In keeping with the theme of this Jubilee Year declared by our late Pope Francis, “Pilgrims of Hope,” we write these words to encourage all of us to continue pressing forward as bearers of hope to eradicate racism in the minds and hearts of the people and cultures today. Since hope is knowing and believing that God is present even in the midst of struggles, trials, and suffering, we are confident that our work will yield fruits as we stay focused on Jesus Christ.
Racism, according to “Open Wide Our Hearts” from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “arises when – either consciously or unconsciously – a person holds that his or her own race or ethnicity is superior, and therefore judges persons of other races or ethnicities as inferior and unworthy of equal regard. When this conviction or attitude leads individuals or groups to exclude, ridicule, mistreat, or unjustly discriminate against persons on the basis of their race or ethnicity, it is sinful. Racist acts are sinful because they violate justice. They reveal failure to acknowledge the human dignity of the persons offended, to recognize them as the neighbors Christ calls us to love (Mt 22:39).”
With this in mind, we encourage all of us to be in communion with one another as we journey together with Christ, who is our hope and companion, to ensure the work against racism is effective and resourceful. As the Psalmist reminds us, “How good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together as one” (Ps 133:1). But dwelling together is not enough. We are also called to live and work together as one, despite our differences. Each year at Pentecost, we hear these words from Acts of the Apostles 2:9-10: “we are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia. Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome.” Despite these differences, many individuals living in Jerusalem in the first century heard the Good News of Jesus proclaimed to them by the apostles after the resurrection, thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit creates a unity of love and peace.
The call to unity is present in our new Pope Leo XIV’s episcopal motto, In Illo Uno Unum (“In the One, we are one”), and close to his heart. From the Loggia of St. Peter Basilica, when he greeted the crowds for the first time as Pope Leo XIV, he said, “United and hand-in-hand with God, let us advance together.” We recognize racism is still ingrained in our society today. We need to continue to raise awareness of who we are as God has created us. As human beings, we all share a common origin. We are created in the image and likeness of God. We have dignity and values in the eyes of God. When we ignore this profound truth, we face the consequences of prejudice, fear of others, and hatred. The history and legacy of racism continue to hurt African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and many other cultural communities, compromising and destroying lives.
The road to transformation is a road of conversion, one of both heart and mind. This conversion will inspire us to change, to reform our lives, to reform our institutions. In this Year of Hope, we need to seriously examine how racism has prevented us from becoming more fully the Body of Christ that we aspire to be. Not every action we take will be perfect, nor should we wait to find the perfect solution. What is important is action – as individuals, as the Church, and as a society.
We need to begin with listening from the heart and dialogue to guide our actions. As Pope Francis states in Dilexit Nos, the heart is at the center of one’s desire and a place for decision making to take shape (p. 1). Then, transformation of the heart begins to take root in our lives because “the heart of Christ is alive with the action of the Holy Spirit” (p. 17). From his Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis states, “The ability to sit down and listen to others, typical of interpersonal encounters, is paradigmatic of the welcoming attitude shown by those who transcend narcissism and accept others, caring for them and welcoming them into their lives” (p. 39). If we make a genuine commitment to the effort to eliminate racism – in our hearts, in our minds, and in our actions, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then this is a transformative love for conversion which anchors our hope in Jesus Christ.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are committed to His mission of spreading the Gospel and building the Reign of God through daily worship, evangelization, and charitable outreach to those in need. We strive to be transformed in the Spirit of Christ to become a unifying and healing presence in a broken world. We look forward to sharing the Good News of God’s love in compassion, humility, and obedience, joyfully anticipating a better world. As Pope Leo XIV says, God “loves all of us unconditionally.”
Committing to eliminate racism is to strive for a transformation of heart every day; to strive to see every person as sacred and as a child of God; to find common ground, to learn more about other cultures, especially those represented in the local community and the parish; to participate in groups with diverse people; to participate in anti-bias training at work and apply it to daily life, to reach out and welcome new people and neighborhoods. Let us teach our children that our faith calls everyone to love their neighbor and that everyone has dignity, regardless of skin color or place of origin, and to model those beliefs when interacting with others in our surroundings.
In the end, “Conversion is a long road to travel for the individual. Moving our nation to a full realization of the promise of liberty, equality, and justice for all is even more challenging. However, in Christ we can find the strength and the grace necessary to make that journey” (Open Wide Our Hearts, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2018). As Pope Francis tells us, “Hope does not disappoint.”
Respectfully,
The Anti-Racism Committee of the California Catholic Conference:
Bishop Matthew Elshoff, O.F.M, Cap
Bishop Brian Nunes
Bishop Michael Pham