vicariate

Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns

Diocese of Brooklyn / Queens

“Building Unity In Our CommUnity”
Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns
Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens
224 Brooklyn Avenue * Brooklyn, NY 11213
Phone: 718 774-3806 * Fax: 718 773-0055
Email: blackcatholicconcern@diobrook.org

The Mentors drapes the Graduating Dove
Laying on of Hands
The Seniors kneel before the altar. They are blindfolded by their mentors to symbolize their unknown future. (Mentors will place kente cloth on right shoulder of the seniors.)
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
Prayer of Blessing

Drummers
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
O God of Love, God of Laughter, God of Joy, and God of Surprises, you are the indispensable Fountain of our lives. We gather here as the faith community redeemed by
Your Son, Jesus Christ. We ask you, O God, to charge our youth, with your saving energy, to transform them more intensely into the presence of Christ in the world. In communion with our ancestors and the saints, we pray to you O God, that you overwhelm them with your blessings.
ALL - AMEN
Ms. Linda Hazel
Today, we honor our youth who have made a commitment to be strengthen by faith and leadership this weekend. Our young people those who are Ankhs, those who are
Sankofas and our oldest group the Doves will strive to be contributing members of God’s family in the building up of His Kingdom and support of our parish communities by sharing their time, talent and treasures. We ask you the Ankhs and Sankofas to strive to become Doves, understand what will be asked of you as you not only mature but also grow in your Christian faith. We will begin our Ritual with the Ankh group, followed by the Sankofas and then the Doves.
Bishop, Father Caleb, parents, friends, Kujengans, the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns proudly presents to you the Ankh group. They are 14 to 15 years of age and these young people have reached the age of reason and are now ready to accept the responsibilities entrusted to them. We, the adults in the community, recognize them as being ready to accept the responsibilities of young Christian men and women. They will be educated about the characteristics of higher moral and Christian values. They will become young mentors to their peers as well as their younger brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors and school mates. We will expect them to invite their friends to Kujenga next year and begin their Christian journey of living and loving themselves and the Gospel values.
ANKH group please stand.

Holy One, we give You thanks that You have led us by an inner light through the midst of darkness and on strange paths. We do not know what the future holds for these young men and these young women, but we know that You hold their future. Suffer no hurt, harm, or danger to overwhelm them. Let them make sensible choices so that they will not become slaves to foolishness or deny the best development of their character. May they let Jesus dominate their lives that they will not be selfish, afraid, or negligent in the service of others.
Mentors remove blindfold, support the graduate to stand. Deacon Leroy Branch will say
“Those seniors who wish to speak may do so at this time.” Reverend Caleb A.P.
Buchanan will give each seniors their gifts.
ALL: Father, grant them spiritual strength. Jesus, guide them lovingly
Holy Spirit, guide them righteously. Amen!
ALL KUJENGANS PLEASE STAND
PRAYER OF COMMISSIONING TO ALL KUJENGANS
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
God our Creator, when these Kujenga participants were baptized, You sent them to proclaim Your word, renew in them their baptismal commissioning with the love and strength of the Holy Spirit. In the Name of God our Creator, I send you, Kujenga participants; back to your families, your local churches, schools, and communities as Catholic leaders. May the experience of Kujenga renew you as committed and dynamic leaders within your families, your parishes or houses of worship, schools and communities.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: to go forth as committed leaders within your faith communities.
All Kujengan please stand in unison (Past & Present) - Family Pledge
Final Blessings - Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan

All:

Amen!

So Be It!

Amen!

will turn to our Blessed Mother and pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the LORD is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Presentation of Gift’s to Dove’s in waiting
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan - Blesses the gifts.
Doves in waiting please return to your seat after receiving gifts.
Graduating seniors REMAIN on the altar, at this time the mentors stand behind them.
Presentation of Gift’s to Graduating Dove’s
Deacon Leroy Branch
We ask you Father to bless the Kente Cloth that symbolizes the mantle that identifies them as becoming a part of the adult community. They are ready to continue their journey in quest for higher education or as productive citizens in the work force; respecting their elders and making contributions to their family, church and community according to Gospel values. Also, bless this key which opens the doors of truth our Father offers them. May they choose wisely.
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan - Blesses the Gifts, Let us pray:
Almighty Father, our Creator, we thank You for these young men and women who will receive these keys rich in the symbolism of opening the doors of life and unlocking the gate to heaven, please bless these gifts and the ones who are receiving them. May these signs provide the way to excellence in school, community and in life and may the bearer of these gifts always remember who they are, your beloved child whom you knew as they were formed in their mother’s womb.
Deacon Leroy Branch
As you are clothed with this beautiful Kente Garment, you should ever be mindful of the beauty of God’s presence in your ancestry and culture. The green represents our harmony with the land for nourishment and the hope of God’s life with us. This cloth represents our journey and preparation throughout life until we reach the Heavenly
Jerusalem. The red presents the blood sacrificed for our freedom. The gold represents the glorious temples of God that we are. The black represents the beauty of our people and the God who is known in the darkness of faith.
Two thousand years later, our people in you have been transformed into Authentic
Catholic Men and Women of African descent. God bless you.

