Why So Few Black Catholic Bishops in America?
Vatican Access with Robert Duncan
Bishop Robert Boxie is an auxiliary bishop of Washington and the youngest bishop in the United States. A former lawyer educated at Vanderbilt University and Harvard Law School, he brings both professional experience and a deeply rooted Black Catholic identity to questions of race, faith, and the life of the Church. In this conversation, Bishop Boxie explains why he believes racism is part of the reason there are so few Black bishops in America. He discusses the history of exclusion faced by Black Catholics, his own experience with a Confederate flag in seminary, what white Catholics should understand about the Black Catholic experience, and why the Church needs to speak more openly about racism. He also addresses tokenism, DEI, reconciliation, and what Black Catholics bring to the wider Church. Guest bio: Bishop Robert P. Boxie III is an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. Before entering the priesthood, he studied engineering at Vanderbilt University and law at Harvard Law School and worked in Washington, D.C. His ministry has included service to the Black Catholic community and pastoral work at Howard University. As bishop, he has spoken frequently about race, Catholic identity, reconciliation, and the importance of ensuring that Black Catholics are fully represented and heard within the life of the Church. Original music was created using AI. Special thanks to Tricia Lloyd and the Gregorian University Foundation for supplemental video footage.