Racial Justice
"Love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12
As the office of Campus Ministry at a Jesuit Catholic University, we are called to promote the inherent dignity of each member of the human family. The Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus call us to walk with those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation & justice. Catholicism teaches that all people are made in the image and likeness of God & possess an inherent dignity. It also teaches that racism is a sin, an intrinsic evil which, "...divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father (God).” U.S.C.C.B. 2018
While it is true that all lives possess inherent dignity, we know that racism and white supremacy benefit white people and plague people of color with oppression, trauma and violence. Faith compels us to struggle against racism and "...demands an equally radical transformation, in our own minds and hearts as well as in the structure of our society”. (U.S.C.C.B.)
The first thing Pope Francis said to the world in St. Peter's square was, "I am a sinner." As a faith based office at a primarily white institution grounded in the city of Baltimore engaging in the work of racial justice, we must acknowledge the ways we participate, support or benefit from the sin of racism. We lament the ways we have fallen short, been complicit, silent or slow to respond to the sin of racism. We are sorry for the ways our actions or inactions have impacted or caused harm to our students, faculty, staff and administrators of color.
"Love ought to show itself in deeds more than words." St. Ignatius of Loyola
Our office has taken steps over the last six years to increase our commitment and resources towards racial justice. We have offered racial justice trainings for students leaders, our professional staff have attended workshops and trainings on racism, we work alongside our community to offer prayer and vigils in response to racialized violence and oppression, addressed racism through preaching and our prayer intentions in our Masses and liturgies, used our resources to partner for lectures and programming focused on racial justice and engaged our F.I.R.S.T. participants in conversations about the city of Baltimore and systemic racism through the experiential game Factuality. These have been important initial steps. Yet, faith, the Catholic Jesuit tradition, the community and our pursuit of the Magis calls us deeper into our commitment. We commit to engaging in antiracist work and allyship through a lens of faith. We offer the Loyola community space, programming, prayer, education, examination of thoughts and actions, care for those who carry the trauma and pain of racism, discernment and actions for the identifying and dismantling of racism within ourselves and institutions. We offer this not as experts free from the sin of racism but as people of faith co-laboring with a loving and merciful God and each other to bring about a more just and humane world.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Documents and Letters
- U.S.C.C.B.’s Open Wide Our Hearts: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism
- Building Bridges of Understanding and Hope: A Letter on Racial Justice from the Catholic Bishops of Maryland
- Statement of U.S. Bishop Chairman in Wake of Death of George Floyd and National Protests
- The Journey to Racial Justice: Repentance, Healing and Action, Archbishop William E. Lori
- The Racial Divide in the United States, Bishop Edward K. Braxton
- Night Be No More, Bishop Mark Seitz
- Racism: Confronting the Poison in Our Common Home, Department of Justice, Peace, & Human Development, 2016
- Brothers and Sisters to Us, Pastoral Letter on Racism, 1979
Prayer
- Litany for the Signs of Our Times
- A Litany for Those Who Aren't Ready for Healing by Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce
- Prayers for Racial Justice and Reconciliation
- U.S.C.C.B. Prayer Service for Racial Healing in Our Land
- U.S.C.C.B.'s Prayer to Overcome Racism
- Stations of the Cross: Overcoming Racism
- Oblate Sisters of Providence Lead Rosary for Healing & Peace for the Sin of Racism
- Ignatian Solidarity Network's Novena for Racial Justice July 10-19
- Ignatian Solidarity Network's Prayer Vigil for Lamentation & Racial Justice
- Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities's Eyes to See: An Anti-Racism Examen
Context: Books and Articles
Articles
- Required Reading: A Black Catholic Syllabus By the editors of U.S. Catholic
- Black Lives Matter: Weeping with Mary at the Cross
- Black Theology and a Legacy of Oppression by M. Shawn Copeland
- Killing of George Floyd Exposes Blind Spot on Racism, Catholic Advocates Say
- How Can Catholics Help Lead the Fight Against Racism?
