Mission Statement

The Mission of St. Augustine Parish, as an American Catholic Church Community of Faith and Service, is to promote the growth and holiness of the Church locally and beyond by:

Celebrating the Father's love with praise and thanks and keeping the worship of God first in our lives;

Learning and teaching what it means to be a Church by always seeking the truth;

Sharing our resources and our gifts to reach the community with hospitality, openness, compassion and mercy;

Nurturing individual and family life; and,

Providing opportunities for each individual to participate according to his or her gifts and talents.

Honoring Heritage Within the Catholic Faith
African American Ancestry Acknowledged

The Catholic Church, by its name and by its practice, is universal.  In Chicago, Catholics of Polish descent often worship together in the same Parish.  In Memphis, most Latinos worship together at Church of the Resurrection on Newberry Drive, in East Memphis. In Florida, many recent Haitian immigrants or second and third generation Haitian-American descendents attend church in the same parish.  In California many Korean Catholics worship together.  Is it segregation of Catholics?  Not at all! 

It's a fact that people simply worship where they live, feel most comfortable in terms of cultural similarities, or have the most friends and/or family.  In fact, while St. Augustine, in South Memphis, predominantly serves African American heritage, people of different ancestries and cultures attend, with many driving 20 minutes or more from East Memphis and Collerville.  You might say, St. Augustine has a "southern culture," also.

On the national front the Office of Black Catholics, as a part of the National Black Catholic Congress, is a great resource for navigating the "Black and Catholic" experience.  Explore the resources and learn more about the history and progress of Catholics of African descent.