Ms. Linda Hazel
Bishop, Father Caleb we present to you for your blessing the ANKH group: The ANKH ~
The Egyptian word “ANKH” means “life” or “life giving power”. As a symbol for power that gives and sustains life, the Ankh is typically associated with water, which was believed by the Egyptians to regenerate life. At our baptism we are baptized with water giving us new life with Christ and at our Confirmation we are reminded of our baptismal promise. Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
Blesses the Ankh group
Let us pray: God our Creator, by whose word all things are made holy, pour your blessing on these young people. All life comes from the Creator so guide them on their journey of faith to know you, love you and depend upon you in all matters. Remember my brothers and sisters that the road is not easy, and has many twists and turns as well as stops and starts; so use these symbols along with the Bible, accompanied with guidance from your family at home and at church to help you to live your baptismal promise. Amen.
ANKH Group in unison
We thank our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ for this opportunity to be accepted as a young adult with all its rights, privileges and responsibilities. We thank our parents and friends for the gift of their presence in our life. We will try to always remember how our LORD uses young people to accomplish His will. We pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the LORD is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Presentation of Gift’s
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan - Blesses the Gifts
ANKH Group, please sit after receiving gifts.
SANKOFA GROUP
Ms. Tessa King-Shepherd
Bishop, Father Caleb, parents, friends, Kujengans, the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns proudly presents to you the Sankofa Group. They are 15 - 16 years of age. The Sankofa
Group was given instructions to teach, instill and provide the education that will encourage them to always offer a helping hand while they reach back to bring another peer into our community of faith.

Sankofa group please stand.
Ms. Tessa King-Shepherd
The SANKOFA is an African symbol of wisdom. The SANKOFA Bird always looks back. This teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and gather everything of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward towards the future. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone or been stripped of, can be reclaimed, revived & preserved. The
Sankofa bird carries an egg. The egg is the symbol of life. Father we present to you for your blessing these young people:
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
Blesses the Sankofa group
Let us pray: Father, Creator, Almighty One, we thank You for these young men and women. The Sankofa Bird, is rich in the symbolism of helping us to remember our roots.
Help them to always be willing to help someone else on their life’s journey as they focus on always improving their neighborhoods, their churches and their places of learning with their presence. May these hands show them how Your hands are always open to receive, protect, enfold and surround them. Always remember that the LORD holds you in the palm of His hands.
Sankofa Group in Unison
We thank our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ for this opportunity to be accepted as a young adult with all its rights, privileges and responsibilities. We are grateful for the hands that will hold us, guide us and encourage us. We ask this community to join with each of our families in prayer for our success and encouragement through the hard times of life. We will turn to our Blessed Mother and pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the LORD is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Presentation of Gift’s
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan - Blesses the Gifts
Sankofa Group, please sit after receiving gifts.
DOVES
Deacon Leroy Branch
Bishop, Father Caleb, parents, friends, Kujengans, the Vicariate of Black Catholic Concerns

proudly presents to you the DOVE group. They are 17 – 18 years of age and have reached the age of reason and are now ready to accept the responsibilities entrusted to them. The
Doves are our seniors. Some are graduating and moving on to higher levels of education.
Some are joining the work force as productive members of society. As they journey onward they will take with them the key to success that is essential for their future when they adhere to their Christian values. We, the adults in the community, recognize them as being ready to accept the responsibilities of young Christian men and women. We will expect them to invite their friends to Kujenga next year and begin their Christian journey of living and loving themselves and the Gospel values.
Dove group please stand
Deacon Leroy Branch
Bishop, Father we present to you for your blessing these young people We pray that these young people have come with an understanding and acceptance of the revelation and are at peace with Christ.
Father Caleb A.P. Buchanan
On behalf of the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens, I am pleased and proud to welcome you as young Christian adults. Your parents and your community are proud of you and are praying for you. We will do everything within our power to teach, educate and help you on this journey of life so we can share in the gifts and talents you bring to this community. We welcome you!
Reverend Caleb A.P. Buchanan
Blesses the Dove group
Let us pray: Father, Creator, Almighty One, we thank You for these young men and women.
We pray that they accept these keys as a symbol of opening the doors of life and unlocking the gate to heaven. May they understand the doors of life provide the way to excellence in their life endeavors. Unlocking the gate to heaven is service to each other and our community. Dove Group in Unison
We pray to the Holy Spirit for the gift of knowledge and understanding, the gift of wisdom and right judgment in our lives. Give us the gift of courage to stand before our Lord in reverence. Give us the gift of wonder and awe of our Lord’s presence in our lives.
We thank our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ for this opportunity to be accepted as a young adult with all its rights, privileges and responsibilities. We are grateful for the hands that will hold us, guide us and encourage us. We ask this community to join with each of our families in prayer for our success and encouragement through the hard times of life. We