- The Assumptions of White Privilege and What We Can Do About It by Fr. Bryan Massingale
- How to Overcome Racism by Rabbi Michael Lerner
- Racism as Soul Sickness, an interview with Fr. Bryan Massingale
- Celebrating the Unsung Black Catholic Women in U.S. History by Shannen Dee Williams
- No, I won't Stop Saying White Supremacy by Robin DeAngelo
- Leveraging White Privilege for Racial Justice by Jane Elliot
- El Paso's Bishop Mark Seitz: Black Lives Matter
- Overcoming Racial Faith by Willie James Jennings
- A Christina Call for Reparations by Kelly Brown Douglas
- The History of Black Catholics in America by Matthew J. Cressler
- A Pastoral Letter to the Nation Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
- For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies
- A Five Step Process for Persuading White Friends and Family with Compassion, Not Contempt by Dr. David Campt
- Juneteenth: A Day of Hope by Patrick Saint-Jean, S.J.
- Loyola University Maryland Students of Color Say they Feel Racism on Campus
Books
- How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson
- Racial Justice and the Catholic Church by Bryan Massingale
- Uncommon Faithfulness: The Black Catholic Experienceedited by M. Shawn Copeland
- Christ Divided: Antiblackness as Corporate Vice by Katie Walker Grimes
- Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
- The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone
- The History of Black Catholics in the United Statesby Cyprian Davis
- The Third Reconstruction: How a Moral Movement is Overcoming the Politics of Division and Fear by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
- Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation by Jennifer Harvey
- Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
- America's Original Sin by Jim Wallis
- Why Race Matters by Cornel West
- Stamped from the Beginning: A Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, MLK Convocation Speaker 2015
- The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, MLK Convocation Speaker 2016
- Letters to My Black Sons: Raising Black Boys in a Post-Racial America by Karsonya Wise Whitehead
- Race Brace by Karsonya Wise Whitehead
- Me and White Supremacy Workbook by Layla F. Saad
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
- So You Want to Talk About Race- Ijeoma Oluo
- The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas
- The Fire Next Time- James Baldwin
- The Color of Law- Richard Rothstein
- The Warmth of Other Suns- Isabel Wilkerson
- An African-American and Latinx History of the United States- Paul Ortiz
Videos
- Eyes to See (AJCU Anti-Racism Examen)
- The Ignatian Witness to Truth in a Climate of Injustice, Rev. Bryan Massingale
- The Magis and Justice, Rev. Bryan Massingale
- Pastoral Letter to the Nation, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
- We Need to Talk About an Injustice, Bryan Stevenson, Ted Talk
- How to Be an AntiRacist, Ibram X. Kendi
- White Fragility Lecture, Robin DiAngelo
- Deconstructing White Privilege, Robin DiAngelo
- How to Overcome Our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them, Vernā Myers
- Race the Power of Illusion directed by Christine Herbes-Sommers, Tracy Heather Strain, Llewellyn Smith
- Pentecost and Racial Reconciliation Homily, Fr. Tim Brown, S.J.
- On the New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander at Union Theological Seminary
- Talks to Help You Understand Racism in America, Ted Talks
- The Urgency of Intersectionality, Kimberlé Crenshaw
- The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Michael Eric Dyson Mission Week Lecture
- Bryan Stevenson Mession Lecture
- Ta-Nehisi Coates MLK Convocation
- Claudia Rankine MLK Convocation
- Systemic Racism Explained
- Mind, Body Connection & Meditation, Kailee Scales & Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD
- My Arms are Empty: A Song of Lamentation for Ahmaud Arbery, a poem by Joseph A. Brown, SJ
- Voices on Equity Series: Lessons Learned & Ways to Recognize & Practice Antiracist Behavior with Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Helina Haile & Dr. Cheryl Moore-Thomas
Movies and Films
- Baltimore Rising free on HBO
- Notes from the Field, free on HBO
- Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland, free on HBO
- King in the Wilderness, free on HBO
- 13th, directed by Ava DuVernay
- When They See Us, directed by Ava DuVernay
- Selma, directed by Ava DuVernay
- The Hate U Give, directed by George Tillman Jr.
