Bulletin Insert – Racial Justice and U.S. Elections (revised)
The crisis of inequality creates deep divisions between people and communities, despite progress in reducing extreme poverty. Rising wealth inequality, especially impacting women, Indigenous peoples, and marginalized groups, has worsened over recent decades. This bulletin insert examines racial justice through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching and offers key questions to ask candidates for public office about their views on these critical issues.
The introduction to the document:
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in their 2018 pastoral letter “Open Wide Our Hearts,” identifies racism as one of the country’s original sins, recognizing that while legal (de jure) discrimination may no longer exist, de facto discrimination continues to permeate various aspects of society. These include the criminal justice system, economic inequality, racial profiling, and disparities in education, housing, and employment opportunities for communities of color.
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) urges all Catholics to reflect deeply on their own hearts and consciences, guided by the principle of solidarity, which emphasizes the shared responsibility for the well-being of all individuals. Recognizing the inherent human dignity in each person, CST calls for active engagement in dismantling the structures and cultural beliefs that perpetuate racism.
