Msgr. Edward B.Branch, B.A. , M.Div., D. Min. Msgr. Branch is presently the Catholic Chaplain for the Atlanta University Center (retired), a cluster of historically African American institutions of higher education which boast the largest concentration of scholars of African heritage in the world. He also serves as preaching instructor in the Deacon Formation Program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. He is past chairperson of the Priests’ Council of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. He is a member of the Ongoing Formation of the Clergy Committee, the Committee on Clergy Retirement, and one of the Archdiocesan Consulters. Born in Washington, D.C. June 24, 1945, he attended St. Martin Parish and school and in 1959 entered Gonzaga College High School. In 1961 he transferred to Msgr Mackin High School and graduated in 1963. He was for eight years a member of the Congregation of Xaverian Brothers during which time he was engaged in secondary education. Ordained for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky in 1974, he has served in pastoral appointments at St. Benedict and Immaculate Heart of Mary churches in Louisville from 1974 - 1979 and was pastor and director of St. Benedict the Black, the parish and Newman Center for Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana from 1979 - 1982. Beginning in 1982 he enjoyed a six year tenure as University Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at The Catholic University of America. In 1991 he was awarded the Doctor of Ministry in the areas of Social Psychology and Christian Education at the Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. His specific focus was faith development and culture. Following this work he was invited by Archbishop Marino to come to the Atlanta University Center to construct the Catholic Center facility which was completed in 1999. He was transferred from The Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky to the Archdiocese of Atlanta in April 2010. Positions of national service include President, National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, and Chairperson of the National Committee for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. He has been a three time board member of the National Office for Black Catholics. He has twice presented keynote addresses at the National Catholic Youth Conference, and served as support facilitator at the National Youth Congress. He presented workshops at such nationally know liturgy and ministry workshop settings as the Rejoice Conference in Washington, D.C. and the Black Unity Explosion Conferences in the New Orleans and Dallas. 1993 He was honored to serve as Young Adult Co-Facilitator at World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado. , and called upon to be respondent at the Symposium on Theology and Ministry at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C. He presented a paper entitled “Faith Development and Culture” at the Black Catholic Theology Symposium in 1995. He is a regular contributor to the Parish Connection, publication of the Office for Black Catholic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Most recently he was called upon by the President of St. Mary University in Moraga, California to present a paper entitled, “Black Voices: The Catholic Black Church in America” Msgr. Branch has been called upon to facilitate clergy and lay planning and reflection groups in various dioceses advancing such issues as liturgical planning and ministry training, justice issues such as racism and economic development, and faith and value development among young adults. The ministry of evangelization has called him to preach revivals and days of reflection nationally and internationally. He has served two terms as chairman of the Archdioces of Atlanta’s Council of Priests, serves a continuing appointment on the Committee for Ongoing Formation of Priests, the new Committee for Priests’ Retirement, and is a member of the Archdiocesan Board of Consultors. He is honored to serve as Chaplain to the Fourth Degree Assembly 46 of the Knights of Peter Claver, and is serving as facilitator of the newly formed Atlanta Committee for the Canonization of Fr. Augustus Tolton, America’s first African American Priest.