About Igbo Catholic Community
The Igbo Catholic community offers liturgical and cultural diversity. It was inaugurated in 2004 to address the spiritual and social needs of the people of Igbo descent from Nigeria in the Bay Area. It also promotes religious and cultural celebration in accord with appropriate Igbo liturgical awareness and understanding.
The Igbo Catholic community’s goal is to foster the propagation of Igbo culture and language through the Eucharistic celebration and other liturgical services such as teaching of catechism, Igbo religious hymns and songs (choir) to our children. Our hope is to transfer the richness of our culture to our children and share our Igbo culture with the rest of the parish and provide cultural activities such as native dance and artistic performances.
The community aims to communicate and collaborate with other national and ethnic communities on matters of mutual interest in the parish and the diocese.
The Igbo Mass celebration is held on the first Sunday of every month, currently at All Saints Catholic Church Parish, Hayward, California.
Mass features Igbo ethnic liturgical hymns, charismatic songs, and music with exotic musical instruments.
The Igbo comes from the southeastern part of Nigeria and is one of the three major ethnic groups in the country. Evangelized by the Irish Holy Ghost Fathers in the early 1900s, Igbo Catholics are said to be among the strongest in Africa.
In addition to the East Bay Igbo Catholics, there are communities in the San Francisco Archdiocese and the Diocese of San Jose.
We are the third and final leg of the Bay Area community tripod.