Black Lives Matter: Statement of Bishop Barber

Father Aidan McAleenan and I agree, Black Lives Matter.

How I and other leaders in the Catholic Church increase awareness of that truth among Catholics and in our communities is a conversation that is overdue and must begin immediately.

I am on a journey, as are we all, learning what I can do as the shepherd for our diocese, in helping our parishioners change our actions to meet our words and our professed faith.

As the bishops of the United States explained in our 2018 pastoral letter against racism, “Racist acts are sinful because they violate justice. They reveal a failure to acknowledge the human dignity of the persons offended, to recognize them as the neighbors Christ calls us to love (Mt 22:39). … The cumulative effects of personal sins of racism have led to social structures of injustice and violence that makes us all accomplices in racism.”

I believe to eradicate racism requires a conversion of each person’s mind and heart, which means we must start from our belief in a God who loves each one of us, indiscriminately and irrevocably.

In our pastoral, “Open Wide our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love,” the bishops rely on our ancient teachings to offer a path forward. We must do justice, love goodness and be humble (Mi 6:8). This requires each of us to acknowledge our failures, to restore right relationships, to pursue peace building and humility.

We have a long way to go in our journey, and I vigorously deny telling Father McAleenan “Black people should be happy with the way the church and this country has treated them.” Instead, I offer some ways we have begun this journey toward a conversion of minds and hearts:

• Celebrating the Votive Mass "for the Preservation of Peace and Justice” on Tuesday, June 9, the day George Floyd was buried, during which priests and parishioners knelt with me for eight minutes and 46 seconds. 
• I am in constant communication with the other bishops in California. Together, we created a video reenacting the Stations of the Cross to draw attention to the sin of racism and ask God’s help in eliminating it. Each station in the video was taped at a location with rich racial significance. The sixth Station of the Cross was taped at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland where Oscar Grant was killed. The Way of the Cross is an ancient prayer, allowing people to enter into Jesus’ final outpouring of love.
• Last year, I brought Bishop George Murry, SJ, one of the then-leading black Catholic bishops, to give a retreat for the priests of the diocese and offer the homily for the Chrism Mass (http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/2019/04-29/inthisissue1.htm).
• The history of slavery and structural racism in this country has created long-standing inequities in all areas of society, from health (look at COVID-19), to housing, education, law enforcement, and employment. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the major domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the Catholic Church. Last year more than a quarter million was given to local organizations.

But much, much more needs to be done.

I welcome all people of good will, including Father McAleenan, to join in this effort so we can answer this urgent call to love one another as Christ loves each of us, “For there is no place for racism in the hearts of any person (Open Wide our Hearts).”