About Us

Vision

Vibrant, visible, nurturing African Catholic communities enriching the Church and Catholic ministries in the United States.

Mission Statement

The National Association of African Catholics in the United States (NAACUS) as an umbrella Association of African Catholics, affiliated with the Bishops Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church/Pastoral Care of Migrants Refugees and Travelers of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and dedicated to primarily serve African Catholics in the United States, seeks to engage, support, nurture, build communities of African Catholics, give direction and promote their spiritual wellbeing while liaising, coordinating and involving all African Catholics to maximize their charisms as a faith and worship Community in the United States. 

Objectives

• To be a voice of African Catholics residing in the United States
• To promote awareness of the presence of African Catholics and their respective heritage and cultures in the United States, and their contribution to the Church
• To encourage the celebration of the Catholic Liturgy in the ethnic languages
• To promote and support the US Bishops’ “Call to Solidarity with Africa”
• To dialogue and advocate for African Catholics with the Bishops, dioceses, other national
• Catholic organizations, existing Africans’ associations in the United States, and strengthen the Africans’ connection to the diocese
• To raise awareness of the pastoral needs of African families, youth and young adults
• Empower and enable Catholics of African origin residing in the United States to help evangelize themselves and their local parishes
• To support the strengthening of African marriages and family life, and nurture vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and lay ministry
• To develop and pull resources, shared religious experiences to improve and strengthen our lives as African Catholics
• To recommend lay leadership programs and promote lay vocations
• To foster dialogue and collaborate with other ecclesial communities
• To encourage inter-religious dialogue in and among African communities
• To advocate for social justice within African communities and the U.S.

the logo

Explanation of the Logo of the National Association of African Catholics in the United States. (NAACUS)

The Logo captures very dramatically the Monstrance containing the body of Christ dwelling in Africa.  Africa in its full color: green for the rich and fertile soils in which the grains and fruits grow, that supply bread and wine respectively, which become transformed into the body and blood of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist.  The green also symbolizes the variety of vegetation and crops that sustain the African people.  

The waters surrounding Africa symbolizes life.   In African culture, water has great religious significance, it is used for cleaning, healing, blessing and in other ceremonies.  In the Eucharist, the mingling of water and wine helps us to share in the divinity of Christ Who “humbled Himself to share in our humanity”. Another very important feature on the African Continent is to bring light to Africa and bring to an end all kinds of afflictions plaguing Africa for instance, wars, disease, poverty, economic and psychological marginalization plus injustice by both internal and external forces.

Note:  The African National Eucharistic Congress logo was adapted but removing the open hands and adding Madagascar which was missing.

Patroness Prayer

Mary, Our Mother of Africa,
hear the drumbeat of our prayers. 
May Your Son Jesus
continue to bring us joy,
receive our tensions,
and forgive us our sins. 
Help us to walk in His light. 
Help us to help others to do the same.
And bring us to life everlasting,
With the Holy Saints and Angels. 
Amen.