The Nation - News from July 17, 1989

Rejecting a unity appeal from black Roman Catholic bishops, Father George Stallings Jr. went ahead with services for what he says is a brand of Catholicism that better serves blacks. Stallings, who is black, held a pair of celebrations for his Imani Temple, and about 2,500 people attended. After the first such services on July 2, Stallings was suspended by the Archdiocese of Washington. Stallings accuses the church of being racist and of failing its black parishioners. He wants to form an African-American Catholic Rite, which he says would still be part of the Catholic Church. He told his audience he is following God’s direction, “and God didn’t tell me what bishop I should be listening to.”