Dr. Nathan William Jones

Born on February 28, 1952, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Dr. Jones was a pioneer in bringing the richness of Afrocentric spirituality and worship to the Black Catholic Community of Chicago. He was known and respected around the country for his work in African American catechesis and was regarded by his colleagues and students as one of the greatest Black religious educators of our time. Dr. Jones served in the Archdiocese for fifteen years before accepting a visiting assistant professorship at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles in 1992.

During his rich career he worked in parish ministry; was an education consultant in the Office for Religious education; and editor-in-chief for the ethnic communications outlet. He lectured at numerous universities and colleges around the country and was regularly featured columnist in Catechist Magazine, writing on the cultural implications of Catholic pastoral and catechetical ministries. During his life he received numerous awards honoring his many contributions as an author and educator in the field of catechesis.

Nathan will always be remembered by those who knew and loved him as a gentle spirit who was deeply in love with his God and wasn’t ashamed to shout about it; and in the tradition of the African griots of old, he revered the role traditions of his people. Always telling the story of how they made it over until he made his own transition and entered eternal life on May 7, 1994.

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