SAMUELS: The fight against racism continues

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)Earlier this year, during a July 2025 address to the faithful, Pope Leo XVI adamantly stated that, “It is time to stop the race of hatred. Our humanity is at stake.” In addition to all of this, we have the U.S. bishops stating that “the Church cannot remain silent about the racial injustices in society and its own structures.” Our Catholic leaders, time and time again, remind the Catholic faithful of our responsibility to fight and put an end to racism in the Church and society.  

In the 1979 pastoral letter on racism, “Brothers and Sisters to Us,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) wrote that the sin of racism as “more than a disregard for the words of Jesus” — namely, his command to treat others the way you would have them treat you (Mt 7:12) — but as a “denial of the truth of the dignity of each human being revealed by the mystery of the Incarnation.”  We must be reminded, over and over, of the dignity of the human person.  

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

Archbishop Caccia continued: “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 of equality between all human beings.” 

In November 2022, the late pontiff, Pope Francis, spoke to a group of American journalists regarding the various issues that are at the forefront of American society. Pope Francis said, “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.” 

The late pope said of the events in the U.S. over the last decade: “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 of 2020, issued a statement regarding 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 USCCB issued a pastoral letter called “Open Wide Our Hearts,” which condemns the sin of racism and vows to use the Church to combat it.  

In the message, 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, laity — and her institutions. Consequently, we all need to take responsibility for correcting the injustices of racism and healing the harms 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. 18, 2026, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Church of Galveston-Houston will celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the 41st time. The Church will use this moment in time to rededicate itself to the fight for racial justice.

Acknowledgment of the sin of racism, prayer and action are the true reasons we commemorate the life of Dr. King.  

We must acknowledge that we do not live in a post-racial society. Now is the time to promote a culture of solidarity and authentic human fraternity and continue to move to action to bring an end to racism and start the healing that is needed in our community, country and our Church. Our humanity depends on it. 

Father Reginald Samuels is the vicar for the Ministry for Catholics of African Descent and pastor of St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land.