Today, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez issued a Pastoral Letter on Racial Healing: “We are One Body” in conjunction with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ which will be observed this Sunday, June 11, 2023.
A Pastoral Letter on Racial Healing: “We Are One Body”
June 11, 2023: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to emulate His love and compassion for all humanity and, as sinners, to reflect on where we have fallen short. Today, I again address the grave sin of racism, which continues to plague our society and even our own Church.
Our faith teaches us that every person is created in the likeness of God and deserves to be treated with equal dignity and respect. Yet, we cannot deny that racism persists within the Body of Christ. It inflicts immense pain, division, and injustice in our Church, our communities, and our world.
Philadelphia has a long history of hometown saints who dedicated their lives to fighting racism and discrimination like Saint John Neumann, Saint Katharine Drexel, and Saint Frances Cabrini.
Despite their monumental efforts and the work of so many others, this evil continues to poison our souls, our Church, our relationships with one another, and with God. Racism shreds the fabric of our communities, hinders our unity, and impedes the building of God’s kingdom on earth.
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