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semper_catholicus
Guest
Sometimes, it’s good to ignore things which are on the internet. Don’t loose your faith over the Internet.
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therese1998
Guest
Humans don’t “prove” the Church, or even speak for it. If every priest, bishop and lay Catholic were racist, the teachings of the Church and the salvation available through her sacraments are still true and valid. THAT is the purpose of the Church. Not to raise perfect people on earth.
And remember to read things in context. This saint lived from 1774-1824. Did she even have exposure to the idea her comments were “racist”? Did she even have ANY education on the fact that African Americans are no more or less anything than any other race of humans? That would have been a very radical and unsupported view in that day and age. Saints don’t have preter-natural knowledge and their views and opinions, as are our own, are often born and raised for the most part within their culture. Should you be criticized by people 225 years in the future for your “backward ideas”?
This is, I think, a problem in the Church. We do not have representative numbers of African Americans in our parishes and diocese and I can see how this would lead to feeling isolated or not comfortable. We need to do a better job at attracting and supporting African Americans and others in our Church.
There is no credible evidence at all that blacks are sub-human. What rubbish
This hatred and revival of racist spew is a problem that is evident within our country right now. There are always people who want to hate and will grab any excuse to do so. They are anti: African-American, Catholic, any religion, women, gays, you name it. It’s just the reality of the world that there are always people who want to make their stand by speaking hate. It’s not a problem with the truth of the Catholic Church.My advice FWIW: Do not let other people’s ignorance guide your actions, especially with respect to the Truth and your salvation.
I will totally and freely pray for you. Please pray for me as well. We all need the prayers of each other. Peace.
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Ardent_Fire
Guest
Not everything that saints did and said were always right – some of the things they said and believed were influenced by their time in history. Hildegard von Bingen is a saint from medieval times that has very much interested me, but she also had alternative beliefs about health and science that are very outdated today. I believe once people are in heaven and are saints, they are pure and no longer have views dimmed by their history and time on earth.
I believe nations outside of Europe and the Americas and people of different races – especially from Africa and Asia will play an increasingly important role in our Church. We are all God’s children.
St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us.
I believe nations outside of Europe and the Americas and people of different races – especially from Africa and Asia will play an increasingly important role in our Church. We are all God’s children.
St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us.
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TheOldColonel
Guest
Surely, you’ve been aware for some time that we Catholics commit sin… and in great varieties.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Saints (except for the Blessed Virgin Mary) were not perfect. They are men and women who committed sins and had failures and they hurt people and they failed, however, they got back up and repented and to use a common phrase “nevertheless they persisted”. They died in friendship with God.
God’s mercy extended to the worst of them like the Bl Longo who was a Satanic priest! That lets me know that in spite of the sins I commit, as long as I keep getting off the mat, God will forgive me as well!
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mrsdizzyd
Guest
I’m African- American as well. I definitely understand your frustration, and I understand how racism within the church can shake your faith. Have courage and persevere.
Firstly, remember that anonymity on the internet allows people to feel free to say all manor of hateful ignorant things that they may or may not believe. You simply cannot let internet nonsense endanger your immortal soul. If you can’t find a way to ignore this, you need to get offline. (There have been and may still be racist members here on CAF. You have to be prepared for that.)
Secondly, racism is incompatible with Christianity, period. Anyone who tells you otherwise of fooling themselves and trying to fool you. Their interpretation of scripture is corrupt. Study scripture and church doctrine for yourself and pray for them.
Thirdly, kindly remind anyone who insists on telling you that Christianity is compatible with racism that Christ was a middle eastern Jew.
Firstly, remember that anonymity on the internet allows people to feel free to say all manor of hateful ignorant things that they may or may not believe. You simply cannot let internet nonsense endanger your immortal soul. If you can’t find a way to ignore this, you need to get offline. (There have been and may still be racist members here on CAF. You have to be prepared for that.)
Secondly, racism is incompatible with Christianity, period. Anyone who tells you otherwise of fooling themselves and trying to fool you. Their interpretation of scripture is corrupt. Study scripture and church doctrine for yourself and pray for them.
Thirdly, kindly remind anyone who insists on telling you that Christianity is compatible with racism that Christ was a middle eastern Jew.
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therese1998
Guest
Absolutely! We are already seeing that within our own diocese, thanks be to God.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
You might find these prayers to be helpful:
These resources
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/african-american/resources/index.cfm
https://www.nbccongress.org/
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-act...es/links-to-national-black-catholic-sites.cfm
These resources
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/african-american/resources/index.cfm
https://www.nbccongress.org/
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-act...es/links-to-national-black-catholic-sites.cfm
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JanetF
Guest
I think you have to differentiate between the Church’s teaching and the weaknesses of her human members. There is no perfect Church in the world, because we are all sinners. The Catholic Church doesn’t teach racism. We teach that all life had dignity and worse from conception until death. The only thing we should be judging each other on are our actions, never the state of another’s soul (that’s up to God and God alone).
