Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron – Christ’s victory over the sin of Racism

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In Unleash the Gospel, my pastoral letter on the New Evangelization, I wrote that “our communities are ready for renewal” and that there is “a readiness to move beyond the ways we have always done things and to think about new ways.” All of us in the Archdiocese – bishops, priests, and laity – are engaged in this renewal which, I pray, will transform our local Church into a band of joyful missionary disciples sharing the good news of Jesus Christ throughout southeast Michigan.

One of the obligations of a bishop is to provide spiritual guidance to the souls under his care. In that spirit, I will, over the coming months, share with you a series of pastoral notes which provide such guidance on issues of importance in our local Church and community, through the eyes of Unleash the Gospel. I hope that you find these notes to be of some assistance.

The first step in any renewal is repentance from sin, including the violent sin of racism. This week marks 75 years since growing racial tensions contributed to three days of civil unrest in Detroit that took the lives of 34 people and injured over 400. So today, I wish to share with you a pastoral note on Christ’s victory over the sin of racism in which I offer a few words about how we, a community of followers of Jesus Christ, can show love to everyone we meet, treat all people with dignity and respect, and work together to heal the wounds inflicted by sins of racism in our community.

Entrusting you and your families to the loving care of Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, and to our Patron, St. Anne, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron