June 9, 2020
Beyond the Boundaries stands in solidarity with those seeking justice and change in the face of racism.
We were pleased to read the June 5th announcement that the Archdiocese will begin to address the four goals set forth in your January 2019 letter on racism.
We believe that the archdiocese can and should do more. We call for commitment to a timeline for the actions.
You call for: forums on the issue of racism, a study of diversity in church programs, identification of diverse leaders, and increased efforts to attract diverse members and vocations.
Beyond the Boundaries asks the church take more specific steps to ensure lasting and impactful change, to include the following:
Make a public statement of the Church’s support of the ongoing protests in Baltimore and across the country.
Appoint a permanent director to the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of Baltimore by the end of 2020.
Provide racial sensitivity training to all Priests in the Archdiocese of Baltimore within the next 4 months.
Create a detailed and public timeline for the newly hired consultants, outlining what actions they will take and when, to ensure no prolonged delays.
Engage with existing church and parish programs who are already addressing systemic racism so they have a voice in the church’s response.
Beyond the Boundaries is an Archdiocesan program that works with parishes to address systemic racism, especially as it relates to housing. We are committed to listening to those who are directly impacted by racism, learning about the systemic racism that plagues our region, and actively working to effectuate meaningful change. We are here to work with the Archdiocese and other like-minded programs to ensure every parish is actively participating in programming to end the sin of racism.
Sincerely,
Beyond the Boundaries Steering Committee