Racial Justice Faith Week

BRIDGE Racial Justice Faith Week

Thoughts by Brenda Meyer, Justice Minister All Saints Parish

I am thinking about what is important to me as I join in communion with others each weekend. Martin Luther King once commented that Sunday is the most segregated day of the week. I am an incredibly pleased every time I sit down and look around either at St. Joseph or St. Anthony that I see a variety of people who join together to celebrate the eucharist. They do not all look like me and thankfully so. Being able to see someone with different skin tones and/or facial features makes me feel I really have come to the table of many. It helps me feel more connected to my community and to the church, which clearly embraces racial groups across the globe. It also makes me aware that I need to listen more to the needs of others and not assume I know how things are for them. Let me join with others, but also help me listen more. Also, it challenges me to be more open to realizing just because someone does not complain, they might not be having an easy time. I’ve got to learn that at times I have to move from listening and learning to action.

This is out of my comfort zone, but recently I have felt I need to voice support for immigrants, those of Asian, Jewish, Palestinian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Indian
(both from the continent and Native American ones) heritage or anyone who does not look or sound the mythical white American. Since my grandfather immigrated from eastern Germany, I am closer to the immigration issue than I often think. I want to see the humanity in everyone.
Respect that we all have the same needs for safety and need to be able to live and flourish wherever we are settled.

BRIDGE has January 29 through February 4th set aside for racial justice faith activities. There are now 19 faith groups and several community providers that are participating in this week of thought, prayer, and education about racial justice issues in our area. Each congregation is addressing the issue through their own faith directives. Catholic Social Teaching indicates we should treat others and the environment with fairness and regard. Save the date: Please join us for a community prayer service at Neu Chapel on U of E campus on February 4th at 2:00 pm.