Archbishop: There is no place for racial injustice in the life of the Catholic Church

Speaking at a Mass in Brixton, South London, a week before Racial Justice Sunday, Archbishop John Wilson has talked about how important it is we use the occasion to affirm the dignity and place of every person in the life of the Church.

Stating explicitly that there is no place in the Church for racism and racial injustice, the Archbishop of Southwark said:

"One of the challenges for us is to think not just about the 'heart' in this question of appreciating people of different cultures and nationalities, but also to think about the 'mind'. In a sense, we could say, 'yeah, we've got to love everyone.' I mean, that's true. It comes from the Gospel. It's the commandment of the Lord Jesus. But we also need not just to broaden our hearts, to love, but we need to broaden our minds to understand and to recognise that in the cultures of others, in the languages and traditions of others, there is something enormously enriching for the whole of the world.

"What none of us should do,...

Speaking at a Mass in Brixton, South London, a week before Racial Justice Sunday, Archbishop John Wilson has talked about how important it is we use the occasion to affirm the dignity and place of every person in the life of the Church.

Stating explicitly that there is no place in the Church for racism and racial injustice, the Archbishop of Southwark said:

"One of the challenges for us is to think not just about the 'heart' in this question of appreciating people of different cultures and nationalities, but also to think about the 'mind'. In a sense, we could say, 'yeah, we've got to love everyone.' I mean, that's true. It comes from the Gospel. It's the commandment of the Lord Jesus. But we also need not just to broaden our hearts, to love, but we need to broaden our minds to understand and to recognise that in the cultures of others, in the languages and traditions of others, there is something enormously enriching for the whole of the world.

"What none of us should do, I think, is live with a very narrow focus, that the world is about 'me' and where I live, my town, my country - it's not - the world is about all of us. We should actually broaden our minds through education, to learn about different traditions."

Racial Justice Sunday is celebrated in parishes throughout England and Wales on Sunday 13 February 2022.