Racism Today: The Catholic Church's Perspective

1
Racism Today The Catholic Church's Perspective
The Catholic Church's Stance on Racism Today
History of Black Catholics in the United States
Steps to Eradicate Racism and move
toward Racial Solidarity
Audio
Sources
Introduction
Creators
Further Resources
2
Where does Catholicism Stand On Race and Religion?

• Is this question relevant at Marquette
  University? It seems somewhat self-explanatory.
  Love your neighbor regardless of race or
  ethnicity, end of story, correct? What if
  everything was not so cut and dry, that there is
  a deeper problem that needs to be addressed?
  Would you be open to discussing it?
• We feel that there is more than what is on the
  surface. And to properly understand the answer
  to the question that is posed above, we need to
  understand the past better, in order to live
  properly in the present, and hopefully change the
  future. So with an open mind and heart, we ask
  that you review our information on the current
  situation in the United States and its Catholic
  Church.

3
The Arrival of Africans in the Continental U.S.

• First arrived in Florida in 1565
• Spanish-speaking Catholics
• Santa Teresa founded in 1738
• Catholic community of all Blacks, the only white
  person being the chaplain
• 1781 census of Los Angeles shows that of the 40
  people there, all were Catholic and over one half
  were of African descent
• French settlers baptized their slaves in the
  Catholic Church
• 1785- Africans constituted 1/5 of the catholic
  population in Maryland
• Church in the South owes much of its material
  existence to the work of slaves owned by the
  Church
• Slavery condemned in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI

4
Organized Catholicism Amongst Black Believers

• Records of groups of Black Catholics who met for
  support, called confraternaties, indicate that
  about 1/3 of the members were Black, both freed
  and enslaved
• 1843- Society of the Holy Family met weekly in
  Baltimore and had a familial atmosphere two
  Masses were celebrated upon the death of each
  member (stopped meeting in 1845)
• 1829- Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
  founded
• 1842- Sisters of the Holy Family founded

5
Slow Integration of African Americans into the
Priesthood

• 1855 - William Augustine Williams attempts to
  enter priesthood, but is denied
• 1854 - James Augustine Healy ordained the 1st
  Black priest in Boston
• 1858 - Alexander Sherwood Healy ordained
• 1874 - Patrick Francis Healy becomes head of
  Georgetown
• 1875 - James Augustine Healy becomes first Black
  bishop
• It is important to note that the Healys were very
  light-skinned and did not identify themselves
  with the Black Catholic community

6
Slow Integration of African Americans into the
Priesthood

• Augustus Tolton was the first priest Black
  Catholics could identify with
• Ordained in Rome in 1886
• Became pastor of a black parish in Quincy,
  Illinois, but felt the need to move due to racist
  attitudes
• Became head of black parish in Chicago, but the
  church was never built
• Isolated from white priests
• 1891- Charles Randolph Uncles was first Black
  priest ordained in the U.S.
• 1910- only 5 black priests
• 1933- only 11

7
Lay Participation in the Black Catholic Church

• Daniel Rudd
• Convoked five Black Catholic lay congresses in
  1889, 1890, 1892, 1893 and 1894
• The next one wouldnt be until 1987
• These congresses met without much support from
  the Church
• They were important because they allowed for
  issues of Black Catholics to be voiced and
  addressed

8
Current Statistics Regarding Black Catholics Today

• In 1940 there were 300,000 Black Catholics in
  America
• Today, there are upwards of 2.5 million Black
  Catholics in America, making Catholicism the
  fifth largest Black religious denomination in the
  country
• Paula Hegwood discusses the surprise of other
  Black people upon finding out that she is
  Catholic

9
Why does the Aforementioned History Concern us at
Marquette?

• In the spirit of diversity and community service
  at Marquette University, we posit the following
  questions compare our answers and thoughts with
  your own, constructive criticism is most welcome.
  
• Do you believe it is necessary to address issues
  concerning race and religion at Marquette?
• What, if any, problems do you notice within the
  Church or your current community?
• Are you familiar with some current Catholic
  teachings on the issues of race?
• If there are specific problems, are there
  remedies available?

10
City of MilwaukeevsMarquette University

• Marquette has an official statement about their
  commitment to human dignity and diversity
• www.marquette.edu/about/diversity.shtml
• However, under the Student Demographics
  section, there is not a break-down for ethnicity
  or race. Only statistics that illuminate gender,
  geographic location, and ACT/SAT scores

11
City of Milwaukee v. UWM

• The racial differences are not only prevalent at
  a private school such as Marquette but also at a
  public university such as UWM

12
When History Becomes Current

• It is necessary to address issues of race and
  religion at Marquette because we see a problem
  with the current racial climate within the Church
  and our Community
• Catholic teachings cannot be truly catholic
  unless they take into account Black theology and
  input
• Therefore, it becomes prudent to understand the
  realities of segregation and integration, and how
  they have affected current Church chemistry

