Racism is a painful reality. It cannot be denied or ignored by the Church. People of color are negatively impacted by covert and overt manifestations of racism in society as well as the Church. It is sad to hear that people leave the Church because they feel unwelcome.
 As an African American priest I know that I am one of God's children. By virtue of my baptism I receive a common dignity, a common grace and a common vocation from God. All of us who are baptized into Jesus are sisters and brothers and I have a right to belong to God's family. I have a right to be respected and honored as a child of God. This does not deny the hard fact and reality that some of our sisters and brothers have to leave the Church for emotional, spiritual and mental balance. Some cannot cope with the stress and anxiety brought on by a racist society and church. What can I (we) do to redress the sin of racism? I suggest the following.
We need to pray for spiritual strength. We need to ask the Lord to give us a daily bread to respect people regardless of what they might do to us. This is for our own spiritual integrity. Although people may hurt us and harm us and not welcome us into the community, we, nevertheless, must not  succumb to the temptation to disregard the dignity and worth of another person. We need also to pray for the spiritual conversion of the Church, asking the Lord to help the Church on earth to remember who it is that it represents in the world. The Church is the sign and instrument of Christ who came to save all people and to unite all people in love. This is a universal mission embracing all of humankind.
We need to learn about the impact and effects of racism in our society, our world and even in the Church. We need to learn about the centuries of institutional racism that have crippled the minds and spirit of so many people of color, especially our African American sisters and brothers. We need to design teaching tools and strategies that help dismantle the mental constructs and paradigms that perpetuate the idea of racism, prejudice and discrimination. We need to encourage others who have the professional background to write and challenge the conventional wisdom that speaks always in terms of we and they, us and them, the have and have nots, etc. It is time to educate for unity, respect for differences and diversity. We have many intelligent African American Catholics who can assist us in this area.
 We need to reach out to others who have experienced the pain of racism. This means forming support groups for people who need to share their experiences of racism and find support with those who are making the effort to survive and live beyond the racism that is so prevalent in our society. We cannot survive and live in this world alone. We need companions on the way to help us and show us how to effectively deal with racism and remain mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically healthy. Think about forming a support group for yourself and others. Write down what your experiences have been and share it with others.
 We need to network and collaborate with groups and organizations that are already doing the work of eradicating racism in our society and communities. We find strength in numbers. We are strengthened in our resolve to dismantle racism when we work together for the common good of all. Find out what organizations are doing to eliminate racism in your community and let the Church know that you intend to bring these and other resources to bear on the problem at hand. The Church must be confronted over and over again about its failure to confess the sin of racism. We fail to do our part when we run away from the demon of racism rather than confronting the demon with the strength and support of the community - a community that is committed to eradicating the sin of racism and teaching others the way of peace, harmony and love. |
