This year’s Racial Justice Sunday (31 January 2021, Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales) with the theme ‘A Time to Act’ has never been more vital. The effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, and the powerful message on fraternity and equality by Pope Francis in Fratelli Tutti all speak of the need to actively oppose racism and pursue racial justice with renewed vigour. See HERE
“In Fratelli Tutti Pope Francis asks us to act together, to bring about a rebirth in everyone “a universal aspiration to fraternity” (n.8) to dream together (n.9) so that “in the face of present day attempts to eliminate or ignore others, we may prove capable of responding with a new vision of fraternity and social friendship …” (n. 6).
“ .. we ask all of you to place this encyclical at the centre of your life, formation and mission. We cannot disregard this truth anymore: we are all brothers and sisters, as in fact, we pray, not necessarily conscious of it, in the Our Father, that “without an openness to the Father of all, there will be no solid and stable reasons for an appeal to fraternity” (n.22). See All brothers & sisters
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
in your ministry
you were approached by people
of many different nations and cultures.
You listened to their cry for help,
treated them with love and compassion,
and brought them healing and wholeness.In our own time may we provide
to all those who are suffer
the help that they need
and the care that they require.May we respond to the invitation of the Holy Spirit
to dream of a world made new
where the poor are not forgotten
but are given the opportunity
to live and flourish
with good health and equal prospects.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.Amen.
See also: Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (cbcew.org.uk)