CAMDEN – Chris Lacy beamed as she watched the Saint Bartholomew Church community pour into Bishop George V. Murry Hall.
After grabbing a sandwich, the “little kids and the old kids,” as she called them, made their way to tables, sitting next to new or longtime friends.
“It’s a family reunion,” Lacy said of the Homecoming Sunday Mass and luncheon held Sept. 19 in Camden.
“Before Mass, I prayed that God would fill the church and hall today. To see people praying and praising God, it doesn’t get any better than that. … He heard my prayer,” said Lacy, a member of the parish choir.
The city’s Sacred Heart Parish, of which the church is a worship site, hosted a weekend of faith aimed at community-building, gathering hundreds of current and former parishioners as well as newcomers. The day before, a Homecoming Revival filled with prayer and song was held.
Saint Bartholomew Church has deep roots in Camden, having begun as a parish in the 1940s for the African-American community, and growing into a place where Black Catholics could celebrate their culture and traditions. In its early years, the parish was served by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a community founded by Saint Katherine Drexel.
Last year the church was added to the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, based on its mid-20th century vernacular ecclesiastical architecture.
The Homecoming Mass and celebrations are held annually, though last year’s celebration was halted due to COVID-19. The hardships the pandemic has wrought made the weekend a comeback of sorts for the community, with love and laughs present along with the masks and fist-bumps.
“I come here every year,” noted Cynthia Madison, saying she appreciates the “family atmosphere” she finds at Saint Bartholomew. She said she has fond memories of her childhood parish and school, growing up in the Parkside section of Camden.
Seated next to her was a faithful friend, Marian Jones, whose grandfather, Freddie Watkins, was a founding member of the church and helped contribute to its construction in 1947.
“My ancestors are from here,” Jones said. “It’s my church.”
During Mass, retired Deacon Bill Johnson preached the homily, reminding those gathered to “always walk tall for the Lord.”
“Be proud of yourself and who you are,” he said, urging the rapt congregation to live in humility and service, and follow ancestors’ examples when guiding future generations to Christ. “Let us leave this church on fire with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
Father Vincent Guest, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, acknowledged the hard work and sacrifices parishioners made during the pandemic.
“Thank you for making church happen in a very challenging time,” he said, holding up plaques engraved with the names of those who helped with tasks such as livestreaming liturgies and sanitizing pews. The plaques, he explained, will hang in Bishop Murry Hall for all to be inspired.
He also praised “our ancestors, who walked proudly in their faith; we’re standing on their shoulders.”
Saying it is time for parishioners to leave their own legacy, Father Guest said, “We know our faith journey continues, and there’s work to be done. We will continue to work hard, and walk tall with humility and service, to make the Black Catholic Ministry more thriving and vibrant in our home here, and in the Diocese.”
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