Resources for Responding to Racism
Of the Six Tasks of catechesis, Task 3, centered on our Life in Christ, calls us to be informed by Church's teachings to be conformed to Christ as a model of a personal life of virtue, demonstrated in service of the Gospel's demands for society. In response to current and historic events it is imperative to remember that God has created us as equal. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we are reminded of the main principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church on the topics of human dignity and social justice:
- Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity (CIC 1934).
- The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: "Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design". (CCC 1935)
Archbishop Etienne announces a call to address racism in our hearts and community.
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Click on image to access the USCCB pastoral letter against racism.
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Parish and school (grade level) resources from the USCCB on racism.
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Open Wide our Hearts Webinar Series for Church Leaders
How to Apply "Open Wide Our Hearts: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism" in a Ministry Context
BREAKING OPEN THE LETTER AND EXPLORING HOW TO APPLY IT IN A MINISTRY CONTEXT
BREAKING OPEN THE LETTER AND EXPLORING HOW TO APPLY IT IN A MINISTRY CONTEXT
Designed to help ministry leaders achieve a basic level of awareness and proficiency in the area of intercultural competency through the five guidelines recommended by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church.
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How do we build one parish out of many languages and cultures? How do we welcome others in a way that helps all of us feel that this parish is our home? This booklet helps parishes frame, discuss, and answer these questions for themselves. Perfect for parish groups or individual reflection.
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Assists pastors of culturally diverse parishes in building unity in diversity. Identifies pastoral responses and proven best practices in relation to intercultural competencies in attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Parishes can discern pastoral planning strategies and opportunities that will lead to a higher level of stewardship.
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Resources for Primary Ages (PreK-Grade 5)
Each activity connect concepts in the pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts with doctrinal elements and Catechetical concepts taught at each grade level. These lessons are applicable and work in both parish and school classroom settings.
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The USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism and Loyola Press have published Everyone Belongs for readers aged 5-12 to reflect on the reality of racism in our society, to see it through the lens of history and faith, and act towards respect, understanding, and friendship.
Printable activity sheets to accompany Everyone Belongs are available for kindergarten and grades 1 through 5. 
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Books that Animate Kids to be Racial Justice Advocates for All Children: books that are great read-aloud stories AND tools for helping raise kids who are brave, thoughtful and informed about race.
Books That Promote Diversity and Inclusion It's a diverse world, and these books reflect the view that we're all in it together.
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10 tips for teaching and talking to kids about race: EmbraceRace is a multiracial community dedicated to sharing and developing best practices for raising and caring for kids, all kids, in the context of race. We partnered with MomsRising - a transformative multicultural organization of more than a million members working to increase family economic security and end discrimination against women and mothers - to create these tips for our communities.
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Resources for Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Each activity connect concepts in the pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts with doctrinal elements and Catechetical concepts taught at each grade level. These lessons are applicable and work in both parish and school classroom settings.
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Civil Rights: Before You could Say "Jackie Robinson" Motivate your students to learn about segregation and the importance of cultural diversity. Here is a colorful unit that illustrates how baseball reflected and led critical social shifts in American history from the Civil War to the modern-day Civil Rights movement. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
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Resources for High School (Grades 9-12)
Each activity connect concepts in the pastoral letter, Open Wide Our Hearts with doctrinal elements and Catechetical concepts taught at each grade level. These lessons are applicable and work in both parish and school classroom settings.
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Catholic Mobilizing Network has created a Catholic Study Guide for the powerful film "Just Mercy." Through a series of reflection questions and supplementary resources, this study guide serves as an accompaniment to the film and offers viewers a way to explore the Catholic call to uphold the sanctity of life within the U.S. criminal legal system.
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Lifeteen offers several blog articles to provide discussion and reflection.
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10 Amazing Books for Teens Exploring Black History Teens respond to stories that are authentic, and the books on this list emerge from real-life experiences with everything from the Civil War and sharecropping in the American South to today's racial profiling and police shootings of young African Americans.
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Resources for Parents & Teachers
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Black History Movies That Tackle Racism (Common Sense Media)
How to Talk with Kids About Racism and Racial Violence (Common Sense Media)
26 Mini-Films for Exploring Race, Bias and Identity With Students-High School (New York Times) Short films and activities that cover race, bias and Identity.
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How to Talk Honestly with Children about Racism (PBS Kids) What should we say to our children about racism in America. What is too much? What is not enough? What if they’re too young and we scare them?
Social Justice with Kids (Anne Neuberger) "The need for compassion and social justice, as well as awakening our children to that need, has become urgent. We must give them the tools to answer Jesus’ call. Indeed, to raise children to act with loving concern, justice, and fairness is our greatest hope."
Pretty Good Design Blog-Are Your Kids too Young to Talk about Race?
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Novena for Racial Justice Through this Novena, the Jesuit and broader Catholic network is invited to unite in prayer for nine days, framed in the example of Catholic saints and servants of God who provide a witness and example for us in our work for racial justice. (Ignatian Solidarity Network)
Talking About Race The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture offers tools and guidance for teachers, parents, caregivers and other individuals.
Understanding Racism By connecting racism to the greater Catholic Social Teaching of Human Dignity, the course helps students understand more about its origins, how it affects others, and how to confront racism and stand in solidarity with people of all walks of life.
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Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society.
Top 10 Most Powerful Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes
Sesame Street: We're Different, We're the Same
Read Aloud: The Youngest Marcher
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Resources for Young Adults & Adults
This activity for college communities identifies key points of Open Wide our Hearts, provides opportunities to think about where racism and injustice are present on campus, and how to articulate real-life examples of Catholic Social Teaching in practice.
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The Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center is pleased to offer, Open Wide Our Hearts—the enduring call to love, a four-session process on the USCCB Pastoral on Racism. Recognizing that “racism still profoundly affects our culture,” our bishops call us to “a genuine conversion of heart, a conversion that will compel change, and the reform of our institutions and society.”
Grotto Network
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Fr. Bryan Massingale, author of Racial Justice and the Catholic Church and professor of theology at Fordham University in New York, "We must move beyond the mere conviction that racism is wrong, and actually begin dismantling it".
Busted Halo Podcasts
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Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life Racism in Our Streets and Structures. A Test of Faith, A Crisis for Our Nation.
Race, Riots, and Renewal: An Open Conversation with the CFRs
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Visit these other pages for even more helpful items!
TASK 3 – MORAL FORMATION – Students develop a moral conscience that is informed by Church teachings and conformed to Christ, as modeled in a personal life of virtue, and demonstrated in service of the Gospel's demands for society.
The Essential Concepts come from the Table of Contents for the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). They have been re-organized to fit under the Six Tasks of Catechesis. CCC articles numbers associated with each Essential Concept are listed throughout this document. Referencing CCC article numbers is a recommended resource for catechist preparation.
The Essential Concepts come from the Table of Contents for the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). They have been re-organized to fit under the Six Tasks of Catechesis. CCC articles numbers associated with each Essential Concept are listed throughout this document. Referencing CCC article numbers is a recommended resource for catechist preparation.
ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE
Marriage & Family Life, Formation
Youth ~ Young Adult ~ Religious Education
Marriage & Family Life, Formation
Youth ~ Young Adult ~ Religious Education