WASHINGTON — The sin of racism must be recognized, confronted and
overcome, Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl said in a new pastoral letter,
"The Challenge of Racism Today."
"Intolerance and racism will not go away without a concerted
awareness and effort on everyone's part. Regularly we must renew the commitment
to drive it out of our hearts, our lives and our community," the cardinal
wrote in a letter dated Nov. 1, All Saints' Day, that was addressed to the
clergy, religious and laity of the Catholic Church of Washington.
The letter from Washington's archbishop comes at a time when
racism issues and calls for racial justice have sparked protests on city
streets, college campuses and even pro football fields across the country.
"The mission of reconciliation takes on fresh emphasis today
as racism continues to manifest itself in our country, requiring us to
strengthen our efforts. We are all aware of incidents both national and closer
to home that call attention to the continuing racial tensions in our
society," Cardinal Wuerl wrote.
He noted that the nation's Catholic bishops have established an
Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism made up of clergy, laywomen and laymen "to
speak out against this divisive evil that leave great harm in its wake."
The cardinal added that, "It is our faith that calls us to
see each other as members of God's family. It is our faith that calls us to
confront and overcome racism."
He cited the story of creation from the Book of Genesis and
Catholic teaching in the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the equality and
human dignity of all people.
"What makes us equal before God and what should make us
equal in dignity before each other," Cardinal Wuerl noted, "is that
we are all sisters and brothers of one another, because we are all children of
the same loving God who brought us into being."
Racism, he said, is a "sin against our neighbor" that
offends God and goes against the unity of the body of Christ, a unity that all
Christians share by means of their baptism.
The letter's release coincides with the Catholic Church's
celebration of November as Black Catholic History Month. The cardinal noted how
the "stain of racism" has affected people in every continent
throughout history, often manifesting itself in marginalization, discrimination
and oppression to indigenous people or newcomers.
But the cardinal added that "in our homeland, the most
profound and extensive evidence of racism lies in the sin of centuries of human
trafficking, enslavement, segregation and the lingering effects experienced by
African-American men, women and children."
He noted that St. John Paul II in the Great Jubilee Year called
for the recognition of sins committed by members of the church during its
history.
"Today we need to acknowledge past sins of racism and, in a
spirit of reconciliation, move toward a church and society where the wounds of
racism are healed," Cardinal Wuerl said. "In this process, we need to
go forward in the light of faith, embracing all of those around us, realizing
that those wounded by the sin of racism should never be forgotten."
"At the same time," he continued, "we acknowledge
the witness of African-American Catholics who through eras of enslavement,
segregation and societal racism have remained steadfastly faithful. We also
recognize the enduring faith of immigrants who have not always felt welcome in
the communities they now call home."
"The Challenge of Racism Today" is the 10th pastoral
letter issued by Cardinal Wuerl as archbishop of Washington.