In honor of Black Catholic History Month, join us for an inspiring conversation with Monsignor Chibuike Onyeaghala, Ph.D. who will guide us through a reflection on the history, impact, and witness of Catholics of African descent, as well as their influence on the universal Church.

We ask participants in our monthly conversations to respect these eight "ground rules" for healthy, civil, and productive interaction, which are grounded in our Catholic teaching on the dignity of every human person:

1. Active Listening:  We make an effort to hear what the other person is saying and feeling.
2. No Interruption:  We listen silently and do not interrupt.
3. Agree to disagree:  We have no desire or intent to change the other person’s view of opinion.
4. Not a debate:  This is a conversation, not a debate.
5. Share Feelings:  We share honestly in “I” sentences without attack, judgment or blame.
6. Confidentiality:  Please do not repeat what someone has shared as their personal experience.
7. Speak briefly to give everyone a chance to talk.
8. Overall Respect: All of the above show respect for each other.     

Provided by Larry Payne

Amy Auzenne, MSW, MACE is the Director of the Office of Evangelization & Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston.  Amy has worked as a lay pastoral leader in the archdiocese for over twenty years, serving children, youth, adults, and families. Prior to working for the Church, Amy was a school and community social worker in Houston for nearly a decade.  She holds a bachelor's degree in American Studies from Mt. Holyoke College, a masters in social work from the University of Houston, and a masters degree in Catholic education from the University of St. Thomas (Houston).  She will complete a third masters degree in Faith and Culture from the University of St. Thomas in May 2026.  

Glora Aldridge is a cradle Catholic born in Austin, Texas and formed in the faith there by her parents and family at Holy Cross Catholic Church.  She is retired but active in her parish and several organizations.  She has coordinated an annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy for 40 years.  She also facilitates community dialogues on racism with Dallas-based Project Unity’s “Together We Dine”. She works with groups, such as Sisters in the Spirit and Spring Interfaith to live her faith in action.

In 2018 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Commitee on Cultural Diversity in the Church published a new pastoral letter on racism, "Open Wide Our Hearts: the Enduring Call to Love." The letter outlined the terrible consequences of the sin of racism, and recommended concrete actions to address them. Among these, the bishops called on "all of our educational institutions to break any silence around the issue of racism, to find new and creative ways to raise awareness . . .  and to teach the virtues of fraternal charity."

Community Conversations began at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church in Spring, Texas in October 2019 as a way to break open this important pastoral letter. When the Covid pandemic began in 2020 the meetings moved to a virtual format. Since that time, Community Conversations has gathered on the third Wednesday of every month, featuring dynamic speakers who have addressed a variety of topics pertinent to the pastoral letter, social justice and issues of our faith and culture.   
 
The dialogues now are based in the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston.  They provide a forum to discuss the pastoral letter’s content, other church documents, examine historical, social and cultural issues, listen to personal stories and act on the letter’s mandates to end racism and transform our nation to a more just and equitable society.  
Read "Open Wide Our Hearts"