Weapons Against The Sin Of Racism

Racism is evil, a particularly deep-rooted and damaging form of evil that haunts our nation’s past and present. As Catholics, we have the duty to condemn and uproot racism from our hearts and from our society. Discrimination is a sin against justice; fearful complacency in the face of racism is a sin against courage; hatred and callousness are sins against love. Ultimately, all racist acts are a rejection of God, in whose image each and every human being is made. In practical terms, the sin of racism takes many different forms, from offhand comments to structural systems of oppression of minority communities.

Let us be honest about our own complicity in racism, for “If we acknowledge our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing” (1 Jn 1:9). The Lord can free our hearts from this sin so that we can love our neighbours as ourselves.

Catholics should eagerly welcome the fight against racism. It is an opportunity to work for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth and in our own souls. It is a chance to give and receive the loving mercy of the Lord. It is a path to closeness with His Sacred Heart, which bears the wounds of all who are oppressed and suffering.

I am striving to face my own complicity in this sin, and to educate myself in this time of crisis. Below, I am sharing list of resources that I have found helpful in the past or am beginning to use now. Of course, it is limited in number and in scope and, importantly, is merely a place to start — my efforts are beginning in self-education, but must continue with dialogue and active work. In this journey, I am following suggestions by the AND Campaign of active steps to take toward justice.

Reading:

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein
Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates⁣
Freedom is a Constant Struggle, by Angela Davis
Beloved, by Toni Morrisson
Letter from a Birmingham Jail, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hope Sings, So Beautiful: Graced Encounters across the Color Line, by Chris Pramuk
Excerpts from Catholic Social Teaching. The USCCB issued a beautiful and helpful Pastoral Letter Against Racism in 2018; this Pastoral Letter on Evangelization from African-American Bishops in 1984 remains important
The History of Black Catholics in the United States, by Cyprian Davis
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism, by Jemar Tisby
The stories of early African American priests and religious, and priests and religious who served their communities, who encountered profound opposition and racism from outside and within the Church. Some examples: Fr. Augustus Bolton, the three Healey brothers, the Divine Word Missionaries, Mother Mary Lange and the Oblate Sisters of Providence, Sisters of the Holy Family, the Josephites, the Franciscan Handmaids of Mary, the Blessed Sacrament Sisters, and many more. One modern-day example (and hero) is Sr. Thea Bowman.

Listening:

The New York Times’ podcast 1612, on the way that slavery has shaped America
MLK’s I Have a Dream speech
Songs inspired by experiences of police brutality and racism
Interview with Gloria Purvis on race, racism, and reparations
Danielle Brown on the Catholic Feminist Podcast on building bridges and understanding racism
CNA Newsroom podcast episode on racism and National Catholic Reporter podcast episode on “Why systemic racism is a pro-life issue”