Open Wide Our Hearts, A Pastoral Letter on Racism from the United States Catholic Bishops
As Christians we are called to listen and know the stories of our brothers and sisters. We must create opportunities to hear, with open hearts, the tragic stories that are deeply imprinted
on the lives of our brothers and sisters, if we are to be moved with empathy to promote justice.
Many groups, such as the Irish, Italians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Poles, Jews, Chinese,
and Japanese, can attest to having been the target of racial and ethnic prejudice in this country. It is also true that many groups are still experiencing prejudice, including rising anti-Semitism, the discrimination many Hispanics face today, and anti-Muslim sentiment. Especially instructive at this moment, however, are the historical and contemporary experiences of Native and African Americans.
(to be continued)