Lyke Conference
The Lyke Conference, the nation’s premier Black Catholic liturgical event, is named after the late liturgist Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, the second of the three Black archbishops in US history—was founded in 2004 as an outlet where attendees could be trained in African-American patrimony.
That mission has endured now for close to 20 years, organizing gatherings in every year except the two coinciding with the National Black Catholic Congress (2012 and 2017).
Past Lyke Conferences and themes:
2004 | New Orleans, LA – Location
“Christ Is Our Peace” – Theme
2005 | St. Louis, MO – Location
“The Whole World in God’s Hands” – Theme
2006 | Chicago, IL – Location
“Come On Home” – Theme
2008 | Lafayette, LA – Location
“The Way, the Truth, and the Life” – Theme
2009 | New Orleans, LA – Location
“In Christ All Is New” – Theme
2010 | Charleston, SC – Location
“Lord, I Want To Be a Christian” – Theme
2011 | Dallas, TX – Location
“The Body of Christ! Amen!” – Theme
2013 | Chicago, IL – Location
“God Has Spoken: Celebrating the Word in a Black Key.” – Theme
2014 | New Orleans, LA – Location
“Sacraments: Rituals Black and Beautiful” – Theme
2015 | San Antonio, TX – Location
“I Am Black. I Am Catholic. I Am Here.” – Theme
2016 | San Antonio, TX – Location
“Black Catholics—Fully Functional, Fully Committed” – Theme
2018 | New Orleans, LA – Location
“Walk together Children: Celebrating Black Catholic Leadership.” – Theme
2019 | Washington, D.C. – Location
“Every Knee shall bend: Reconciliation Black and Catholic.” – Theme
2021 | Grapevine,TX- Location
“Listen to the Lambs: Black Confirmation” – Theme
2024| Grapevine, TX – Location
“Standing in the Need of Prayer- Reclaiming Our Black Catholic Liturgy.” – Theme
In the years 2007, 2012, 2017, 2023 the Lyke Conference was not held because the National Black Catholic Congress convened those years. The 2020 and 2021 Lyke Conferences were canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.