Day One
Venerable Augustus Tolton
Learn
Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton of the United States (1854-97) was the first publicly acknowledged Black priest in the United States. In 1862, he and his family escaped from Missouri, where they were enslaved by a Catholic family, and they then fled to the free state of Illinois. His mother passed on her devotion to Catholicism and in 1886, after years of studying in a seminary in Rome--since no American seminary would accept a Black applicant--he was ordained.
Moving back to the United States after ordination, Father Tolton dedicated his life to serving the Church, even as he continued to experience the harsh racism of some white clergy and lay people. He is one of 6 African-American Catholic candidates for canonization.
Over the 125 years since Fr. Tolton’s death, Black Catholics in the United States have demonstrated unwavering faith, despite often receiving second class treatment within the Church: through the closing of worship-spaces especially sacred to them; often-chilly reception in predominantly white Catholic parishes, where some avoid receiving communion from Black eucharistic ministers, or reject hands extended in the greeting of peace. In spite of all of this, Black Catholics remain a dynamic force in the Church through their many apostolic organizations, Spirit-filled praise music, and their deep commitment to connecting with Jesus, personally and in community.
Act
When American Catholics go to church, many see only a narrow sampling of our diverse Catholic community in the pews. This summer, make a point of attending Mass at a parish with a different racial demographic than your own parish. Be open to what you see and hear, and look for opportunities to speak to parishioners there.
Another idea: Consider supporting the cause for Fr. Tolton to be canonized a saint. The Archdiocese of Chicago, where Fr. Tolton served during his last years, offers many ways to get involved.
Pray
Jesus, you showed through your ministry on earth that all of us are your beloved people. In this time of reckoning around racism, help us to see you in each others’ faces. Comfort and strengthen the Black Catholic heirs of Father Tolton who testify to your love through their passionate faith. Challenge those who have the mistaken view that God’s grace is bestowed only on people who look like them and guide them to open their minds and hearts to a love for all. Grant us the courage that Father Tolton demonstrated in his day, so that Catholics of all races– clergy and laity alike– may acknowledge the ways that racism has distorted their understanding of the Gospel, and work together to heal it.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Blessed Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Two
Archbishop Desmond
Tutu
Learn
Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa (1931-2021) served the Episcopal community of South Africa for decades. He was the first Black cleric appointed to church leadership there, and he brought an unwavering commitment to justice and human rights to his work.
When South Africa’s apartheid policy finally ended after much bloodshed, Bishop Tutu was named head of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission, a restorative justice body charged with rebuilding trust within the country by investigating human rights abuses that occurred during apartheid.
Here in the United States, House Bill #40 calls for the establishment of a “Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans,” in light of the slavery and discrimination they have experienced since 1619, and to recommend appropriate remedies. Initially introduced by Rep. John Conyers of Michigan in 1989, the bill is now sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas. It has been proposed and voted down by the House every year. Nevertheless, Rep. Lee believes that keeping this bill before the public has helped move Americans closer to being ready to reckon with our history, and to work for justice.
Act
Here in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, the Green Street Friends Meeting (Quakers) has begun to tap its extensive financial reserves– from funds contributed to the Meeting over two centuries– to generate a reparations project. They began by conducting extensive listening sessions in the Black community where their Meeting is located to learn what the needs of the community are. And in response, they are offering legal advice to home-owners who are at risk of losing homes. Check them out on FaceBook.
Do you belong to a group that might want to consider adopting the Green Street Friends’ model?
There are many other forms reparations can take other than money, including personal contacts, referrals, mentoring, investment and partnerships. But first, always: Ask! Listen!
Pray
Jesus, you blessed Archbishop Desmond Tutu with a keen prophetic spirit in the midst of great turmoil as his country transitioned from racial apartheid to a more open society. Your Spirit is also alive in the efforts of American politicians like Rep. Conyers and Rep. Jackson-Lee, who challenge us to see the tremendous human cost of allowing the legacy of slavery to continue through institutional racism. Give us the courage and stamina to support racial healing wherever we have influence. Let us “run but not grow weary”!
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Saint Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Three
Saint Katharine Drexel
Learn
Saint Katharine Drexel of the United States (1858-1950) was born in Philadelphia into great wealth. As a young woman, she responded to Pope Leo XIII’s call to become a missionary to Americans of Color by founding the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She built many schools for Native and African-Americans, including Xavier University in New Orleans, the only Catholic Historically Black College/ University in the US.
