building a better world
NEW ENCOUNTER CATHOLICS CONFRONTING RACISM
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
As a community of believers and inspired by the charism of the Augustinians, we are called to go forth to be peacemakers in our families and neighborhoods and truly recognize God's presence in one another. Peace begins with what we say and do and how we say and do it.
Saint Augustine reminds us that before we speak, we first must listen, and as a synodal Church, we are encouraged to
re-engage in the art of listening through prayer, through silence, discernment and reflection. We have the opportunity and responsibility to listen to the Holy Spirit; to listen to each other; to listen to the voices of the poor and those on the margins whose voices need to be heard. Saint Augustine urges us to pay attention and to listen to the inner teacher, the voice that speaks from within all of us. It is within our hearts where God speaks to us. In one of his sermons, Saint Augustine encouraged his listeners: "Do not have your heart in your ears, but your ears in your heart".
What do we need to do in order to practice how to listen with the ears of our heart?
The world is full of noise, and our heads and hearts can .be flooded with many different kinds of messages. These messages can fuel our restlessness and steal our joy. As a community of faith, striving to build a relationship with the Lord, may we strive to filter the noise, the divisive voices in our heads and hearts, and open ourselves up to the daily
invitations to get to know God and God's love better. When we hear that loving, reassuring voice of the Lord, we can share it with the world as we strive to become one in him.
SPEAK FROM THE HEART LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART
As a community of believers and inspired by the charism of the Augustinians, we are called to go forth to be peacemakers in our families and neighborhoods and truly recognize God's presence in one another. Peace begins with what we say and do and how we say and do it.
Saint Augustine reminds us that before we speak, we first must listen, and as a synodal Church, we are encouraged to
re-engage in the art of listening through prayer, through silence, discernment and reflection. We have the opportunity and responsibility to listen to the Holy Spirit; to listen to each other; to listen to the voices of the poor and those on the margins whose voices need to be heard. Saint Augustine urges us to pay attention and to listen to the inner teacher, the voice that speaks from within all of us. It is within our hearts where God speaks to us. In one of his sermons, Saint Augustine encouraged his listeners: "Do not have your heart in your ears, but your ears in your heart".
What do we need to do in order to practice how to listen with the ears of our heart?
The world is full of noise, and our heads and hearts can .be flooded with many different kinds of messages. These messages can fuel our restlessness and steal our joy. As a community of faith, striving to build a relationship with the Lord, may we strive to filter the noise, the divisive voices in our heads and hearts, and open ourselves up to the daily
invitations to get to know God and God's love better. When we hear that loving, reassuring voice of the Lord, we can share it with the world as we strive to become one in him.
SPEAK FROM THE HEART LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART
Gather With Us to Work Toward Racial Healing
In 2024 on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Archbishop Nelson Pérez issued a pastoral letter on racial healing, entitled “We Are One Body." Similarly, Catholic theologian Dr. M. Shawn Copeland reminds us that the incarnation of God in the body of Jesus models for us embodied love. As Catholics we need to embody love daily. We need to eradicate racism. Copeland says, "Incarnate spirit refuses to be bound. Escaping to freedom, purchasing one’s own freedom or that of a loved one, fighting for freedom, offering up one’s own body for the life and freedom of another and dying for freedom were acts of redemption that aimed to restore black bodily and psychic integrity. Today as we observe the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, let's devote ourselves to loving all others."
"A Chorus of Extraordinary Voices Tells One of History's Greatest Epics: The Four-Hundred-Year Journey Of African Americans From 1619 To the Present."
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Click on QR Code for Article
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ANTI RACISM COMMITTEE
CONTACT INFORMATION If you are interested in joining the ARC discussions and/or learning more about ARC, please contact Renee Massaua at [email protected].
Lent 2021 Virtual Prayer Service - "Stations of the Cross, Overcoming Racism"
Members of the parish Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) recently recorded the USCCB text via Zoom, a reflection of the Stations of the Cross and overcoming racism. The recording concludes with "Suscipe" recorded by the parish choir. Reflection from Sunday, October 25, 2020
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Here is the link to the Examen program recordings
ANTI RACISM PRAYER VIGIL - Mark the 60th anniversary of the “I Have a Dream”
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY AND MAIN LINE FAITH COMMUNITIES.
For a detailed letter from Colin McCrossan Click here. A Racial Justice Examen, October 26, 2021, St. Thomas of Villanova parish Antiracism Committee - YouTube
A racial justice examination of conscience following the practice of "Examen" of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The recording contains images to aid in reflection. www.youtube.com Here is the link for the article shared by Eilise Rouse:
https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/how-ignatius-loyola-can-help-us-break-through-barrier-racism How Ignatius of Loyola can help us break through the barrier of racism | National Catholic Reporter How Ignatius of Loyola can help us break through the barrier of racism Book excerpt from Jesuit Regent Patrick Saint-Jean's 'The Spiritual Work of Racial Justice: A Month of Meditations with ...www.ncronline.org "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
Click here for Program Notes from 9/28/21 parish book discussion of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison ARC WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING To receive the Zoom link to the next Anti-Racism Committee program, please send your name and email address to Renee Massaua, Director of Christian Service at [email protected]
Peace be with you. The Anti-Racism discussion group Committee (ARC) of the parish met via Zoom November 18, 2020 to reflect on the Augustinian province 11/11 webinar on “Augustine on Catholic Social Teaching as Applied to Racism/Black Lives Matter.” One of the aspects we discussed was how to apply "fraternal correction" from the Rule of Augustine: How might we be called to speak up, to "correct" when a friend or family member makes a racist comment? One might lovingly "correct" another, saying "My Catholic faith informs me that God loves everyone, so I would appreciate it if you refrain from making that type of hurtful comment." The link to the Augustinian province recorded program and suggested reading is available here: https://www.augustinian.org/news/justice-peace-online-community |