It’s so sad if it comes to this in our city. Several of the organizations that provide help and hope for the marginalized (including many African Americans) are Catholic, and several of our Catholic parishes are located in some of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods.
Interestingly, two of these parishes are run by the Franciscan friars, who take an oath of poverty, and who live in housing right next to their parishes in these neighborhoods.
And the Latin Mass parish is right in the middle of it all!–in fact, during the protests, we see the Latin Mass parish right there, protesters standing in their parking lot, during the television coverage! And their priest lives in housing (very old and historic) right next door to that old, historic church!
It’s just awful to think that violence could touch these organizations or parishes that have worked so hard since the founding of our city to help minorities and immigrants, even though the minorities seldom become Catholic (other than the Latinos and some of the Asian immigrants). So sad and so pointless.
I keep asking why these protests don’t take place on the “rich, white” side of town, where all the people with money, the company owners, the doctors and lawyers, the teachers and professors, the white pastors, the wealthiest churches and parishes, the best hotels and restaurants, and many of the “good” grocery store chains, are. WE are the people who need to be educated and challenged to do more to stop racism!
Other than one march/rally, which resulted in vandalism and violence on the “good side” of town (which definitely turned many of the rich, white, influential, and even the decent Christian people AGAINST the demonstrators), there have been no other attempts to cross over into areas where those people live who make and enforce policies that supposedly adversely affect minorities, and own companies that supposedly continue to ignore the needs of minorities and the poor.
But instead, the protesters stick with marchs, rallies, demonstrations, and educational events in their “hood”–where everyone already agrees with them and they feel powerful and accepted and “safe”.
I don’t get it. No wonder nothing changes.
But I will say that if they go to the “good side” of town, they need to consider using methods that will be effective with prosperous people who have worked hard all their lives to attain their comfortable lives. Toppling statues, violence, vandalism, graffitti, foul language, emotional hype with no substance, etc. will NOT be effective with people who are used to brainstorming sessions, sit-down face-to-face talks, calmness, waiting your turn to speak, etc.
I just heard on our television that the weekly “listening sessions” that the city leaders have organized to “listen” to the stories and suggestions of black people are being BOYCOTTED by BLM because they want the changes to happen FIRST, and then they will attend listening sessions.
That won’t work, and if they can’t see and understand that this won’t work, Then THEY are the ones who need to listen.