She often had to go to great lengths to overcome the racism of white-dominated banks, businesses and communities who tried to thwart her plans. Mother Katharine, as she was called, spent her entire inheritance supporting those schools and her religious order.
St. Katharine Drexel defied expectations for the sake of living the Gospel: a wealthy socialite was not expected to enter religious life. And religious sisters were not expected to serve communities outside of their own ethnicity or race. But Katharine felt a call to buck those norms by becoming a sister, and by using what we might now call her racial and financial privilege to establish schools for Native American and Black children.
Act
NETWORK educates American Catholics on how to assess public policies in terms of their impact on People of Color, the poor, and immigrants. NETWORK’s lobby arm mobilizes Catholics to urge their elected officials to support just policies and laws. See what they’re up to now, and consider joining them on an issue you’re passionate about!
Learn more about NETWORK Advocates
Learn more about NETWORK’s Lobby Work
And don’t forget to visit Mother Katharine sometime when you are in Philadelphia! Her shrine is housed in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Click here to learn more!
Pray
Lord, it is so easy for many of us to see the status quo as “normal” or inevitable. Help us to follow the example of St. Katharine Drexel by recognizing that the status quo does not reflect the love you’ve poured out for us. It often leaves Black and Brown Americans without the educational opportunities every American deserves. Give us the wisdom to leave behind what is comfortable and to pursue what is just. Walk with each of us as we work to make change in our society, especially those of us with privilege that we need to recognize and then use to benefit others.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Blessed Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
This was actually work that Black sisters had begun long before– with far fewer resources than Mother Katharine had— when Mother Mary Lange (1789-1882) set up a school for Black children in Baltimore 30 years before Katharine was even born. Mother Lange was a Haitian immigrant, and is now one of the six African American candidates for sainthood.
In the 1960s and 70s, American sisters founded two organizations to address deep racial and social injustices in our country and in our Church: The National Black Sisters Conference, and the Network Catholic Social Justice organization.
Day Four
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez
Learn
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico (1918-63) believed that “the liturgy is the life of the Church”, and was an ardent advocate of lay Catholics having an active role in it. He launched discussion groups on the liturgy across Puerto Rico and founded a journal on that theme called Liturgy & Catholic Culture.
He was passionate about music, becoming an accomplished church pianist and organist. Rodríguez grew up during the time when Mass was celebrated in Latin. He dreamed of celebrating Mass in Spanish, the language of his people, and of reinstating the beautiful Easter Vigil Mass to the evening.
Though he didn’t live to see changes brought by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), his hopes for the reform of the liturgy did become reality. Rodríguez' grave marker conveys his conviction that Christians live in the joy Christ gave with His resurrection: “Vivimos para esa noche” (We live for that night). Rodríguez is the first Caribbean-born layperson to be declared "Blessed" by the Church.
Act
A few years after Rodríguez’ death, millions of Catholics around the world rejoiced at the many ways Vatican II affirmed the role of lay people in the Church. Those changes included a decree that Mass was now to be said in the language of the people who were present, rather than in Latin, as in centuries before. And the late-night Easter Vigil Mass– bringing Christ’s light into the darkness— was re-instated (at the time, the liturgy was held in the morning).
Two action-steps to consider:
Next time you go to Mass, lean into your role as an active participant rather than as an “observer.” Sing! Pray! Speak to people in the pews and to the presider, before or after Mass!
Among the issues still on the table for the Church is whether and how to restore the early church practice of ordaining women as permanent deacons, to preach and serve, just as male deacons now do in many parishes. Pope Francis appointed a task force of scholars and on-the-ground ministers to study this. Here in the U.S., a lay-led group called “Discerning Deacons” was recently launched to generate learning, prayer and discussion on the idea of women deacons. Check out their website here.
Pray
Jesus, you are present to every generation of your followers whenever we gather to celebrate Mass. Help us to see your presence in the face of every person we see in the pews at church— but also in every person we see at work, in the streets, in the market, and also on screens and on social media. Help us to “re-boot” the default ways we think about and categorize people of different races.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Saint Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Five
Saint Rutilio Grande
Learn
Saint Rutilio Grande, SJ of El Salvador (1928-77) was just canonized by Pope Francis on January 22, 2022. Born into a poor family in rural El Salvador, Rutilio was deeply moved by the message of solidarity with the poor that the bishops of Latin America issued at Medellin, Colombia in 1968.
