"This is my love letter to New Zealand for all you've done for me after escaping a country that made me feel like a natural-born refugee and becoming a well-rounded human to show the same enduring openness you've given me," says Kelvin Taylor.

Taylor is an actor, dancer and model. He travels frequently between Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

He is known for his character portrayal of George Kerr, the Jamaican 800m runner who went up against Peter Snell in the 1960 Rome Olympics, in the TVNZ International Emmy Award Nominated Documentary "The Golden Hour."

He has also been described as a controversial journalist and social commentator.

"In light of Black Lives Matter and the current state of world, I wanted to thank the New Zealand people for doing their part to help this world, not just for African Americans but for everyone."

"What I've seen in New Zealand contrasts to the US protests, which often appear insidiously complex and at times infiltrated outside of their genuine intentions."

He thinks the word black distracts from the message.

It is a colour code invented by German anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach in 1779 he says.

"I prefer to say African to humanise myself more than a colour. To be specific is to be respected and I myself do not want to be painted, or paint others, as one hue."

Taylor thinks the police angst in America does not need to be shared in New Zealand.

"The police in New Zealand are lovely but underpaid and sometimes under-staffed."

He says accountability is needed any organisation that is often self-governed: "but comparison is the killer of compassion.

Keep our love with all things individual, not painted grouped together with police, ethnic groups, genders or walks of life."

Source

• wikipedia.org
• nzherald.co.nz
• ghgossip.com
• starnow.com.au
• Image:kelvintaylor.com

Church staff for Fr Jacek Kowal reportedly told African American LaShundra Allen, "I'm sorry, we are not trying to be rude, but the dog doesn't like black people."

Allen was with Emily Weaver, the white woman who had previously cleaned the rectory, who was intending to train her to be her replacement.

After receiving a complaint last month about the matter, Bishop David Talley said in a letter to area Catholics that while the "parish staff member's choice of words was highly unfortunate and imprecise—they were not motivated by racial animus.

"Rather, the concern by all involved was the safety of these women, one of whom was a stranger to the dog, and they knew that attempting to crate the dog would be dangerous when its owner was not present. Their concern was to prevent the cleaning company employees from being injured."

Talley said he believes Kowal and the parish staff were trying to be cautious, since Kowal's dog was out of his crate and "very protective of his home."

Hi letter went on to explain that the dog could be "somewhat more agitated initially around strangers with darker skin, until [he] gets to know them."

The German shepherd dog had once been threatened by a person who "happened to be African American," Talley explained.

He also pointed out that although Allen's denial of work for the priest had been interpreted as a pretext it was nevertheless not motivated by a desire not to have an African American housekeeper.

"In fact, at his previous assignment as pastor, Fr Kowal employed an African American housekeeper the entire five years he was pastor."

Although Talley is firmly denying any racist motivation in Kowal's refusal to employ a dark skinned person, both Allen and Weaver think otherwise.

They say the priest made no effort to contact Allen afterwards and no offer was made for her to come back on another day when Kowal would be available to introduce her to the dog.

They say they will continue pursuing legal action.

• The Catholic Herald
• The Hill
• Metro
• Image: The Hill

The resource centre will be constructed by the university's Institute for Black Catholic Studies.

It will include compilations and educational exhibits of the lives of African-Americans whose sainthood causes are open.

When formally announcing approval for the new resource centre on Tuesday, Xavier President Reynold Verret said the stories of these African-Americans are important to every Catholic, no matter their background.

"It speaks profoundly…to the resilience of Catholic faith, even as it was oppressed in the 19th and 20th century," he said.

The resource centre will display information on five black Catholics from the 18th-20th centuries.

It will also include information about St Katharine Drexel who founded Xavier University of Louisiana, and St Kateri Tekakwitha.

Other stories of potential saints will be added as new causes open.

Auxiliary Bishop Fernand Cheri of New Orleans moderated the event, which included numerous speakers including Bishop Perry and advocates for each beatification cause.

The project will also "promote the stories of those saints to the larger Catholic community," Verret says.

"By this I don't mean just the black Catholic community … but also the larger Catholic community of any ethnic origin because their examples are powerful examples of living a life of devotion," he says.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Aleteia
• Image: 4Catholic.com

Fr Augustus Tolton's cause for canonisation was officially launched in 2010, and he was given the title "Servant of God" by the Vatican in February 2011.

The runaway slave-turned priest's cause for sainthood took a step forward last week.

A committee of six Vatican officials approved a summary of his life, virtue and alleged miracles as historically correct.

The officials' approval enables Tolton's cause go before the Vatican's theological commission.

The commission will determine, with the Congregation for Causes of Saints, whether to move forward with the canonisation process.

If they do, with the pope's approval, Tolton will be declared "venerable."

A venerable person may be declared "blessed" if a miracle attributed to him or her is approved by the Vatican.

After that step, Tolton's cause would move forward toward beatification, for which a miracle through his intercession must be approved.

Another approved miracle would lead to his canonisation.

Bishop Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop of Chicago and diocesan postulator for the Tolton cause, called the Vatican officials' approval a "very positive sign going forward"

He noted its significance for the African-American Catholic Community.

"Fr Tolton lived during a particularly tumultuous time in American history, especially for race relations," he says.

"He was a pioneer of his era for inclusiveness, drawing both blacks and whites to his parish in Quincy.

"However, due to his race, he suffered discrimination and condemnation.

"The beatification and canonisation of Fr Tolton will signal a significant milestone in the history of black Catholicism in the United States."

Tolton began his ecclesiastical studies in Rome, since no American seminary would accept him because of his race.

On April 24, 1886 he was ordained in Rome for the southern Illinois Diocese of Quincy.

He was greeted at the train station "like a conquering hero" when he arrived, the website of St Elizabeth's Parish says.

"Thousands were there to greet him, led by Father McGirr. A brass band played church songs and Negro Spirituals."

Fr Tolton served in Quincy before going to Chicago to start a parish for black Catholics.

On July 9, 1897, Fr Tolton collapsed during a hot day and died from sunstroke at the age of 43.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: St Louis Public Radio