13
Realities of Segregation and Integration

• After 1950, the concept of Catholic melds with
  the idea of whiteness White is now associated
  with Catholic
• Racial conflict between whites and blacks turns
  to a conflict between Catholics and blacks
• The influx of black individuals to Catholic
  communities is seen as a threat
• White bishops and priests became afraid of losing
  their congregation and support in the 1960s and
  1970s
• Integration comes slowly for Catholics,
  accompanied by the marginalization of black
  history and experience
• With growing separation between the two sides,
  Catholic theologians had little opportunity for
  meaningful interaction with leaders in
  the black Catholic community
• Listen below as Mamie Dupree-Hegwood talks about
  issues she has faced within the Catholic Church

14
What Followed?

• Twofold outcome
• A stratification of thoughts, ideals, and
  relationships has occurred within the U.S.
  Catholic community
• Meaningful debates within U.S. Catholic theology
  must include the perspective and ideas of black
  theology
• There now exists a subtle, non-violent form of
  racism within Catholic churches
• This racism appears in the indifference of
  lay-persons and religious leaders to accurately
  address the following
• The collection of theological views based upon
  the black struggle for justice
• Racial boundaries that exist within the identity
  of the U.S. Catholic Church

15
Understanding the Sin of Racism

• The Sin of Racism
• Racism Sin that says some human beings are
  inherently superior and other essentially
  inferior because of races.
• Racism occurs now as people are being denied
  opportunities for full participation in and
  advancement in our society, especially in
  education, the legal system, and the economy.
• The structures of our society are subtly racist
  which are geared to the success of the majority
  and the failure of the minority.
• People unwittingly give approval of the system by
  accepting things as they are, creating an
  anonymous, but real sin.
• Racism is denying the truth of dignity of each
  human being as revealed by the mystery of the
  Incarnation.

16
The Message

• Past mistakes must not hinder the Church's
  response to the challenges of the present.
• The Catholic Church is universal and embraces all
  races.
• Every diocese and parish in the land must be
  aware of the threats to humanity, and should
  proclaim to all that the sin of racism defiles
  the image of God.

17
The Message Cont.

• Individuals should learn more about how social
  structures inhibit the economic, educational, and
  social advancement of the poor and minority group
  members.
• A personal commitment to join with others in
  political efforts to bring about justice for the
  victims of such deprivation is necessary.

18
Reactions to the Letter

• This letter was not widely adopted as a guide for
  practice as the Church hoped
• Racism is still present as it was in 1979.
• The Church's teaching on racism has not changed.
• In light of this,
• will you embrace racial minorities?
• will you better live the gospel?

19
Where we stand now

• Almost 30 years after Brother's and Sisters to
  Us was written
• There exists an unspoken division between black
  and white Catholics
• This disconnect is caused by and continued
  through institutional racism
• Race and poverty have become interconnected, both
  threatening the common good
• The Catholic Church is still addressing the same
  issues
• Fr. Bryan Massingale, a Marquette University
  Professor, addresses the threats and challenges
  to the Church and Catholicism today
• Paula Hegwood discusses why she likes that he
  does this

20
Threat to Catholicism

• Recognizing the Connection
• Race and Poverty
• Institutional Racism vs. Individual Racism
• Overt racism is beginning to fade into the
  background, heeding before a much larger problem
  a system of oppression that functions widely
  unseen and unnoticed by many
• Institutional racism refers to a society that
  engages in a system of faults that suppresses
  minority groups through subtle but devastating
  actions
• Housing discrimination, Predatory lending
• Deficits in public schools, Disregarding
  Affirmative Action laws
• Lack of inherited wealth
• Result Rising poverty among minority groups
• African Americans are 3x as likely to live in
  poverty than whites
• Skewed distribution of wealth
• Concentration of poverty into geographic locations

21
The Challenge to Catholicism

• God, the human family, and social justice
• We believe in one Creator God and the common
  origin of humankind. Because human beings have a
  common Creator, the human race has an essential
  unity that is prior to any distinctions of race,
  nationality, or ethnicity
• Catholics must work to create the social
  conditions in which all human persons may
  flourish
• Racism fractures the unity of the human family,
  violates the human rights of individuals and
  groups, mocks the God-given equality of human
  beings, and is incompatible with faith in God.
• We believe that the diversity of the human family
  is a divine blessing and mirrors the inner life
  of God.
• The diversity of the human community reflects the
  differentiation present in the Trinity of God
• We believe in the solidarity of the human family,
  which leads to the conviction that we are
  responsible for each others welfare.
• Finally, we believe that the poor and the
  marginalized have a privileged claim upon the
  consciences of believers and the public concern
  of the state.

