LEON C. ROBERTS, BLACK CATHOLIC LITURGIST AND COMPOSER, DIES OF CANCER Leon C. Roberts, an internationally respected liturgist, composer, and music director, died of cancer on Friday, January 22, 1999. One of Leon's most important gifts to the Catholic community was "Lead Me, Guide Me, the African American Catholic Hymnal". He devoted untold hours and incalculable energies to the study, selection, and even composition and arrangement of the hymns that made "Lead Me, Guide Me" possible. Leon Roberts contributed widely to the hymnals of different denominations, and was co-founder of the Rejoice! Conference on Black Catholic Liturgy. Committed to the development of African-American liturgy, he shared its legacy of spirit-filled worship with church groups of all levels of musical sophistication and ethnic variety. Leon visited the Diocese of Charleston, and traveled widely on numerous occasions to give workshops on liturgy and worship. In recognition of his return to the Master, and of his work for the Catholic Community, the Office of Black Catholic Ministry dedicates our Black History Month efforts to his memory. We invite the Diocese of Charleston, and those elsewhere, to do the following: Share news of the life, the contributions, and the passing of Leon Roberts at Mass. Pray for him. Devote time on Sundays during Black History Month to opening the "Lead Me, Guide Me", and sharing aloud with the congregation its preface, then the article, "The Gift of African American Sacred Song", by Sr. Thea Bowman, and "The Liturgy of the Roman Rite and African American Worship by Rev. J-Glenn Murray (preferably one of these readings per Sunday). The preface, mostly composed of lists of names, provides a foundation for understanding the many organizations that went into supporting efforts of inculturation of the liturgy. Although many of us have often opened "Lead Me, Guide Me", most have not heard the words of wisdom hidden therein. Some may not even know how the "Lead Me, Guide Me" came to be. Let this be our opportunity to learn more. If your parish does not use "Lead Me, Guide Me: the African American Catholic Hymnal", consider inviting a guest from a parish in your cluster or deanery that does use the guide, and ask them to share its history with your parish. "Lead Me, Guide Me" contains the Mass of St. Augustine, composed by Leon Roberts. We invite parishes to devote time during Black History Month to learning this mass. Leon Roberts produced a host of other liturgical music, which can be found by clicking the "Black Catholic worship" link on our page. The Office of Black Catholic Ministry adopts the premise that Black History Month activity should be more than celebratory. It should give us new ideas and new energy for the future. We hope that these suggestions will serve that purpose.

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