SAMUELS: Acknowledging the role of racism, injustice in society

Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, then president of the University of Notre Dame, second from left, joins hands with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Edgar Chandler and Msgr. Robert J. Hagarty of Chicago, far right, in this 1964 file photo. (OSV News photo/courtesy University of Notre Dame)

In the famous 1963 address, Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asserts that the Church needs to take a principled stand against racism and injustice, or risk being dismissed as an “irrelevant social club.” 

As the Church, we are called to move to a greater understanding of the role racism and injustice play in the lives of the faithful in our local Church. We cannot just simply think that we live in a post-racial society, and the Church, in its wisdom, has recognized this. Recognition leads to action, and action leads our Church to heal the wounds of racism and injustice.  

On March 21, 2023, the United Nations observed the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Holy See, represented by Archbishop Gabriel Giordano Caccia, reiterated the Holy See’s strong condemnation of racism in which, the Holy See states: “should be countered by promoting a culture of solidarity and authentic human fraternity.” 

Addressing the United Nations Assembly, Vatican Ambassador Archbishop Caccia stated: “Only the recognition of human dignity can make possible the common and personal growth of everyone and every society. To stimulate this kind of growth it is necessary in particular to ensure conditions of equal opportunity for men and women and guarantee an objective equality between all human beings.” 

On Nov. 22, 2022, the Holy Father Pope Francis spoke to a group of American journalists regarding the various issues that are at the forefront of American society. Pope Francis stated: “Racism is an intolerable sin against God. The Church, the pastors and lay people must continue fighting to eradicate it and for a more just world.” 

Pope Francis said of the events in the U.S. over the last few years: “We cannot close our eyes to any form of racism or exclusion while pretending to defend the sacredness of every human life.”  

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, in June 2020, issued a statement on racism in our Church, community and country: “Plainly stated, for it is plain to see, we in America have a plank in our eye with regard to racism. This is a tough but necessary reality to confront because we cannot address a problem until we acknowledge it. This includes us as members of the Catholic Church.” 

In 2018, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral letter called “Open Wide Our Hearts,” which condemns racism and vows to use the Church to combat it.  
In the pastoral letter, the bishops wrote: “There have been many times when the Church has failed to live as Christ taught — to love our brothers and sisters. Acts of racism have been committed by leaders and members of the Catholic Church — by bishops, clergy, religious and laity — and her institutions. Consequently, we all need to take responsibility for correcting the injustices of racism and healing the harm it has caused.” 

The Catholic bishops went on to state in the pastoral letter: “The roots of racism have extended deeply into the soul of our society. Racism can only end if we contend with the policies and institutional barriers that perpetuate and preserve the inequality — economic and social — that we still see all around us.”  

On Jan. 19, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in our own 40th anniversary celebration. The Church will use this moment in time to rededicate and redirect itself to the fight against racism and injustice. 
 
Father Reginald Samuels is the vicar of Catholics of African Descent and pastor of St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land.