- This event has passed.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Harambee at CTU
Sunday, Feb 28 | Noon – 3 PM
Catholic Theological Union
5416 S Cornell Ave, Chicago, IL 60615
Join us for Harambee, Catholic Theological Union’s annual fundraising event dedicated to supporting the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program. “Harambee,” a Swahili word meaning “Let us pull together,” beautifully reflects the spirit of unity, collaboration, and shared purpose that underpins this special evening.
The Tolton Program is a transformative initiative that empowers Lay Black Catholic men and women to serve their communities through ministry. This program provides academic, personal, spiritual, and professional preparation to meet the unique needs of Black Catholics, whether in predominantly Black Catholic spaces or other communities.
The legacy of Fr. Augustus Tolton, the first publicly recognized Black Catholic priest in the United States, lives on through the dedication of the program’s participants who are actively pursuing theological studies at CTU. CTU stands apart in theological education, offering courses in Black Theology, Black Spirituality, and a specialized Certificate in Black Theology, ensuring that Black Catholic traditions and perspectives are celebrated and nurtured.
Your presence at Harambee directly supports the Tolton Program, helping to fund scholarships and other resources that enable future leaders to answer the call to ministry and continue Fr. Tolton’s legacy of resilience, hope, and service. Together, let us pull together and build a stronger future for the Church and the communities we serve.
We invite you to join us for an evening of celebration, inspiration, and community.
Event Highlights:
- Inspirational stories from Tolton Scholars
- Recognition of the program’s impact and legacy
- Opportunities to make a difference through your support
Let us pull together to strengthen the future of Black Catholic ministry!
Honorees:
Christine A. Riley, M.Div., is a seasoned public-sector leader with more than two decades of experience in homelessness prevention, policy development, and human services administration in the City of Chicago. Prior to retirement in August 2025, she served as Director of Homeless Prevention, Policy, and Planning for the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), where she provided strategic leadership over shelter, housing, outreach, and engagement systems citywide. In this role, Ms. Riley supervised multidisciplinary teams responsible for system planning, RFP development, contract administration, and performance improvement across delegate agencies. She played a central leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing the decompression of large congregate shelters and the rapid creation of alternative shelter models for individuals and youth. She also served as a key liaison for shelter operations and facilities during the City’s New Arrivals Mission, coordinating interdepartmental and community-based responses to unprecedented humanitarian needs for newly arrived migrants.
Previously, Ms. Riley served for nearly a decade as Assistant to the Commissioner and Project Coordinator within DFSS’s Homeless Services Division, where she led major system initiatives aligned with Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness. Her work included managing Coordinated Entry and outreach reforms, leading citywide diversion strategies, standardizing crisis response services, and overseeing high-impact initiatives such as the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, which successfully housed 75 individuals living under Lake Shore Drive viaducts. She also implemented a Section 504 disability compliance plan that preserved more than $11 million in federal funding for nonprofit partners.
Ms. Riley’s career also reflects a deep commitment to leadership development, community engagement, spirituality and formation. She served concurrently as Director of Religious Education at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church for over a decade, supervising catechists, managing budgets, and developing faith formation and sacramental programs in accordance with Archdiocese of Chicago standards. Earlier in her career, she held roles in the Depart of Cultural Affairs, Office of the Mayor, the DFSS Commissioner’s Office, supporting executive leadership, special projects, public communications, and intergovernmental coordination.
She holds a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union where she was a scholar in the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Northern Illinois University, with an emphasis in organizational and corporate communications and a minor in Black Studies. Ms. Riley brings extensive expertise contract management, performance evaluation, systems change and faith formation. In addition to her professional work, Ms. Riley serves on several nonprofit and educational boards, including Christ the King Jesuit College Prep, St. Angela Grade School and the Augustus Tolton Society at Saint Ignatius College Prep, where she currently serves as Chair. She is a Mercy Associate with the Sisters of Mercy of America and has long demonstrated a commitment to service, equity, and leadership development across faith-based and civic institutions.
Cheryl Cattledge is a spiritual woman of God who possesses a life-long devotion to invite and encourage others to participate in opportunities of prayer and worship experiences to enhance their relationship with God.
Cheryl is currently the Director of Campus Ministry and Director of Christian Service at Christ the King Jesuit College Prep High School on Chicago’s west side. At CtK, she has additional duties including supervisor of the Peer Ministry Team.
Cheryl is an Augustus Tolton Scholar Alum with a Masters of Divinity Degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. In addition, she currently serves as Chairperson on the Tolton Advisory Board at CTU. Also, Cheryl is a former member of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry Board of Directors (NFCYM).
Cheryl is the founder of the Spirit of Daniel Fasting Ministry and the owner of Ministry Vineyard, LLC.
In 2019, Cheryl was recognized as one of the 50 Inspiring Alumni on the occasion of CTU’s 50th Anniversary.
Cheryl attends The Faith Community of Saint Sabina Church on Chicago’s south side and is currently the Confirmation Prep Coordinator. However, the duties that she takes the most pride in are being a devoted wife and a mother of two adult daughters.
Cheryl believes that it was God’s call to cultivate and direct her passion to share God’s word to others. Whether it is through facilitating retreats, school liturgies, faith sharing programs, or providing spiritual counseling and being a mentor, her mission is to inspire others, to make God a priority and use their gifts and talents to build productive lives.
Parris D. Washington, a native of Chicago, is a leader with Peace and Social Justice movement. He is an active member of Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, and most recently the Third Day Church Project, where he serves to exercise a voice for the voiceless, oppressed, unfairly discriminated, and equal rights for all. He has always felt a call to service. He recently retired after 32 years in public service with the Railroad Retirement Board, as manager of the Debt Recovery Division. During his career in public service, he also worked with railroad retirement beneficiaries in responding to overpaid benefits and as a claim examiner and specialist for annuitants. It was in his early years while after attending St. Anselm Catholic School and attending Mass he felt a calling to preach. After obtaining a degree in Mathematics at Xavier University in Louisiana, he entered the seminary with the vocation of becoming a Society of Divine Word Missionary but later felt more called to serve in a lay capacity. While working in public service, he completed his Master of Divinity at Catholic Theological Union with a focus on Word and Worship, under the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Program. He served as director and assistant director of music at St. Anselm Catholic Church for more than 20 years. Within the Archdiocese of Chicago, he has worked with the liturgy team for Black Catholics under Bishop Joseph N. Perry, and liturgical ministries, contributed and developed a manual for leaders of music in the Black Catholic Community, taught catechism, and has conducted days of reflection for various churches and their organizations.
