(This story has been updated with more information and with corrections made to the originally posted online article.)
A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Jan. 3, 2025 at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Washington, D.C., for Donna Toliver Grimes, a longtime official for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who was just as active in her home parish.
Grimes, 68, died Dec. 10 of complications following heart surgery.
She was so integral to parish life at St. Teresa of Avila that the parish put Grimes’ obituary on its website.
Grimes retired in late 2023 from the USCCB, where she had served as the assistant director of African American Affairs in the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity and, prior to that, with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
“She staffed the Committee on African American Affairs, but she also assisted in other, broader projects of cultural diversity, promoting the intercultural competencies in ministry,” said Mar Munoz-Visoso, executive director of the secretariat. “She did a lot of training on anti-racism. In fact she was one of the lead persons in the drafting of the pastoral letter against racism,” called “Open Wide Our Hearts,” published in 2018.
“She was a bright light,” Munoz-Visoso said of Grimes. “She was a fighter, but she was always cheerful, and encouraging people to do their best and fight for the issues that were important to them. Always with a smile. If she had something in her mind, she did not hesitate to tell you,” she added with a chuckle. “She was beloved by a lot of people.”
Dr. Ansel Augustine, who succeeded Grimes as the assistant director of African American Affairs in the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said, “Ms. Donna was someone I worked on several projects with throughout the years. She was a true colleague in ministry. My hope is to build upon the work she did at the USCCB by creating opportunities for new voices to be heard, and allowing others from the Black Catholic community to share their gifts with the wider Church.”
Charlene Howard, who now serves as the executive director of Pax Christi USA after working as a religion teacher at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, became friends with Grimes when they were classmates at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, Maryland, and she said they became “spiritual sisters” as parishioners at St. Teresa of Avila Church.
“We have witnessed our weddings, become godparents to each other’s children, worked side by side on the Catechetical Team for Religious Education at St. Teresa of Avila and had many adventures together,” Charlene Howard said in a statement emailed to the Catholic Standard. She added, “I often refer to her as my ‘big sister’ though we are only six months apart, because of her deep wisdom, calm spirit, stalwart faith and full commitment to African American culture and history.”
Noting Grimes’ work at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and her service to the parish and other ministries, Charlene Howard said, “She surrendered her life to work for God in the Catholic Church, doing whatever God wanted her to do, and anyone who came in contact with her personally or professionally certainly saw the manifestation of this. She was passionate about dispelling racism in the Church, elevating youth and young adults to leadership in the Church and held the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching as integral to the service she rendered to both the community and her local parish. She was equally passionate about elevating and connecting people to opportunities for personal growth.”
Donna Grimes was designated as an Ambassador of Peace by Pax Christi USA, the peace movement of the Catholic Church; and was the keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary celebration of Elizabeth Seton High School. She also served on the Community Advisory Board for WPFW public radio, as the director of religious education for St. Teresa of Avila Parish and was a published writer.
“Though she will be greatly missed, she will continue to be greatly loved and an inspiration to those of us who remain to honor her memory,” Charlene Howard said. “I am assured that our God has welcomed her saying, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’”
Michael Howard – the husband of Charlene Howard and the founder of the Eat the Scroll Ministry that promotes Scripture study – wrote a blog post about his friend Donna Grimes, saying that he agreed with someone who told him, “The Church will miss this wonderful soul.” Howard, who met Grimes at St. Teresa of Avila Church, said, “Her infectious smile drew one into seeing God’s love in her eyes when meeting her.”
Donna Grimes was one of the four original writers who contributed to Eat the Scroll Ministry's 1992 publication, Hallelujah People: A Daily Reflection on the Gospels for African American Catholics.
“She gave her life to building the lives of Black Catholics,” Michael Howard said.
Michael Howard in his blog post said that “Donna cared for the poorest of the poor, the residents in prison establishments, and individuals without homes. She exemplified Catholic Social Teaching. As our relationship developed, I witnessed in her marriage how her family strove to be a holy family.”
He pointed out how Donna Grimes in her book All God’s People: Effective Catechesis in a Diverse Church emphasized the importance of planning with, not for, people.
“Donna believed that we must be deliberate and inclusive. The key is to invite people to participate in the planning process. Listening to the community's voices empowers those we serve. Donna consistently sought ways to advocate for all groups by inquiring and attuning to the needs expressed by the people, thereby planning with and not for them,” Michael Howard said.
Donna Toliver Grimes was born on April 5, 1956 in Washington, D.C., and was the eldest of four children of James and Phyllis Toliver. Her husband, Herbert Grimes, preceded her in death. She is survived by her father; three children, Nyle, Kamau and Ayinde Grimes; two brothers, Mark and Dwayne Toliver; one sister, Victoria Whaley; and by many nieces, nephews and friends.
Her funeral Mass will be held on Friday Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Washington, preceded by viewing at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.
(Mark Zimmermann contributed to this story.)
