Cardinal Gregory meeting with the descendants of slaves: Bowie church Hillside

Many abandoned graves were discovered on a hillside outside the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bowie, Maryland. This was the same place where the American Catholic Church was first organized. Cardinal Wilton Gregory has met with his descendants for the first time here. They got buried on that hill, and now the political leaders and the church are supposed to plan for their next move. The suspected graves that were discovered could range between 300 to 500.

However, a lot of churches still need to go through the inspection. Now, some of the political leaders in Maryland are pushing for special designation from the National Park Service. All of it resulted in a prayer service and a special meeting held on a cold and damp Saturday afternoon in Bowie. The D.C. Archbishop and Cardinal Wilton Gregory offered prayers and remorse after the event. It was indeed one of the most heartfelt recognitions provided to “whose (deaths) mattered little to those who survived them; we are trying to ensure that their lives are not lost, but more importantly that their memories are not lost.”

Cardinal in the sermon

The cardinal had uttered the word “lost” to describe the grief and circumstances related to the death incident. He admitted it, saying, “We’re reminded in vivid language that there is a lot of work that needs to be done so that the lives and the identity and the dignity of the people who were once in shackles will be held in honor by those of us who remain” as he went through the conversations going inside the chapel. A unique location was also poured after the scripture reading,s and that was even related to the shout of the ancestor’s names. It is a social event conducted by the Africans in their culture to pay homage to their ancestors. Many people continued to linger around that region dotted by the pink and orange flags,s which indicated that it was buried there long ago!

Heritage and legacy- discussions around the chapel

Stephanie White of Upper Marlboro said, “I’m glad our story is being told, and people are finally finding out what happened.” Their hergreat-grandfatherr was enslavedandands sold by the Jesuits running Georgetown University. They were the ones who were sent to Louisiana. Jeremy Alexander,r who lived with his father in Mississippi but then moved to Chicago, finally grew up, and now he happens to live in Fulton, “I believe the ancestors have brought us back.” He added, “It’s been amazing. We’re very grateful to understand our family’s history.” However, the porter finally committed that everyone interred here should have their legacy maintained forever!
Resources:
https://wtop.com/prince-georges-county/2023/02/cardinal-gregory-meets-with-descendants-of-those-once-forgotten-on-bowie-hillside/