A Letter From the Founders (Updated)
Photo taken from Los Angeles Times
Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1935).
. . .
Dear Sisters in Christ,
We (Emma and Elise, Founders of CWIB) would like to apologize for hurting some of our sisters of color with our previous letter, and we are deeply sorry to all those negatively impacted.
As white, Catholic women, we recognize the privilege afforded to us in the United States. We acknowledge we have not done enough to create a diverse and inclusive community for CWIB since we founded it 2 years ago, and we apologize to women of color who have not felt welcome within our community. We are committed long term to becoming stronger allies and consistently taking action to eradicate the sin of racism and prejudice on a personal level and as an organization.
We also apologize for inviting women of color to “join us and help guide our strategy” in a statement from our previous letter. This statement implies an unfair and unjust reliance on women of color and an unwillingness to do the hard work of learning and being anti-racist on our own, and it was deeply hurtful.
To change this and to clarify other points, we have made adjustments to our letter. You can read the updated letter below and the original letter here.
We are grateful for those who reached out to hold us accountable.
In Christ,
Emma and Elise
Note: This letter has been updated as of June 9th.
. . .
Dear Sisters in Christ,
Our hearts are heavy. We are saddened by the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the countless other victims experiencing the ongoing horrors committed against our Black brothers and sisters. We are again painfully reminded of the deep roots of the systemic racism that has plagued our country from the beginning and continues to do so today.
There is much work to be done. One article, one post, one comment is not enough.
As Catholic women, we are all called to lead with peace, love, and courage. Our co-workers, employers, employees, and clients are all affected by our words and actions. We have a responsibility to fight against racism and prejudice, to be aware of our shortcomings, to apologize when we do harm, to hold ourselves and others accountable, and to be strong leaders.
Here are some ways Catholic women who work in and own businesses can take action personally and professionally:
Pray and fast
Continually seek education, learn, and listen to others
Actively work against racist policies, structures, and mindsets
Support businesses owned by people of color
Work to create and support more inclusive workplaces
Donate to organizations and people advancing the interests of people of color
Our mission at CWIB is to provide both spiritual and educational resources for Catholic women in business. Moving forward, this will include a free, comprehensive resource center (gathered from external sources) to equip and empower today’s Catholic businesswomen:
Professional resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
Resources for women of color focused on career advancement and entrepreneurship
Personal and spiritual resources on Catholic social teaching, racial injustice, and antiracism
From now until June 19, we are joining Leticia Adams and Karianna Frey in prayer and fasting in reparation for the sin of racism. We encourage everyone in our CWIB community to participate. #rendyourhearts
Let us be clear: Black lives matter. We stand in solidarity with the Black community now and always.
You can contact us at hello@catholicwomeninbusiness.org to share your thoughts and questions.
. . .
To white women in our community: It is critical to take action in this historical time and proclaim the Truth: Racism and hate are unacceptable, and they must be fought against on a systemic and individual level. This is a time to listen, to learn from our black brothers and sisters, and to link arms with them in creating a better future for our nation.
. . .
For those seeking to learn more from Catholic and Christian resources, we recommend the following articles, books, videos, and websites.
*Please note this is not an all-inclusive list. There are many more resources available from Catholic, Christian, and secular sources, and we encourage you to continue seeking further education. Listing a link below does not mean we support every post, comment, or belief that you may find on these sites or their affiliates. Though we do our best to vet resources for alignment with the Catholic Church and the mission of CWIB, we encourage you to use right judgment and an informed conscience when consuming various media.
Reading:
Articles
Statement of U.S. Bishops’ President on George Floyd and the Protests in American Cities, USCCB, Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles and president of USCCB
The assumptions of white privilege and what we can do about it, Fr. Bryan Massingale
El Paso’s Bishop Mark Seitz: Black lives matter, Bishop Mark J. Seitz
A Letter from the Only African-American Felician Sister, Sister Desiré
Bishop lays out plan for ‘eradicating this plague’ of racism, Heidi Schlumpf, NCR Online, 2018
Books
Racial Justice and the Catholic Church, Fr. Bryan Massingale
Be the Bridge, Latasha Morrison
Watching:
Healing Divisions with Fr. Josh Johnson and Jeff Cavins, Ascension Press
Olga Segura: Solidarity on Tap, Ignatian Solidarity Network
Racism In Our Streets and Structures, Georgetown Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life with Archbishop Gregory, Gloria Purvis, Ralph McCloud, and Dr. Marcia Chatelain
Warning: From approx. minutes 12-18, panelists shared how they felt while watching the video of the death of George Floyd. This could trigger trauma for viewers, and one panelist declined to answer the question.
Joining:
Catholic Women Against Racism, Facebook group