Two months after Bishop Michael F. Burbidge named 14 Black lay
leaders and clergy to a new Advisory Council on Racism, members are considering
holding listening sessions, workshops and other public events to hear from
parishioners across the diocese.
Council members have met twice, in late October and early December,
to begin planning the task before them — to come up with “a strategic plan to
address racism and prejudice in our diocese, and achievable ways we can address
these issues,” said Bridget Wilson, director of the diocesan Office of
Multicultural Ministries and recording secretary for the advisory council.
She said the strategic plan will be “implemented at the parish
level and in our schools and ministries.” Council members were appointed to
three-year terms, but a strategic plan is expected to be completed well before
then, she said.
Wilson said Bishop Burbidge brought up the suggestion of
listening sessions at the advisory council’s Dec. 3 meeting. The idea had been
mentioned previously by council members including Deacon Gerard-Marie Anthony
of St. Timothy Church in Chantilly, who has said he hopes Black Catholics from
across the diocese will be included. “People need to have opportunities to
listen to each other from the heart, and touch peoples’ hearts,” he told the Catholic Herald in October. “We have to aim for the
heart, that’s when we’ll be able to change.”
Since the council’s creation, some members have begun speaking
informally in various public forums to begin the conversation about racism and
share the perspectives and experiences of Black Catholics across the diocese.
On the Nov. 11 episode of the diocesan “Searching for More”
podcast, Deacon Anthony and council member Melissa Rihl discussed racism in
America and how Catholics are called to respond. Wilson and council member
Jerry Cousin gave a presentation via Zoom to members of the Racial Justice
Ministry at St. John Neumann Church in Reston Nov. 20.
At the council’s Dec. 3 meeting, Wilson said the group discussed and set up teams to draft a purpose or mission statement and to outline issues and possible solutions to racism in the diocese. Subcommittees were formed to focus on a range of areas such as media and communications, possible collaboration with other diocesan groups, outreach to youth groups and young adults, and outreach to parishes.
Wilson said that in the new year, the council will meet monthly.
Find out more
See a video of the Nov. 11 “Searching for More” podcast
on how Catholics are called to respond to racism in America.
