CTA calls on Catholics to actively denounce white supremacy, now!
The Vision Council, Anti-Racism Team, and wider Call To Action community mourn and pray for the victims, families, and all impacted by the horrific, white-supremacist massacre in Buffalo, New York on Saturday May 14, 2022. Anti-Black racism must end now: It is time for Church leaders to lead us in prayer, in speaking out about the collective sin of racism, and in taking action to end all forms of racial violence. The Vision Council and Anti-Racism Team pledge to continue our commitment as an organization to work with others in ending such visible acts of hate, as well as the subtle but insidious racism that happens everyday.
Although several US bishops have strongly condemned white supremacy and anti-Black racism in the wake of this brutal assault, Buffalo Bishop Michael W. Fisher refused to explicitly denounce racism and white supremacy in his statement. Instead, Bishop Fisher used coded language such as “senseless gun violence” to mask obvious, deep-rooted anti-Black racism within US society, including Catholic institutions.
Over the last few years, we have seen a rise in incidents of violence targeting Black Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Indigenous Americans, Jewish Americans, and trans people of color — tragically, those pushed to the margins experience pervasive forms of violence, with many of their experiences and stories being ignored, covered up, or erased completely. It is time for prayers to become embodied actions of solidarity.
We call on Catholics to uphold our faith-filled, faith-grounded values of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and solidarity. We ask Catholics to work with church leaders, pastors, parish officials, bishops, and the wider Catholic community to denounce anti-Black racism in all its forms. We need intentional action to counter the many ways white supremacy has become the leading threat to vulnerable groups pushed to the margins in our communities, which includes our churches.
Here are actions Catholics can take:
Support Black-owned businesses and businesses owned by communities of color.
Contact your diocesan offices and demand that church leaders speak out against white supremacy in the pulpit and other means of communication.
Attend vigils and solidarity events in your town or city.
Educate yourself on the intersections of racism with sexism, ableism, classism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and other dynamics of oppression.
Share social media posts, especially those created by Black activists (and other activists of color). Some suggestions are: Black Lives Matter (nationally and local chapters), Poor People’s Campaign, Faith in Action, Race Forward, Color of Change, Showing Up for Racial Justice (national and local chapters).
Vote — educate yourself on issues impacting communities pushed to the margins and hold our elected officials accountable at the local, state, and federal levels for actions and inactions.
Amplify voices of color demanding equity and equality, especially in spaces that are historically and currently dominated by white bodies, voices, and experiences.
We are all privileged and we all experience challenges; recognize what privileges you have and use them to advocate for change and justice.
As many activist leaders have said and lived: solidarity is not a one-time event or action but an ongoing journey. We must mourn those who have been killed while also ensuring that we celebrate the gifts, experiences, and bodies of those pushed to the margins while they are alive.
Most importantly, listen to the voices and experiences of individuals and communities impacted by white supremacy and other forms of oppression.
The suggestions above just scratch the surface. By no means is this an exhaustive list; it is a starting place to discern how to live into and how to live out solidarity not only at this time but moving forward.
For those able to monetarily support those impacted by this horrific event in Buffalo, we share this list compiled by our allies at Faithful America of possible organizations to donate to and/or support in other ways:
VOICE Buffalo: A social-justice faith and community coalition "working to overcome the history of abuses in the criminal justice process and to ensure that law enforcement, adjudication, and criminal corrections are equitable for all." Pastors affiliated with VOICE have also been working directly with the families affected by the weekend violence.
Open Buffalo: A BIPOC-led civic initiative whose "mission is to advance racial, economic, and ecological justice. We do so through skill building, network connecting, and activating leadership opportunities. Our goal is for all communities in Western New York to thrive free from discrimination and poverty."
The African Heritage Food Co-op: AHFC is a food delivery service with a food access mission, now building their first brick-and-mortar store in Buffalo. They're partnering with other organizations and cooperatives right now on the critical issue of ensuring residents have food while the TOPS grocery store where the violence took place is closed. The neighborhood was known as a food desert before TOPS opened.
We end with these words by Ella Baker; may they be our prayer and call to action: “We who believe in freedom cannot rest… we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.”
Together in the struggle and resilience,
CTA Vision Council and Anti-Racism Team
