Theologian: America needs change of heart regarding racism

Father Bryan Massingale, a prominent theologian and priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, told an annual gathering sponsored by the Father (Ignatius) Roppolo Foundation that Catholics are called to address the structures of sin that keep the virus of racism alive.

The Fordham University professor delivered a two-day workshop on “Racial Justice and the Demands of Discipleship: Realizing Pope Francis’s Vision,” April 1-2 in St. Katharine Drexel Chapel at Xavier University of Louisiana.

The workshop was named for Father Roppolo, a dynamic and inspirational pastor in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, who passed away in 2014.

Father Massingale described the purpose of the Catholic model of “See, Judge, Act,” which comes from the Latin American tradition and involves first observing and working to understand what is going on in the culture.

Despite the many gains the U.S. has made in racial equity over the past 75 years, people of color still have not achieved equity based on measures such as wages, income and education, he said.

While the term “judge” can have multiple interpretations, Father Massingale said in this case it means to decide how individuals should respond to what they have observed after having done their homework. He said Catholics can start by asking, “What are the signs of the times?” or “What does current research tell us is happening around this issue, in this case, racism?”

The next step is to ask what church tradition, Scriptures and Catholic social teaching have had to say about racism. He said part of the process of “judging” is learning what the “Black Lives Matter” movement has said and understanding its implications and inspiration rather than being quick to condemn it.

“Judging” also involves looking at Scripture, such as the creation story in Genesis, which declares that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God and that we are, indeed, our brother’s and sister’s keepers.

Father Massingale cited the teachings on racism by St. John Paul II and Pope Francis, who called racism “a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding, and lurks in waiting.”

After the “see” and “judge” exercises have been completed, Father Massingale said it is time to act. He suggested that U.S. culture – all of us – are suffering a “soul sickness” due to racism. He said the evil of racism does not affect only those who are directly impacted by it, but affects everyone, since everyone is in a situation where things are not as they should be.

Father Massingale suggested turning to the sacrament of reconciliation for guidance.

Like the truth commissions in South Africa and Rwanda, he said the U.S. needs to have a period of reckoning in which Americans lament their country’s history of slavery and racism and look for a collective change of heart.

He suggested the first step would be for Americans to perform an examination of conscience about both U.S. history and present-day practices that offend and oppress people of color. That would be followed by an honest confession of sins and failures and a sincere act of contrition, where individuals would commit themselves to avoid the sin of racism and work to be better.

Lastly, he said, there would be penance assigned by the confessor in order to make reparations for the harm that was done.

Father Massingale highlighted recent collaborative discussions by the Jesuits at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as a prime example of making reparation for sin. During the early 19th century, the Jesuits sold their slaves in Maryland “down the river” to Louisiana. This group of slaves would come to be known as the “GU272” for the 272 souls sold to landowners in Louisiana.

When the New York Times reported on the Jesuits’ slave history several years ago, the society decided it needed to repent for the past behavior, even though the ones who performed the act were no longer alive, and to make an apology and reparations to the descendants of these enslaved people.

Father Massingale challenged everyone to play his or her role in addressing racism in the church and in culture.

Kevin Fitzpatrick is the director of the Office of Justice and Peace for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. He can be reached at kfitzpatrick@ccano.org.