I am sorry that you have suffered in this way and hope that you will reconsider leaving the Church, instead stay and LEAD the Church in any way you can to become a better institution.
I am sorry that you have suffered in this way and hope that you will reconsider leaving the Church, instead stay and LEAD the Church in any way you can to become a better institution.
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elohimrules
Guest
Racism is evil make no bones about it. So is pedophiles. I have been so discouraged lately learning the extent of pedophiles in the church makes me wonder if I should be Catholic any longer. But what I do know is that at adoration I find peace, in the rosary I find peace, etc. So I still think the Catholic faith is for me. There are racists inside and out of the church but I hear your frustration. Its the same way I feel about being a women. Like why there are not more women at the Vatican giving their (name removed by moderator)ut? Why did they treat Mary Magdelene so bad throughout history calling her a whore when she wasnt? She was the first to see Jesus at the Resurrection. I am sorry you have to deal with racism. I live in the south and hear that crap all the time and I hate it! Im from the north and never really heard much of it where I am from till i moved down here, it makes me sick. Especially when we have a president who promotes it! Its enough to make anyone ill. I pray you don’t loose your faith. Remember mostly to love God and be with Him and even if you decide to leave the church over this remember He will never leave you! So stay close to Him whatever you do, He loves you!!!
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Reuben_J
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Dan_Defender
Guest
Where is the reference? that sounds like slander. I don’t believe it. Don’t trust hearsay.
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anon98328916
Guest
Check this out!
THIRST FOR YOU
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” (Rev.3:20)
(Meditation based on the spiritual teachings of Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
http://www.piercedhearts.org/theology_heart/wisdom_heart/mother_teresa_i_thirst.htm
THIRST FOR YOU
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” (Rev.3:20)
(Meditation based on the spiritual teachings of Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
http://www.piercedhearts.org/theology_heart/wisdom_heart/mother_teresa_i_thirst.htm
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jbezzle
Guest
As a fellow young Catholic, I suggest that you check out Fr. Josh Johnson’s podcast. He’s a black Catholic priest who tackles questions about the faith that aren’t so clear cut and dryly laid out by official teachings. He’s also been vocal about racial discrimination in society (which he is obviously against). Maybe you could even air out your concerns for him to address on the podcast 
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rosthesinner
Guest
Why would I slander a saint? These are her own visions.
“Cain’s posterity gradually became colored. Hams children also were browner than those of Shem. The nobler races were always of a lighter color. They who were distinguished by a particular mark engendered children of the same stamp; and as corruption increased, the mark also increased until at last it covered the whole body, and people became darker and darker. But yet in the beginning there were no people perfectly black; they became so only by degrees”?
“I saw the curse pronounced by Noah upon Ham moving toward the latter like a black cloud and obscuring him. His skin lost its whiteness, he grew darker. His sin was the sin of sacrilege, the sin of one who would forcibly enter the Ark of the Covenant. I saw a** most corrupt race descend from Ham and sink deeper and deeper in darkness. I see that the **black, idolatrous, stupid nations are the descendants of Ham. Their color is due, not to the rays of the sun, but to the dark source whence those degraded races sprang”.
“Cain’s posterity gradually became colored. Hams children also were browner than those of Shem. The nobler races were always of a lighter color. They who were distinguished by a particular mark engendered children of the same stamp; and as corruption increased, the mark also increased until at last it covered the whole body, and people became darker and darker. But yet in the beginning there were no people perfectly black; they became so only by degrees”?
“I saw the curse pronounced by Noah upon Ham moving toward the latter like a black cloud and obscuring him. His skin lost its whiteness, he grew darker. His sin was the sin of sacrilege, the sin of one who would forcibly enter the Ark of the Covenant. I saw a** most corrupt race descend from Ham and sink deeper and deeper in darkness. I see that the **black, idolatrous, stupid nations are the descendants of Ham. Their color is due, not to the rays of the sun, but to the dark source whence those degraded races sprang”.
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joeybaggz
Guest
OP. I think the “hatred” toward black people, and individual blacks at that, is a case of someone who hates something about themselves and doesn’t have the moral courage to face themselves so they direct their venom toward someone they can perceive as a target. They are little people, with little souls, little minds, and not much to offer.
If you see this crap on the internet, take the advice of many of the above posters and stop getting your "perception of the world from the internet. It is full of bozos and other clowns.
