By Christopher White, National Correspondent
In a new pastoral letter released on Wednesday, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., called for a strengthening of the Church’s efforts to confront racism, labeling it a “divisive evil that leaves great harm in its wake.”
Addressed to the clergy, religious, and laity of the archdiocese, “The Challenge of Racism Today,” references “incidents both national and closer to home” that the cardinal said will require a “fresh emphasis” on the “mission for reconciliation.”
Following the deadly, racially motivated events in Charlottesville, Va., this past August, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that it would establish an Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism as a part of the Church’s “ongoing efforts to combat the sins of racism.”
In his letter, Cardinal Wuerl argues that there are two necessary starting points for action: first, recognizing that racism exists in various forms, “some more subtle and others more obvious,” he noted, and secondly, recognizing that there is something that can be done about it, beginning on a personal level.
Cardinal Wuerl invokes the Genesis account of the creation of man and woman and says, “The human race is rooted in the loving, creative act of God, who made us and called us to be a family – all God’s children – made in God’s image and likeness.
“There is no basis to sustain that some are made more in the image of God than others. In whatever form, intolerance of other people because of their race, religion or national origin is ultimately a denial of human dignity,” he added.
Echoing both the language of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the 1979 pastoral letter on racism by the U.S. bishops, “Brothers and Sisters to Us,” Cardinal Wuerl said racism is a sin, “because it offends God by a denial of the goodness of creation.
“It is a sin against our neighbor, particularly when it is manifested in support of systemic social, economic and political structures of sin. It is also a sin against the unity of the Body of Christ by undermining that solidarity by personal sins of prejudice, discrimination and violence,” he continued.
A new pastoral letter on racism will be released in 2018 by the U.S. bishops.
He observed that while the United States has had a regrettable history of exploitation and racist behavior toward various peoples and groups, he specifically highlights the sin of racism against African-Americans that has plagued the country since its founding.
“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 wrote.
In his letter, Cardinal Wuerl lauded the diversity of this country and said that the various backgrounds that contribute to the fabric of America should add to the strength of the nation, rather than serve as the source of pain and conflict “What should be a blessing – the diversity of our backgrounds, experiences and cultures – is turned into a hindrance to unity and a heavy burden for some to bear,” he. “The pain it causes in people’s lives is very real.”
Cardinal Wuerl also praised both African-American and immigrant Catholics who have been victims of racism and yet have remained strong in their faith.
“At the same time, we acknowledge the witness of African-American Catholics who through eras of enslavement, segregation and societal racism have remained steadfastly faithful,” he said.
“We also recognize the enduring faith of immigrants who have not always felt welcome in the communities they now call home,” he added.
Cardinal Wuerl concluded his letter by enumerating specific ways in which Catholics should “follow Pope Francis’s example in promoting a spirit of dialogue and encounter with others.” Among them, he encouraged the advocacy of fair housing statutes, workplace environments and employment opportunities that “reflect true opportunity,” and criminal justice reform. He also called for greater inclusion at the parish level and said priests should use homilies to focus on the incompatibility of Christian faith and prejudiced behavior.
While acknowledging that the fight against racism is an ongoing challenge, Cardinal Wuerl believes it was one to which Christians are specifically called and equipped to carry out.
“Without God and the sense of right and wrong that religious convictions engender,” he said, “we will never adequately confront racism.”