As a Jesuit priest, he dedicated himself to lifting up the dignity of the poor, including their right to organize for better working conditions. He advocated for land reform in El Salvador, where 14 families owned most of the land, leaving thousands of campesinos struggling to support their families, with no support from the government, and little help from the church.
His message inspired the communities he served, but it drew the ire of political and military elites, who targeted him for assassination. On March 12, 1977, Father Grande, his sacristan, and a young boy were shot and killed as they drove to a village to participate in a novena. His death stirred up strong anti-government sentiment that had long been brewing among the people, and a bloody, 12-year civil war ensued.
Among those deeply impacted by Fr. Grande’s assassination was his close friend, Oscar Romero, who had been installed as Archbishop of San Salvador only a month earlier. Romero, now a Saint, was known as a quiet, studious and reverent church leader, but Rutilio’s assassination transformed him into an outspoken defender of the rights and dignity of the poor. Three years later, Romero himself was assassinated while saying Mass.
Act
Nearly 60 years since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, one of the most serious issues facing our country remains voter access. As Catholics committed to prioritizing people who are marginalized - as Fr. Rutilio Grande demonstrated - we must work to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, especially those most directly impacted by regulations that create added barriers to voting for those without internet, smartphones, cars, and/or the ability to take time-off from work. With an important midterm election coming up this November, there is a critical need to help people in our parishes, neighborhoods, and larger communities to register and vote. To volunteer, here are a few of many non-partisan organizations to check out:
The assassinations of Saint Rutilio and Saint Oscar also bring to mind those who continue to suffer and die as a result of hate crimes, most recently in Laguna Woods, Cali., and Buffalo, NY. In addition, gun violence in the United States disproportionately impacts Americans of Color, and has profound, lasting effects on victims, their families, and their communities. As Catholics committed to protecting the dignity and sanctity of all human life, it is important to educate ourselves and commit to action on issues like this. You can learn more about and learn how to get involved in working to reduce gun violence via the grass-roots organization Everytown for Gun Safety.
Pray
Jesus, we know that one role Christians must play in society is to insist on having a just and equitable government, accountable to the people. In many countries, including El Salvador, this has been a battle more often lost than won. But having a just and accountable government is not a given in the United States either. Strengthen us to empower every American of every race and national origin to vote. Open our hearts and minds to always consider and work for the well-being of the poorest among us.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Blessed Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Six
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
Learn
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America (1656-80) was born to an Algonquin mother and a Mohawk father in what is now upstate New York. Both of her parents died when she was a child. A convert to the Catholic faith in her teens, Kateri insisted on remaining unmarried in spite of her adopted parents’ desires. Her spiritual life included both intense prayer and some extreme forms of fasting and penitence that we might discourage today. But her witness of deep devotion to God was recognized by the Church when she was canonized in 2012, and named patroness of the environment and of exiled peoples.
In the last year, many Canadian and American Catholics have learned for the first time about the horrific history of native or “first nation” children who were forcibly sent to church-run boarding schools between the mid-17th and 20th centuries, with the goal of assimilating them into the majority culture and unlearning their own language and customs. In a shocking number of cases, students died of malnutrition or disease, and were buried in unmarked graves.
The last of these schools closed in 1969, but the traumatic legacy of abuse and deception remains. In response to a direct appeal by a delegation of First Nations from Canada in April, Pope Francis issued a public statement expressing “sorrow and shame” on behalf of Catholic institutions that ran the schools that perpetrated abuse. This summer, the Holy Father plans to travel to Canada to address this issue and to meet with leaders who are still uncovering new information about these schools and their victims.
Act
After Pope Francis’ public apology to the Canadian First Nations, the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition called on U.S. Catholic bishops and laypersons to follow the example of their Canadian counterparts by supporting the formation of a “Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the U.S.” (Senate Bill 2907/ House of Reps Bill 5444).
Consider researching this yourself online, and contacting your Senators and Representatives. Find out where they stand on this bill, and let them know where you stand and why. An easy way to do this is through Resistbot.
