Anti-Racism for Young White Catholics offers participants an opportunity to invite Jesus on their journey into the Lenten desert, and to prepare to meet Him on the cross through prayer, fasting and giving alms:

• Prayer that we will recognize our own participation in racism.
• Fasting from complacency and actions that perpetuate racism.
• Giving fully of ourselves to create a healed Church where all are welcome.

Why White Catholics?   The Catholic Church can only be true to its mission if it includes everyone drawn to Christ’s message. But the truth about racism in the U.S., including in the Church, is that most white people have socially-reinforced blind-spots regarding race that we need to confront and grow out of. In doing that internal work, we can do unintended harm to People of Color, or burden them with expectations that they will offer first-person stories that can re-traumatize them, or assurances that it’s “not that bad” that may comfort whites but misrepresent the evil of racism.   To protect them, and to allow space for the “change of heart” white Catholics are called to undergo, we ask that only young Catholics who identify as white register for this particular series. We ask Catholics who are Black or other ethnicities to pray for us, and to stay tuned for future events that may offer the opportunity for cross-race dialogue. 

WHEN is the SERIES?  

Five Monday evenings in Lent 2021

7pm -8:30pm EST –  2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22 via zoom

HOW TO REGISTER?

1- Email program director Dr. Mary Laver . Please provide your full name, phone number, city/town of residence, your parish or other Catholic affiliation (past or present), and your field of work. This will help us shape the series and foster community among the participants.

2- This series is free, but we hope you will support our work by making a voluntary contribution ($25 or whatever you can afford) to the Solidarity Fund at the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia. Dr. Laver will send you that link.

A few days in advance of the first session, you’ll receive the program link.

Feel free to encourage friends to register too!

ABOUT US: 

This series is offered by New Encounters: Catholics Confronting Racism. Since July 2020, we have been offering online series like this one, each focused on a different demographic within the greater Philadelphia Catholic community.