22
What Messages are being sent Today?

• Fr. Bryan Massingale has written on the subjects
  at hand numerous times, stating
• Every pressing social concern education, care
  for the environment, access to health care,
  capital punishment, immigration, HIV/AIDS, right
  to life, concern for women-- is arguably
  entangled with or aggravated by racial bias
  against people of color.
• Only 21 episcopal letters and statements on
  racism were published between 1990 and 2000 Fr.
  Massingale reviewed each, finding common
  rhetorical strategies, but also a general lack of
  addressing the issue poignantly

23
Did people get the Message? Maybe Not

• Many letters from Bishops do not explain or argue
  for the elimination of racism they often
  presuppose reader will agree that racism is a
  sin.
• Commonly, the argument that racism is a sin is
  grounded in the doctrine of creation and the
  Incarnation.
• Doctrine of creation the one Creator God who
  made all human persons in the divine image and
  likeness. Being made in the divine image confers
  upon all human creatures an intrinsic dignity and
  sacred value that must be respected, promoted,
  and defended.
• Doctrine of Incarnation In Christ, all men and
  women are made brothers and sisters to Christ and
  to all through a common act of divine redemption.
  Thus, treatment of neighbors is the measure of
  our commitment to God.
• Often, systemic racism is not addressed.

24
Previous Strategies for Eradicating Racism

• Bishops often recommend a form of
  self-examination of beliefs and behaviors, which
  addresses only the personal sin of racism.
• Individuals are advised to avoid using racial
  slurs, or telling racial jokes, and they should
  challenge such racist behaviors they observe
  among others.
• Individuals should develop cross-cultural
  friendships and support curricula that foster
  cultural respect and toleration.
• Parishes are advised to offer hospitality to all
  people regardless of race, and prayers for racial
  justice should be a regular part of service.
• These suggestions fail to address structural
  racism.

25
Positive Aspects for the Future

• Definitions that address systemic racism.
• For example, the Pastoral Council of Jackson,
  Mississippi wrote
• Racism is both individual and institutional....
  Institutionally, racism is the assumption of
  power to enforce personal prejudice through
  discriminatory practices and actions in various
  institutions of society, including the
  church....Prejudice, coupled with the abuse of
  power, creates a racist system.

26
Progressive, Meaningful Statements

• Bishop Thomas Daily highlights structural sin
  We live in structures and we are often blind to
  the injury they cause.
• Social injustices influence us in preconscious
  ways that dispose us to commit acts of injustice.
• Being aware of damage fostered by social
  institutions may help facilitate a social
  environment conducive to eradicating sinful
  structures of racism.

27
How to Address Racism Today

• Massingale proposes several rhetorical shifts to
  make the discussion of race (and call to action)
  more meaningful and motivating. For example
• Shift from stress on racism to White privilege
• Shift from personal sin to structures of sin
• Love and goodwill alone won't stop racism racial
  remediation that does not depend on goodwill
  alone needs to be emphasized to combat systemic
  racism.

28
It Is Your Turn

• We have attempted to present information
  regarding the past and current state of race
  relations within the U.S. and Catholic Church
  the pervasiveness of unseen institutional and
  subtle racism
• Also, we have laid out several proposals and
  necessary actions that can be taken by those
  willing to help
• We hope that during your tenure at Marquette, you
  will consider what we have said, be mindful of
  your community and its surroundings, and ask
  yourself, I am I willing to help?

29
Research and Readings to Consider

• Archbishop Hughes
• Made in the Image and Likeness of God
• Archbishop Flynn
• In Gods Image A Pastoral Letter on Racism
• Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I, Archbishop of
  Chicago
• Dwell in My Love A Pastoral Letter on Racism

30
References

• Davis, Cyprian. God of Our Weary Years Black
  Catholics in American Catholic History. Taking
  Down Our Harps Black Catholics in the United
  States. Ed. Diana L. Hayes and Cyprian Davis.
  Maryknoll Orbis Books, 1998 17-46.
• Massingale, Bryan N. James Cone and Recent
  Catholic Episcopal Teaching on Racism.
  Theological Studies. Dec 2000 700-729.
• Massinglae, Bryan N. Poverty and Racism.
  Catholic Charities USA 2007.
• Nilson, Jon. Confessions of a White Catholic
  Racist Theologian. Interrupting White
  Privilege. Ed. Laurie M. Cassidy and Alex
  Mikulich. Maryknoll Orbis Books, 2007 15-34.

31
Audio Supplements

• Paula Hegwood discussing being a Black Catholic
  and the reaction of others when they find out her
  religious beliefs
• Paula Hegwood discussing the importance of
  discussing race issues in connection with
  religion and why Fr. Bryan Massingale is good at
  it
• Mamie Dupree-Hegwood tells her stories of subtle
  racism and the divide racial divide within
  Catholic Churches

32
Creators

• Andrew Shen
• Catherine Rusnak
• Clare Lewandowski