Catholic Diocese Tucson

14 CATHOLIC OUTLOOK DECEMBER 2019 Seventh in a series In the November 2018 pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts,” the US bishops urge all Catholics to acknowledge “the scourge of racism” that still exists in our hearts, words, actions and insti- tutions. Racism can be individual, when persons fail to recognize cer- tain groups as created in the image of God and equal in dignity, or it can be systemic, where practices or poli- cies treat certain groups of people unjustly. Today, racism continues to exist in our communities and in our parishes. Racism is what makes us see the “other” with suspicion or to attribute negative characteristics to an entire group of people. This evil manifests itself in our individual thoughts, and also in the workings of our society itself. Today’s continuing inequali- ties in education, housing, employ- ment, wealth and representation in leadership positions are rooted in our country’s shameful history of slavery and systemic racism. Discrimination based on race and ethnicity takes many forms. The US has made progress in eliminating some of the institutional, legalized racial discrimination of years past such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, “separate but equal” schools and pro- hibitions on voting or owning land. These hard-fought victories deserve to be remembered and celebrated. Still, these advances are incom- plete. Data on social and economic welfare show disparities between many persons of color and their white counterparts. - Unemployment rates for Afri- can Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are considerably higher than the national average. Growing income inequality increasingly af- fects minorities. - US median wealth for white households is 10 times greater than for black households, and eight times greater than for Hispanic households. - Minority homeownership rates lag behind their white counterparts, and yet research shows minorities face extra hurdles in getting ap- proved for mortgages. - African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are disproportion- ately affected through every stage of the criminal justice system, despite the evidence that different racial and ethnic groups commit crimes at roughly the same rates. America remains a deeply divided place in many ways. Many Ameri- cans of all racial and ethnic back- grounds live in neighborhoods that are homogenous. This often limits the opportunity to learn from, interact with, and befriend people who are racially and ethnically different. Yet, having experiences living near those with different experiences and backgrounds can strengthen communities and the Body of Christ. Many people of color living in low-income areas experience low or no upward economic mobility because of limited access to qual- ity schools, safe neighborhoods, reliable transportation or higher- paying jobs. Laws and practices in more affluent communities, such as refusing rent assistance vouchers can prevent low-income persons from moving into these commu- nities. As a result, dialogue and encounter with others with diverse backgrounds, experiences and opinions can be limited or non- existent. In his 2013 apostolic ex- hortation Evangelii Gaudium (59), Pope Francis noted that exclusion and inequality create the climate for discord. Recent violence in communities across the country and the hurtful rhetoric that mark conversations about refugees and migrants indicate that there is still much work to do. As Christians, we are constantly called to examine our own hearts and consciences for how we might contribute to or break down racial divisions, intolerance and discrimi- nation. The failure to act to end systemic racism hurts those who are victimized and denies all of us the opportunity to benefit from the gifts of diversity. This column is excerpted from the “Creating on the Margins” Contest Packet. Visit usccb.org/youthcontest usccb.org/concurso-juvenil Catholic Campaign for Human Development, or to learn more about “Creating on the Margins,” an annual contest for youths in grades 7-12 that educates about poverty in the US and the Catholic response. Pray with St. John Paul II “Lord God, our Father, you created the human being, man and woman, in your image and likeness, and you willed the diversity of peoples within the unity of the human family. At times, however, the equality of your sons and daughters has not been acknowl- edged, and Christians have been guilty of attitudes of rejection and exclusion, consenting to acts of discrimination on the basis of racial and ethnic dif- ference. Forgive us and grant us the grace to heal the wounds still present in your community on account of sin, so that we will all feel ourselves to be your sons and daughters.” (Universal Prayer on the Day of Pardon) Copyright © 2018, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part without altera- tion for nonprofit educational use, provided such reprints are not sold and include this notice. All photos © iStock Photo. Models used for illustrative purposes. This resource and many others are available at usccb.org/racism. Prayer from Pope John Paul II, Universal Prayer, March 12, 2000, copy- right © 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV), Vatican City. Used with permission. All rights reserved. “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. With renewed vigor, we call on members of the Body of Christ to join others in advocating and promoting policies at all levels that will combat racism and its effects in our civic and social institutions.” – US bishops, “Open Wide Our Hearts” What is systemic racism and how can we combat it?