Since the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement has become the largest civil rights movement in history, sparking thousands of demonstrations in the U.S. and around the world. The following is a compilation of resources for the work of anti-racism – essential efforts to dismantle systemic racism and build a just and equitable society.
Statements
- Maryknoll Joint Leadership: "A Call for Anti-Racist Transformation in the United States"
- Washington Interreligious Staff Community: "Faith Leaders Call on Congress to Enact Policing Reforms and Address the Racial Income and Wealth Gap"
Educational Resources
- From Pax Christi USA, a Black Lives Matter Pray, Study, Act
- Books related to Black Lives Matter published by Orbis Books, including The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone.
- Orbis Books author Fr. Bryan Massingale in the National Catholic Reporter: "The assumptions of white privilege and what we can do about it"
- Orbis Books author Olga Segura in America Magazine:"What Black Lives Matter can teach Catholics about racial justice" and "How can Catholics help lead the fight against racism"
- Pray Learn Act for racial justice from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
- "Racism in Our Streets and Structures: A Test of Faith, A Crisis for Our Nation," a webinar from Georgetown University featuring Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C. and lay Catholic leaders
- From the magazine U.S. Catholic, "Required reading: A Black Catholic syllabus" A reading list on the history of Black Catholics in the United States and their contributions to Catholic theology, history, and activism.
- "Night Will be No More," a pastoral letter on racism by Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso
- A graphic showing police violence rates compared across countries
- From the Deep Abiding Love Project, "Coming to Ferguson: Building a Nonviolent Movement," a curriculum to help folks discern how to join the nonviolent anti-racism movement.
- From the Grassroots Policy Project, "Race, Power and Policy: Dismantling Structural Racism," a workbook including lessons, stories, and exercises that can be used by large and small groups
- From JustFaith Ministries, three 8-week modules on racism, for small group study. Find them listed under "JustMatters."
- By Shannen Dee Williams, professor at Villanova, "If racial justice and peace will ever be attained, it must begin in the church"
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald. Blindspot explores hidden biases that we all carry from a lifetime of experiences with social groups – age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, or nationality.
- A series on religion and racial justice from the Berkeley Center at Georgetown University
- A syllabus on information on Black Catholics in the U.S., curated by Dr. Tia Noelle Pratt.
Prayer Resources
- A prayer and meditation resource on George Floyd's last words
- Organize a prayer vigil for racial justice, using this script as a guide: "Requiem for the Black Children of God."
- Listen to a prayer vigil for racial justice by the Erie Benedictine Sisters. You can also read along with the program.
- From the School Sisters of Notre Dame, "I Can't Breathe: A reflection and resource for dialogue in memory of Mr. George Floyd"
- From Pax Christi USA, a Black Lives Matter Pray, Study, Act
Action Resources
- From Faith in Action (formerly PICO National Network): an invitation to White clergy and faith leaders to sign a declaration of commitment to anti-racism work under the guidance of Black clergy. This declaration was based on a conference call organized by Faith in Action for more than 800 faith leaders, including Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, and Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, in early June, 2020.
- From NETWORK Lobby, ask Congress to support the Justice in Policing Act
Photo: Diocesan priests lead Catholics in Washington, DC in a prayer service and march from Black Lives Matter Plaza to the African American History Museum on June 8, 2020. Photo courtesy of Dan Moriarty.
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