Sir Knight Reginald Grier informed us that his sister, Dr. Dolores Bernadette Grier, died in New York City on February 22, 2018, her birthday. She was 91 years old.
The late Cardinal O’Connor of New York appointed Dr. Dolores Bernadette Grier as the first lay woman to be a vice chancellor of the archdiocese. Dolores Grier’s appointment as vice chancellor for community relations in 1985 was national news as she achieved several firsts. Not only was she the first lay woman, but she also was the first black American in the U.S. to be appointed a vice chancellor. She also became the first lay woman named to any chancery post in the archdiocese.
When Grier was a teenager she converted to Roman Catholicism. She graduated with a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University. In 1980 she heard a “persuasive, dynamic speech in defense of all human life from conception” by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and credits this speech with bringing her into the pro-life movement. She lamented in her book, DEATH BY ABORTION, the course Jackson took in his career by saying, “Regrettably, Rev. Jackson joined the Democratic political party and adopted its pro-abortion/pro-choice platform. Too many legislators, Republican and Democratic, have chosen to walk on the ‘comfort zone’ bridge of pro-choice, thus turning their backs on the unborn human beings, perhaps because they are not yet voters or members of a political action group.”
In 1993 the New York City branch of the NAACP selected her to be the recipient of the Women’s History Month award, she refused it and membership because of the organization’s pro-choice stance on abortion. “As president of the Association of Black Catholics,” she wrote, “I believe abortion to be a racist weapon of genocide against black people. It has been thrust upon black women as a solution to their economic crises, confusion and concern.”
She had a television program on BLACK CATHOLICS and was a long-time EWTN spokesperson and close friend of the late Mother Angelica. She was a nationally known African American pro-life activist and non-fiction author. She also orchestrated the PROUD TO BE ROMAN CATHOLIC effort in New York. Dr. Grier sat on the Board of Advisors of the Catholic League and was founder of Black Catholics Against Abortion. She wrote, “Yesterday they snatched babies from our arms and sold them into slavery, today they snatch them from our womb and throw them into the garbage.”
I met her on several occasions and she was a wonderful lady and true disciple of Christ. Rest in peace.
Filed under: Bishops, Catholic, Evangelization, Obituary, Pro-Life, Uncategorized |
Blogger Priest 
I remember Cardinal O Conner promoting her .
I heard her speak today on EWTN she is a treasure. God bless her for all her good work.
Hace poco conocí a la Dra. Dolores B. Grier, (QEPD) a través de EWTN, en un programa de la Madre Angélica (QDDG) y me encantó cómo predicó acerca de Jesús, de su amor por Él.
Can we lift Dr.Dolores B.Grier up for beatification… pick up your Cross…
DOLORES WAS AN IMPORTANT PARTICIPANT IN THE FOUNDING OF THE TRI- STATE COLITION FOR LIFE ( NJ,NY,CONN) AND MANY PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES IN NEW JERSEY. SHE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL!
AMEN!!!