Washington D.C. Aux. Bishop Boxie Honored with Prayer Vigil and Song at U.S. Mother Church of Black Catholics On Eve of Ordination
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A Night of Prayer for Washington’s New Auxiliary Bishop
On July 6, 2026, the eve of his episcopal ordination, the then Bishop-elect Robert P. Boxie III returned to St. Augustine Catholic Church—the mother church for Black Catholics in the nation’s capital—for a special prayer service. The next day, Bishop-elect Boxie and Bishop Gary R. Studniewski were ordained as auxiliary bishops for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.A Sacred Moment for Black Catholics
Sponsored by the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Vespers was a deeply historical and emotional homecoming. Standing at the pulpit, Bishop-elect Boxie looked out at a church adorned with portraits of African American bishops and banners of the “Saintly Seven”—Black Catholics on the path to sainthood. Among them was Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman; Boxie had served as the chaplain of her namesake student center at Howard University since 2020.
Speaking to the congregation, Boxie acknowledged he was “standing on the shoulders of giants.” He reflected on his personal journey, remembering when he was a local attorney discerning his call to the priesthood: “When I moved up here, I used to sit in the fifth pew back there at 10 o’clock Mass. And I never imagined I would be in this position right now.”
A Community of Faith and History
The service drew clergy, women religious, and laypeople from across the country. In the front pews sat Boxie’s parents, Robert Jr. and Roxanne, and his sister, Robyn. Across the aisle sat four prominent Black Catholic prelates: Cardinal Wilton Gregory (the first African American cardinal), Bishop Jerome Feudjio, Bishop Joseph N. Perry, and Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr.
The historical ties ran deep for Boxie, who grew up attending Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana—a parish that remarkably produced two other Black Catholic bishops: the late New Orleans Auxiliary Bishop Harold R. Perry and the late Washington Auxiliary Bishop Leonard J. Olivier.
Words of Reassurance and a Shepherd's Staff
During the homily, Father Patrick A. Smith, pastor of St. Augustine and a close mentor to Boxie, offered powerful reassurance, drawing a parallel to the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel:
“Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God... Expect more of God than you ever have before; be confident that God will show up whenever you call upon Him; embrace this new assignment with a confidence that God has your back, and so do we.”
Following the homily, Father Kareem R. Smith, president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, presented the bishop-elect with a crosier (a shepherd's staff) on behalf of the caucus.
“For Black Catholics, this is a sacred moment,” Father Kareem Smith emphasized. “It is another testimony that the seeds planted by generations who loved the Church through hardship and hope continue to bear fruit. Receive this crosier as the staff of the shepherd Christ is calling you to be. Hold it firmly, not as a sign of privilege, but as a reminder that the people of God have been entrusted to your care.”
Looking Forward to 'Wonders'
The St. Augustine Gospel Choir filled the church with joyful praise throughout the evening, leading the congregation in powerful renditions of Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise,” “Praise Him,” and Kenneth W. Louis's “Rejoice.”
As the service drew to a close, a visibly moved Bishop-elect Boxie expressed his profound gratitude, quoting Joshua 3:5: “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
“I think we have sanctified ourselves tonight. Amen,” Boxie said to a resounding standing ovation. “Tomorrow the Lord is going to make a new bishop. I am humbled and I am grateful for this charge, this responsibility.”
Edited from The Catholic Standard
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