You know if you want a different perspective, look at the world of sports. The game of golf has traditionally been a rich, white man’s sport. Today, professional golf is in critical condition. Tournaments are in trouble and the TV ratings stink. Unless a guy named Tiger plays. Then the ratings soar, the attendance goes way up, and if you watch the galleries following Tiger, you see a sea of white faces. And last time I checked, Tiger isn’t Norwegian or a good ole boy from Mississippi.
Look around, you are seeing a lot of the dark. There is light out there, sometimes it is just a bit harder to see.
Peace
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FreeMe
Guest
What is written in the Bible about “The Curse of Ham” will not be extinguished. According to science and archeology we know that blacks are the first ones on the Earth, before whites. Therefore, this biblical story puts the white man in the first place when introducing black men under some despicable circumstances
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glorybe
Guest
Think about and remember how Black slaves always had such a very strong faith, when you think they might have been asking Jesus “WHY?”, instead, their faith remained so strong. And a friend of mine in Uganda told me that Ugandans are so poor that most families live only on a dollar a day. When I said how terrible that must be for them, he responded with, “No, it’s wonderful because it brings them closer to God”. He’s a seminarian. Whenever I’ve struggled with my faith, I sit in front of Jesus in the Adoration Chapel, very quiet, until He starts talking to me (in thoughts running through my mind), after which I feel refreshed. And talking it out with other people, like you’re doing now, is a good thing to do. I don’t think the saints knew at the time what they were saying would be offensive to people one day. God bless you!
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Ioannes_L
Guest
You’re loosing your faith just because some people were rude?
You need to toughen up your heart against these stupid things buddy.
If some loonies come up with their white supremacy bs and so on simply ignore them, after all Our Lord clearly don’t care about skin color, otherwise we would have no black saints and/or black clergy. They think they’re Catholics, but they’re not, after all Catholic means universal, so in the Church it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Asian or European…
And about Catherine Emmerich, forget her.
You need to toughen up your heart against these stupid things buddy.
If some loonies come up with their white supremacy bs and so on simply ignore them, after all Our Lord clearly don’t care about skin color, otherwise we would have no black saints and/or black clergy. They think they’re Catholics, but they’re not, after all Catholic means universal, so in the Church it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Asian or European…
And about Catherine Emmerich, forget her.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
First of all, Anne Catherine Emmerich has not made it to full sainthood yet, but even if she is someday canonized, saints are not perfect and many of them said things that may have been accepted in their time, but that the Catholic Church does not believe or teach today. St. Bernardine for example preached very forcefully against the Jewish people and was basically anti-semitic. St. Padre Pio condemned as sinful certain styles of clothing that we think are quite normal and modest today. Also, Anne Catherine Emmerich’s visions and meditations are open to a lot of interpretation, and might not have a racial meaning at all, but we just see them that way.
Second, as others have pointed out, there have been hundreds, probably thousands, of black or dark-skinned saints, especially the early Christian saints, many of whom came from Egypt, Libya, etc. In the US we have some African-American saints currently in the canonization process: Servant of God Augustine Tolton and Servant of God Julia Greeley. The Church was also strongly in support of both interracial marriage and civil rights in the mid-twentieth century.
A couple months ago I met a white middle-aged guy with a huge devotion to St. Martin de Porres because his mother had prayed to St. Martin de Porres to help her son get over a serious illness when he was a teenager. He believes he was cured through St. Martin’s intercession. I always liked to read about St. Martin de Porres when I was little because of the story of how he fed the mice so they wouldn’t steal the monks’ food.
One of my favorite parish priests is from Africa and he has done wonders for my spiritual life. The whole parish loves the guy despite the fact that he is probably the only African person in the church.
Please don’t lose your faith over racist baloney you might read, especially online. The vast majority of us Catholics are not like that and we welcome people of all races to our Church.
Second, as others have pointed out, there have been hundreds, probably thousands, of black or dark-skinned saints, especially the early Christian saints, many of whom came from Egypt, Libya, etc. In the US we have some African-American saints currently in the canonization process: Servant of God Augustine Tolton and Servant of God Julia Greeley. The Church was also strongly in support of both interracial marriage and civil rights in the mid-twentieth century.
A couple months ago I met a white middle-aged guy with a huge devotion to St. Martin de Porres because his mother had prayed to St. Martin de Porres to help her son get over a serious illness when he was a teenager. He believes he was cured through St. Martin’s intercession. I always liked to read about St. Martin de Porres when I was little because of the story of how he fed the mice so they wouldn’t steal the monks’ food.
One of my favorite parish priests is from Africa and he has done wonders for my spiritual life. The whole parish loves the guy despite the fact that he is probably the only African person in the church.
Please don’t lose your faith over racist baloney you might read, especially online. The vast majority of us Catholics are not like that and we welcome people of all races to our Church.
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