One of the priorities of this community is to establish programs that support family life and promote cultural awareness of the Igbo community to our younger generation.
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 Igbo Language, 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 will be 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.
Refreshment usually follows after Mass with all kinds of food, especially African foods.
ON JULY 2ND 2006, WE HAD A PONTIFICAL CELEBRATION
After one year of our inaugration, we had a celebration with His excellence, Most Rev. Dr. Victor Adibe Chikwe visiting from Nigeria and Our Oakland Diocesan Bishop, His excellence , Most Rev. Allen H. Vigeron and many other Priest to concelebrate and promote faith and ethicity in our community. This celebratiion was performed in a grand style. Several cultural performance will attest to the success of the event. Among them are:
- Igbo Catholic Womens Association of East Bay
- Enugu Cultural Dance
- Mbaise Cultural Association
- Youth Cultural Dance from South Bay
About estimated 600 people gathered for an evening of feast, drink, and dancing after dual blessings of the two Bishops at the end of the episcopal mass. Spectactors consists of christains, catholics and non-catholics, Nigerians and several other nationalities.