At St. Dominic Church, we believe that “faith without works is dead,” as Scripture reminds us in the Book of James, and that real commitment to racial equity must be expressed not only in what we believe, but in what we do. Here is a sample of past events held at our church that were designed to build understanding, foster inclusiveness and put our faith into action.
Saints of the Month
St. Dominic’s “Saint of the Month” initiative recognized the diversity of the Catholic Communion by introducing our church to saints and people on the path to sainthood from a wide range of racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Each month, a parishioner presented the life of a featured saint and shared a personal reflection, supplemented by bulletin materials, prayer cards, reflection questions and other activities. The 2022–23 series featured figures including Venerable John Augustus Tolton, Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Blessed Kasui Kibe, Nicholas Black Elk, and Saints Perpetua and Felicity, and culminated in an inclusive multicultural Mass attended by guests from several faith communities.
Pentecost Mass
Pentecost is celebrated each year at St. Dominic with an especially inclusive Mass that honors the cultural and linguistic diversity of its congregation. Parishioners wear garb representing their heritage, and readings, prayers and music are performed in languages including Japanese, Italian, French, Yoruba, Spanish, Portuguese and Ukrainian. The Mass commemorates the spirit of Pentecost, when the church’s earliest leaders were sent forth to bear witness to Christ across nations, peoples and languages.
MLK Day Discussion
In 2025 and 2026, St. Dominic Church hosted the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, an event that brings together Shaker Heights residents to reflect on King’s life and legacy. Attendees were challenged to consider how they can help build his vision of a “Beloved Community”—one free of want and hate, where people are respected despite their differences. The dialogue, co-sponsored by a number of Shaker Heights institutions, was held in our church social hall and our Racial Equity Task Force members served as discussion facilitators.
Sr. Thea Bowman Dinner/Dialogue
On Feb. 7, 2026, the Racial Equity Task Force presented acommunity dinner and dialogue exploring the life and legacy of Sr. Thea Bowman,an African-American Franciscan nun, educator and advocate for racialinclusivity in the Catholic Church. The event encouraged attendees to considerher call for greater understanding and communication across racial and culturaldifferences. The program also highlighted Sr. Thea’s journey toward sainthoodand her lasting connection to Cleveland through the Thea Bowman Center in MountPleasant.
Juneteenth Celebration
On June 19, 2026, St. Dominic had the privilege of hosting the Diocese of Cleveland’s annual Juneteenth celebration. The Mass began with a drum call and featured performances by the Diocesan Youth Praise Dancers and Diocesan Gospel Choir. Guest Homilist Fr. Sidney Speaks of the Archdiocese of New Orleans spoke about the “Fullness of Freedom,” honoring Juneteenth’s history while reminding us that anxiety and fear can also hold us captive. He encouraged us to anchor ourselves in God’s love, liberating us from that fear and anxiety, and giving us courage to live as Jesus did. Outdoor festivities included food, games, line dancing, a DJ and an African-American storyteller.
Join Us!
If you would like to be part of this exciting and important work, simply email Meredith Manning.