Acknowledging Sin
Examining our sinfulness – individually, as the Christian community, and as a society, is a humbling experience. Only from a place of humility can we look honestly at past failures, ask for forgiveness and move toward healing and reconciliation. This requires us to acknowledge sinful deeds and thoughts and to ask for forgiveness…
We… realize the ways that racism has permeated the life of the church and persists to a degree even today. “For too long,” in the church’s missions throughout the world, “the way to a fully indigenous clergy and religious was blocked by an attitude that was paternalistic and racist.” Not long ago, in many Catholic parishes, people of color were relegated to segregated seating, and required to receive the Holy Eucharist after white parishioners. All too often, leaders of the church have remained silent about the horrific violence and other racial injustices perpetuated against African Americans and others.
(to be continued)