As we enter into February, which is nationally recognized as Black History Month, Catholic communities are also preparing to observe the 37th annual National Day of Prayer for the African American and African Family on February 1. Organized by the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC), this year’s observance centers on the theme: "Rooted in Faith: Reclaiming, Restoring, & Healing the Village." The event serves as a call to spiritual arms, emphasizing resilience, unity, and renewal at a time when the "domestic church"—the family—faces unique modern challenges.
A Legacy of Prayer
The heart of the observance remains the central prayer composed in 1989 by the late Fr. Jim Goode, OFM, the Franciscan friar who founded this day of devotion. His words continue to anchor the event, calling for God’s mercy and a renewed sense of pride in Black history. According to the commemorative brochure (PDF) released by the NBCC for this year's event, the day is an invitation to see the African American family not just as a social unit, but as a "sacred institution forged through faith, resilience, and an unyielding hope." The liturgy for the day specifically petitions for the healing of the "broken, sick, and lonely," concluding with a traditional invocation to Mary, Mother of Our Families.
Healing the "Village"
In a featured reflection within the event’s official materials, Dr. Ansel Augustine highlights the family’s role as a "living testimony of God’s sustaining grace." He traces this spiritual lineage from the era of enslavement through the Civil Rights Movement to the present day. Dr. Augustine uses the occasion to address contemporary struggles—economic uncertainty, social division, and systemic inequities—through the lens of the South African philosophy of Ubuntu ("I am because we are”).
"Healing begins when love, patience, understanding, and true justice are practiced within our homes and extended into our communities," Augustine writes in the event's guide, stressing that the restoration of the "village" starts with the individual family’s commitment to forgiveness and justice.
Brochure and reflection (PDF)