Also, research the history of the area where you live. Learn about the Indigenous people who inhabited it first (and sometimes still do!), be able to name what Tribe’s land you live on, and find out if there are any local Indigenous restoration projects or events that you can support.
Pray
God our Creator, help us to learn from your servant Kateri Tekakwitha that dedication to you demands our full commitment, body and soul. Help those of us who are heirs of the European people who brought so much suffering to the Native Peoples of North America to reckon with that history. Guide us in undertaking forms of penance and truth-telling that will help to restore hope and dignity to the Native Peoples, and healing and restoration for the lands they cared for so respectfully.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Saint Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Seven
Father Cyprian Davis
Learn
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB of the U.S. (1930-2015) was an accomplished scholar of medieval monastic history in the 1960s and 70s when some of his students began to ask him about their African-American Catholic heritage. Realizing he could not answer their questions, he began to research the history of Black people in the Catholic Church over the centuries. His 1990 book, “The History of Black Catholics”, launched a new field of study and along with it, long-overdue acknowledgement of the powerful, Spirit-led witness that Black Catholics bring to an American Catholic Church often dominated by European culture.
Act
At the first Pentecost, described in the Book of Acts, everyone present in the center of Jerusalem that day found themselves transported out of their familiar language and into new ways of relating to each other. The best pathway for us to undergo that kind of transformation is in meeting each other face to face—what Pope Francis calls “encounter.” But the books, blogs and Instagrams we consume also offer great support on that journey! In addition to Fr. Davis’ classic book, here are a few excellent sources to read on racism and Christian faith. Consider purchasing them through a Black-owned bookstore:
Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ, The Spiritual Work of Racial Justice: A Month of Meditations with Ignatius Loyola (2021)
Fr. Bryan Massingale, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church (2010)
Shannen Dee Williams, Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle (2022)
Cole Arthur Reilly, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation and the Stories that Make Us (2022) Also see her inspiring Instagram account, @BlackLiturgies.
Pray
Holy One, the Scriptures introduce us to your faithful people, beginning with Abraham, who passed along a deep dedication to you and to your covenant, from one generation to the next. Help us to look at our own histories to see where our forebears were impacted by the toxic notion of “race”--whether through suffering, malice or ignorance. Guide us in finding wise teachers, writers and wisdom figures like Fr. Davis, so we can learn about our ancestors, harvest whatever they sowed that is holy, and heal what they sowed that is unholy. Help us to use our time on earth to become good ancestors ourselves– leaving a legacy of commitment to racial justice for those who come after us.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Blessed Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Eight
Sister Thea Bowman
Learn
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman of the United States (1937-90) grew up in Mississippi, converted to Catholicism as a child, and became the first Black member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. A gifted singer and story-teller, as well as an accomplished academic, Sister Thea was in great demand as a presenter. Her most celebrated audience was probably the Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1989, an almost-entirely white group. Sister Thea told the bishops that they needed to understand that Black Catholics come to the Church “fully formed” both in their rich Black culture and in their deep faith. She challenged them to come down from the pulpit and actually get to know the people they serve.
After a battle with breast cancer, Sr. Thea Bowman died at age 52, leaving thousands of Catholics and others eager to continue on the path she paved, breaking down cultural and racial boundaries between Jesus’ followers of every race.
Act
This time, an “inner” action!
There are so many possible actions one could take to push back against racism! What can we learn about the discernment process from Sister Thea? Through prayer and the example of others, she found her way into the Catholic Church as a child, into an all-white religious order as a young woman, and into a ministry of teaching and singing in God’s honor in full adulthood.
So today, as you discern what YOUR role may be in overturning racism, tap into your imagination for a half-hour or so, to see what you discover:
Read the account of the first Pentecost, according to the Book of Acts 2:1-41.
Imagine that this event is happening now – that you’re in a crowd of people in a holy place, visiting from your hometown. As the Holy Spirit descends on you and others in the crowd, you suddenly find yourself able to speak and understand other languages—as those 1st Century folks in Jerusalem did.
But you’re also given another gift: The desire to be part of a movement to heal racism in your community.
What is it about you –your background, your work, your traumas, joys, gifts and weaknesses– that God could use to disarm racism in your particular part of the world now?
Hold all of that in your heart as you think about racial healing actions you may be called to. Bear in mind that this is a marathon, not a sprint. And that outer action without inner growth that is centered in Christ, will almost surely burn out.