- I Am Not Your Negro, directed by Raoul Peck
- Just Mercy, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
- Best of Enemies directed by Robin Bissell
- 42 directed by Brian Helgeland
- The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code directed by Sheldon Peters Wolfchild
Podcasts and Radio
- Today with Dr. Kaye, Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead on WEAA
- 1619 from the New York Times
- Intersectionality Matters!
- Throughline from NPR
- Code Switch from NPR
- The Breakdown with Shaun King
- Talking About Whiteness with Eula Biss from On Being
- The Spiritual Work of Black Lives Matters from On Being
- How Can I Say This So We Can Stay in the Car Together with Claudia Rankine from On Being
- Justice in America with Josie Duffy Rice
- Serial Season 3: The Criminal Justice System in Cleveland with Sarah Koenig
- Pod Save the People from Crooked Media
- Things Not Seen, "Forgiveness Changes Everything: Dr. timone davis"
- Together Apart from NPR
Training Curriculums & Other Resources
- Seeing the Face of God in Each Other: The Antiracist Training Manual of the Episcopal Church.
- The Storytelling Project Curriculum: Learning about Race and Racism through Storytelling & the Arts
- White Ally Toolkit Workbook
- Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
- Dismantling Racism: A Resource Book for Social Change Groups
- Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Multicultural Organization
- Glossary for Understanding the Dismantling of Structural Racism/Promoting Racial Equity Analysis
- Catholic Social Teachings on Racism, Inclusion and Diversity
- Catholic Social Teaching and Racism by Fred Krammer, S.J.
- Talking About Race from the National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Buddha + Black Lives Matter: Racial Justice Toolkit Buddhist Peace Fellowship
- Talking About Race, National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools by Glenn E. Singleton
- Faith and Racial Justice Changing Systems & Structures from JustFaith Ministries
- The Racial Healing Handbook by Anneliese A Singh
- “13th” Discussion Questions for Faith/Spiritual Communities Resource Developed by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
- Just Mercy: A Catholic Study Guide from Catholic Mobilizing Network
- Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist Institution
Reflection
- Examen for White Allies
- Black Lives Matter Meditations
- An Examen for Racism By Patrick Saint-Jean, S.J.
Action
- Support Students of Color at Loyola
- Study the Resources for Change collected by Loyola students, Emma Schiller '21, Matthew Dorsey '21, and Ahmed Jackson '21
- Attend Events
- Shut down bias and racist remarks when you hear it
- Show up and be visible
- Listen
- Make syllabi inclusive and diversify curriculums for classes and trainings
- Use your power and influence to change systems and policies in your area of control
- Attend Empower, a virtual support group for students of color at Loyola offered by the Counseling Center.
- Attend White Accountability for Dismantling Racism offered by the Counseling Center
- Attend a lunch time series offered by the Office of Equity and Inclusion
- Attend the Ignatian Solidarity Network's Prayer Vigil for Lamentation & Racial Justice
- Attend the Poor People's Campaign's Assembly & Moral March on Washington this Saturday, June 20th
- Make a financial gift to ALANA Services
- Support Black Owned Businesses in Baltimore
- Support the Southern Poverty Law Center
- Support Equal Justice Initiative
- Support the Black Church Food Security Network
- How to Show Support for Black Lives in Baltimore from Baltimore Magazine
- Sign petitions
- Vote
- 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
- Resources for Black & African American Community Members & People of Color offered by the Counseling Center
- Sign up for a workshop with Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond
- Attend a workshop with Baltimore Racial Justice Action
- Write to Your Representatives
- Participate in Factuality
- Participate in the Ignatian Solidarity Network's 21-Day Ignatian Equity Challenge: July 20-August 9
- Attend the Ignatian Family Teach In For Justice: Oct 24-26
More Resources at Loyola
- ALANA Services
- Center for Community, Service, and Justice
- Counseling Center's Racial Violence & Injustice Resource Page
- Office of Equity and Inclusion
We welcome the community to offer additional resources for antiracist education, reflection, action, etc... to this webpage. Please email resource suggestions to CampusMinistry@loyola.edu