Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • December 10, 2021 20 Racial reconciliation ‘is a matter of the heart,’ Texas bishop says BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Catholic News Service HOUSTON (CNS)-- “Racial reconciliation -- reconciliation in general -- is a matter of the heart,” retired Bishop Curtis J. Guillory of Beaumont, Texas, said during a recent night of prayer and discus- sion about race relations in the U.S. The discussion was moderated by Father Reginald Samuels, vicar for the Catholics of African descent and pastor of St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park, Texas. Speaking about the U.S. bish- ops’ 2018 pastoral letter on racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love,” Father Samuels said, “We are here to explore what it means to have God’s love in our society.” The event, hosted by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, brought together church leaders and members of the legal profes- sion. It followed the Oct. 19 Red Mass celebrated at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston. The heart of the pastoral “is conversion,” said Bishop Guillory, one of 10African-American Catholic bishops and the first African-American bishop to head a diocese in Texas. He was appointed to Beaumont in 2000 and retired in 2020. Joining Bishop Guillory as a speaker was Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, who holds a mas- ter of theology degree with a specialization in African American Catholic studies from Xavier University in New Orleans. Xavier is the nation’s only Catholic historically Black university. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, who was president of the USCCB when the pastoral was written, said that when it was being drafted, there was a lot of anger between staff and the experts that helped develop the letter. “The first draft of the letter was so angry -- really angry -- that we practically had to call a truce,” he said. “We had to go back. And one of the things they decided to add -- intensely -- is confronting one another with the truth and occasionally with some uncomfortable things.” At the same time, Cardinal DiNardo said, the letter expanded on Scriptures and the importance of Jesus Christ in all of the issues. “As that happened, the second draft of the letter fell into place pretty well,” he said. “These are tough issues.” Bishop Guillory said that, while it may seem to some that continuing to talk about racial reconcilia- tion may be divisive, there is anger over cases of police brutality such as what led to the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of white officer. He added these incidents cause mistrust between police and some minority communities. “Police have a tough job,” he said. “And some of them do not make the force proud.” These issues affect the wider community, he added. “They are part of us.” Bishop Guillory said the goal of the pastoral letter is in line with the church’s mission to teach. “Unfortunately today, for too many Christians, their conscience is informed and transformed not by the Christian teaching, but rather by political affilia- tion,” he said. “So this letter ... is an attempt on the part of the bishops to give us some guidance by which we might deal with these issues and hopefully help bring about, first, a change within ourselves, and then bring about a change in society.” Bishop Guillory said the letter defines racism as a conscious or unconscious belief in racial superi- ority. “Acts that violate justice and ignorance of the fundamental truth that we are all created equal in the image of God,” he quoted from the document. He noted the letter addresses different races, including African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic and “talks about what we can do.” Addressing the lawyers, judges and people of the law in atten- dance, he said laws can help toward the conversion needed, but they “may not take us there.” He said that while a lot of prog- ress has been made on race rela- tions, there has to be a continuous renewal and humbling. “We have to examine ourselves,” he said. “How do I look upon someone from a different culture or at someone who is not as educated as I am.” He said it is essential to “know each other’s histo- ry.” He added people need to talk to each other, even though it is painful to bring about conversion, not blaming each other, but with an open heart. “Go deeper. Our humanity is deeper than culture or customs,” Bishop Guillory said. Bishop Cahill said bishops could help bring about change by having events such as the Red Mass, which traditionally marks the opening of the judicial year, to prompt discussion of the topic. “Whatever the events are can bring people togeth- er (to listen),” he said. In Victoria, Bishop Cahill said, diocesan officials brought in a play about the first African American priest, Father Augustus Tolton, who is a candidate for sainthood. SEE PANEL RACE RELATIONS, PAGE 22 Pictured from left are Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of Victoria, Texas, Father Reginald Samuels, Galveston-Houston archdiocesan vicar for the Catholics of African descent, and retired Bishop Curtis J. Guillory of Beaumont, Texas. They moderated an Oct. 19, 2021, panel discussion on race relations in the U.S. hosted by the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston. CNS photo/Rebecca Torrellas, Texas Catholic Herald

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