Pray
Jesus, you showed up in the energetic and determined spirit of your servant Sister Thea Bowman. Keep us alert and ready to respond to blind spots in the Church and other institutions, as she was, while never forgetting that at the core of Christian faith is JOY. Give us the courage to imagine a Church that truly reflects the diversity of the Kingdom of Heaven, and grant us the strength to work towards creating an earthly version of that colorful community, united in your Love.
Take a moment for silent reflection.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Pray for us.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange, Pray for us.
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez of Puerto Rico, Pray for us.
Saint Rutilio Grande, Pray for us.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha of North America, Pray for us.
Father Cyprian Davis, OSB, Pray for us.
Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, Pray for us.
Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Pray for us.
Pray for us holy men and women, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Day Nine
Saint Paul Miki & His Companions
Learn
St. Paul Miki (1562-1597) and his companions (the Martyrs of Nagasaki)-The story of St Paul Miki and his companions is a fitting one for Pentecost, when we celebrate the Holy Spirit gathering people from many cultures around the world into One Church. Their story has a powerful second act, also—centuries later—which gives us hope that God will see that the seeds we plant now will bear fruit, whether we see it or not.
Fr. Paul Miki was a popular Japanese Catholic missionary, who drew missionaries from Spain, Mexico and India to work with him in Japan. Unfortunately, the Japanese rulers at the time considered Christianity to be an undesirable foreign influence, and set about expelling or killing every missionary in the country.
On February 5, 1697, Miki was crucified along with 25 other Catholic clergy in Nagasaki, each of them going to his death in prayer.
When the ban on missionaries in Japan was finally lifted in the 1860s, the first priest to teach there met a group he never expected to encounter: A delegation of Japanese lay Catholics! They explained that their ancestors had been so moved by the Nagasaki martyrs 268 years ago that they vowed to continue to practice their faith and hand it down to their children and grandchildren, even without the presence of priests to teach them, say Mass, or administer the sacraments.
You can read more about the incredible story of St. Paul Miki and more about his companions here!
Act
Fifty days after the feast of Christ’s Resurrection, we gather to celebrate Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit coming to dwell with us. This may be the least understood of our feast days, but it is as essential for us as our chargers are to our cell phones! Because the Holy Spirit assures us that the work of creation and of redemption is not finished – it’s happening with our every breath, every day!
The holy women and men we have invoked over these 9 days are part of that creating and redeeming. And each one of us is invited to be part of this too.
What gifts of the Spirit do we need, if we’re going to play our part in undoing racism, starting with the experiences we have every day? What qualities do we need if we hope to…
Respond to “micro-aggressions” in our workplace or parish?
Understand how racism has crept into the ways we judge people?
Keep learning about the ways racism shapes our own self-image?
Find a balance between self-care and deep, sustained engagement in racial justice work?
Pray
Holy Spirit, inspire and change us as we look to the holy women and men we have lifted up in this novena:
+ Like Venerable Augustus Tolton, may we be persistent in the face of rejection.
+ Like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, may we speak boldly when justice demands it.
+ Like St. Katharine Drexel, may we be willing to challenge expectations in the name of the Gospel.
+ Like Mother Mary Lange, may we have the courage to do God’s work, even when the odds seem against us.
+ Like Blessed Carlos Rodríguez, may we draw joy from being active participants at Mass.
+ Like St. Rutilio Grande, may we be committed to serving people whose rights are routinely denied.
+ Like St. Kateri Tekakwitha, may we be single-minded in deepening our prayer life.
+ Like Fr. Cyprian Davis, may we keep learning about our ancestors, how racism impacted their lives, and honoring the truth of their stories.
+ Like Sister Thea Bowman, may we be both bold in claiming our God-given dignity and joyful in expressing God’s abundant love.
+ And like St. Paul Miki and his companions, may we draw strength from each other when powerful forces tempt us to give up.
Pray for us holy women and men, that we might be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and enkindle in us the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Amen.
Parts of our novena are inspired by and borrowed (with permission) from the Ignatian Solidarity Network’s Novena for Racial Justice.
Copyright (C) 2023 New Encounters: Catholics Confronting Racism. All rights reserved. If you would like to share/use this novena, please be sure to credit us!