Preaching Can Help Address Racism

n a special webinar requested by Cardinal Dolan, Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana told New York priests, deacons and seminarians “we must preach on racism because it is an evil and sin that continues to burden our Church and society, and it is a challenge that we must help our people to address and overcome.” “My dear brothers, Jesus Christ has sent us as fishers of men, and we want to catch souls, not the endless red herrings that are always snapping at our lines,” said Bishop Fabre, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ ad hoc committee against racism, in his Sept. 22 presentation, “Preaching Against Racism.”

About 275 priests, deacons and seminarians of the Archdiocese of New York and the dioceses of Brooklyn and Rockville Centre participated in the afternoon event sponsored by the archdiocesan Chancery Office.

Organizers noted that the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis shocked most Americans, and people of all backgrounds took to the streets across the nation in protest. Four police officers face criminal charges in Floyd’s death.

Cardinal Dolan subsequently invited Bishop Fabre “to speak with us on the topic, ‘Preaching Against Racism.’”  Read on….