Racism is a sin and a violation of human dignity. As Catholics we need to acknowledge and confront our own failings, as individuals and as a Church.
Every one of our parishes, schools and organisations has a responsibility to actively practise anti-racism in all aspects of our mission. We need to address the lack of visible diversity at every level, so that people can see themselves, their race, their culture and their history in the Church’s life.
Racism is a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding, and lurks in waiting. Instances of racism continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think.
Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, 97
In this section, you will find resources, prayer, the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary in the world’s languages and more.
We have produced a series of A4 PDF posters, that individuals or parishes can download, featuring Our Lady and the Child Jesus from a diverse cross-section of countries and cultures. Although by no means exhaustive, we hope this series highlights the rich diversity of our Catholic community and encourages reflection on how we are all made in the image of God. The posters also carry a prayer taken from Pope Francis’ document Fratelli Tutti. The posters are produced in English but, in some cases, where we have been able to, we have added a suitable translation. View or download the posters.
When turning our hearts to racial justice we’d encourage Catholics to pray the words of Pope Francis taken from his encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti – on fraternity and social friendship:
Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty,
reflected in all the peoples of the earth,
so that we may discover anew
that all are important and all are necessary,
different faces of the one humanity
that God so loves.
Amen.
In 2021, the Diocese of Westminster produced a conversation on ‘Being Black and Catholic’. Four people from London, from different walks of life, shared their personal stories.
Also in 2021, we promoted an important parish discussion on a broad range of issues concerned with racial justice to raise awareness in the local Catholic community and to bring about change.
Watch the parish discussion on racial justice on our site.
For this audio series we're taking a truly global look at the prayer that Jesus taught us - the Lord's Prayer.
Racial Justice Sunday is the day the Church focuses on the need to oppose racism and pursue racial justice with renewed vigour.
In this section, we celebrate black saints – some already canonised, others on the path to sainthood as Venerable or Blessed.
Father Joseph Liang, a chaplain at the Chinese Chaplaincy in east London, gives us a brief history of the Boxer Rebellion that took place at the turn of the 20th century, and explains why many Chinese Catholics have a strong devotion to Our Lady.
A series of A4 PDF posters featuring Our Lady and the Child Jesus from a diverse cross-section of countries and cultures.
An important parish discussion, recorded in 2021, on a broad range of issues concerned with racial justice to raise awareness in the local Catholic community and to bring about change.
