Throughout the history of U.S. Catholicism, African American priests have been known as strong preachers, effective evangelizers, and trusted caretakers of their parishes. So why are there so few of them, even in Los Angeles? In a special report starting on page 10, Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil looks at the historical obstacles African American men have faced in becoming priests as well as the difficulty the U.S. Church has had in recruiting and forming them.