 Before the call, Rudd explained that those looking for freedom must first be the ones to “strike a blow”.He believed that the way to win the black population to the Catholic church was to “find out how many Catholics we would have to start with and then put that force to work”.In May of 1888, Rudd called upon Black Catholics all over the country under the “Blessing of Holy Mother, Church” It was believed that this group could serve as a “leaven” of the race lifting all African Americans both in the eyes of God and in humanity.