Schools hold African American heritage service

The Archdiocese of Chicago hosted its 46th annual African American Heritage Prayer Service on Feb. 23, 2024 at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St. Divine Word Father Carl Gales, associate pastor at Our Lady of Africa Parish, was the main presider and homilist. Greg Richmond, superintendent of Catholic Schools, and archdiocesan priests and deacons joined hundreds of students from across the archdiocese for this Black History Month celebration. The theme of the prayer service this year is: “Rooted in Greatness and Growing Towards God.” (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Holy Trinity High School carry in the school banner during the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Children of Peace School carry in their banner during the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Carmel High School in Mundelein carry the school banner in the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Frances Xavier Warde School carry in the school banner during the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from different Catholic schools line the sanctuary steps after carrying in their banners during the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Divine Word Father Carl Gales, administrator of Our Lady of Africa Parish, claps and sings in the opening procession of schools. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Boys from Children of Peace School take part in the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Kerrigan White-Holmes from St. Sabina Academy gives the first reading. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights perform a praise dance during the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights perform a praise dance during the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Greg Richmond, superintendent of Catholic Schools, gives an introduction before the awards presentation. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Father Michael Trail, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Chicago, receives the Augustus Tolton Award for Religious Leadership. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Staccy Kabat from the Academy of St. Benedict the African receives the Thea Bowman Award for Educator Leadership. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Damani McClellan from St. John de la Salle Catholic Academy receives the Thea Bowman for Educator Leadership Award Society of the Divine Word Father Carl Gales and Deacon Leroy Gill. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Seniyah Jordan from St. Sabina Academy reacts to cheers from her classmates after receiving the Julia Greely Student Leadership Award as Josh Hale and Kendall Mallette laugh. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Esther Debrah from Loyola Academy accepts the Henriette Delille Student Leadership Award from Father Gales and Deacon Gill. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Awards were presented to Father Michael Trail of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Parish and Josh Hale, president and CEO of Big Shoulders Fund. Educator awards were presented to Kendall Mallette of DePaul College Prep, Damani McClellan of St. John de la Salle Catholic Academy and Staccy Kabat of Academy of St. Benedict the African. Student awards were given to Seniyah Jordan of St. Sabina Academy and Esther Debrah of Loyola Academy. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from St. Sabina Academy perform a praise dance called “War Cry” during the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Students from St. Sabina Academy perform a praise dance called “War Cry” during the service. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Eighth-graders Amani Satterfield, Lorenzo Torry, Dereonna Coleman and Kimora Dillard from Academy of St. Benedict the African pray during the service.

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