In Leveling the Praying Field, Ansel Augustine offers a personal and historical perspective on issues of race and inequality in the Catholic church. In particular, he considers the challenges posed by the rise of Millennials and Gen Z, whose members increasingly consider racial equality to be one of the most important issues today.
Augustine shows how the American church, which has historically been slow to respond to racism, must change from doing “ministry as usual” to speak to and engage these younger Catholics. He points to a way forward, to “level the praying field so that all have an equal opportunity in society, and we can truly be ‘one body of Christ.’”
“Ansel Augustine’s book is a love letter that contains some hard truths. . . . But he offers it with the same hope that has sustained Black Catholics through our journey in and with this Church. . . .”
—Bryan N. Massingale, author, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church
Ansel Augustine, DMin, continues his work with youth, young adults, and various grassroots organizations, to help the most vulnerable on the peripheries of his hometown of New Orleans, LA. He has served as Executive Director of Cultural Diversity and Outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington and is a highly sought-after international speaker whose advocacy for social justice is at the core of his spirituality and ministry.