The 1976 U.S. Catholic Bishops' Call To Action Conference in Detroit

A.D. 1977
Detroit Recommendations
Ethnicity/Race

 

I Recommendation: Equality in the Church

The teaching of the Catholic Church on racial and ethnic equality, together with the ideals of helping the oppressed, is clear. However, the response of the Catholic community in the United States with certain notable exceptions - is in fact a mockery of this teaching. Therefore, to encourage the development of a plan of action which will translate this teaching into reality in the life and work of the Catholic Church in the United States, we strongly urge:

1. That the National Conference of Catholic Bishops must both acknowledge and utilize the distinction between race and ethnicity in the implementation of the recommendations derived from this Call to Action conference. To use these terms linked together is to imply they are similar and equal problems and could be remedied by similar and equal measures. Racism is not the same as problems related, to ethnicity, either from an historical perspective or from the impact it has on the group or individuals within that group who suffer its effects. The church must insure that its efforts to address the problem of racism are not subsumed or diluted by applying remedies appropriate to cure problems of ethnicity which are often insufficient to address the problem of racism.

2. That the NCCB, in drawing up its plan of action for justice, bring about a proportional representation of racial, ethnic and cultural groups in the formulation and implementation of church policy, which will reflect the national make-up of the church; that the NCCB must es tablish an affirmative action plan with goals, and timetables within one year, the plan to include employment, deployment (that is, the assignment of employees to tasks), upward mobility and procurement, with a clearly defined procedure of accountability through a monitoring process.

3. That each ordinary commit the individual diocese to a policy whereby the diocese, all parishes, and all church-related agencies and institutions at the diocesan and local levels establish affirmative action programs which reflect the ethnic, cultural and racial make-up of the local church and assign responsibility for the implementation of those programs to an adequately funded, independent office which shall publish regular reports. And we recommend that this office shall be established within one year of the promulgation of this document.

4. That in every aspect of the allocation of human, material and Financial resources and the preparation of budgets, the church act to combat racism, and discrimination and promote justice. This will require that:

a) The church utilize equal opportunity policies in its own hiring and advancement practices;
b) The church avoid those investment institutions which refuse to take affirmative action to achieve equal opportunity;
c) Church business transactions avoid those service agencies and industries which refuse to take affirmative action to achieve equal opportunity;
d) That the church review and monitor its contracts on matters of equal opportunity.

II Recommendation: Cultural Pluralism

To preserve the rich heritage of the church; to recognize that our society is not a "melting pot," but is composed of a rich diversity of ethnic, racial and cultural groups; to educate a population which appreciates intercultural diversity and is personally and professionally competent in relating to people different from themselves; to develop and extend the benefits of cultural pluralism and cultural justice for all groups within and outside the Catholic Church, we recommend:

1. That church leadership at all levels clearly assert its commitment to a unity of faith in a pluralism which recognizes and appreciates the right of diverse ethnic, racial and cultural groups to maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest, such as their distinctive language, customs and family patterns; that the church support and encourage the expression of racial, ethnic and cultural distinctiveness, and eliminate policies and regulations which unnecessarily inhibit such expression; and that the church preserve the opportunity with diocesan support to form or maintain parishes or missions which will give emphasis to certain ethnic, racial and cultural groups, but are open to providing services for all.

2. That the NCCB should publicly communicate its desire to respond to proposals for action which come from ethnic, racial and cultural organizations; commit itself to facilitate and encourage efforts of such groups to formulate pastoral and social action programs to meet their needs; communicate their needs to the whole church; and assist in developing the resources to meet those needs.

In order to establish such programs several steps are necessary:

a) The identification at each parish level of the ethnic, cultural and racial composition of the population;
b) The development of a training program in each diocese for teachers and church leadership to prepare them with skills of personal and professional intercultural competency for teaching a multicultural, inter-ethnic curriculum;
c) The collection and preparation of materials reflective of the cultural pluralism of the community for use in both the training of teachers and the teaching of children and adults;
d) The establishment of' an intercultural materials resource center with the office of education of each diocese;
e) The establishment of programs for adults within each parish to explain the goals of the multicultural program, and to stress their participation in it.
We further recommend that the implementation of the programs listed above should involve utilization of already existent channels such as: CCD, Search, Pre-Cana, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, the Movimiento Familiar Christiano, etc.

3. That facilities for seminary and other training for ministries among ethnic, racial and cultural groups should include multilingual and multicultural education, and intensive in-service training in relation to the specific ethnic, racial and cultural communities they will serve; and that such facilities should be developed as models in every region of the country by the cooperative efforts of bishops, pastoral councils, cultural centers and institutions of higher education.

Recognizing the amount of time a process like this can involve, we recommend further that the bishops should actively encourage and seek out suggestions for viable formation Processes in this interim period from those members of different ethnic, racial and cultural communities, for those desiring to minister within the structures of the church today, but who are discouraged by the particular cultural framework that characterizes seminary training today.

That the bishops recognize and actively encourage in their seminarians that one of the greatest challenges in the United States today is the apostolate among the black, the Hispanos, and other ethnic groups.

Since the faithful of many ethnic groups are scattered over wider territory the forms or their pastoral care should be adapted to their needs. They should be served by Priests of their own language and culture Whose canonical faculties should be enlarged according to the concept of "local church. (Local church as referred to in The Ecumenical Collaboration at the Regional, National, and Local Levels, issued on February 22, 1975, by the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity.)

4. That all Catholic communicators in both national and diocesan offices take deliberate, positive action to understand and affirm the values of cultural, ethnic and racial diversity with particular regard to correcting current stereotyping in the media. The church should provide the necessary resources to implement this task.

5. That scholars in colleges and seminaries study the many peoples in the United States to assist in documenting ethnic, racial and cultural diversity composing the population of the diocesan and parish levels both in their history and in their present circumstances, and prepare materials and resources for helping all Americans become better informed and more articulate about the concrete diversity of national life.

The dioceses must assume their responsibility in searching for more diversified material regarding liturgy, folklore, hymns and other cultural materials taken from the native origins of these diversified groups, as well as encourage the liturgists, scholars and folklorists to seek hymns, prayers, stories and other cultural materials from the many cultural strains composing the Catholic population of the United States.

The church should establish a multi-ethnic office under the NCCB to promote appreciation of ethnic values within the Catholic Church.

It is a fact that from among the Catholic population in the U.S., the Spanish-speaking comprise over one-fourth of said population. To this end the church should expand the Spanish-speaking Secretariat of the NCCB and establish a National Hispanic Research Center.

6. That diocesan and national liturgical commissions and agencies should insure adequate representation of all ethnic, racial and cultural groups and enable such groups to develop and articulate their cultural heritage within a process of evangelization, prayer, worship, sacraments, religious piety and various celebrations; and that such commissions seek to bring about greater exchange among groups within the church and to promote understanding and cooperation among hem through liturgical and cultural sharing.

7. That the NCCB take immediate action to secure a larger membership in the hierarchy from the ethnic, racial and cultural groups within the Catholic community in the United States. There is an immediate need for the appointment of more ethnic, Black and Hispanic bishops, including appointment of these bishops to the office of ordinary.

III Recommendation: American Indians

In view of the injustices and inhumanity suffered by American Indians against their person, spiritual and religious traditions and culture, justice proclaimed by the gospel compels the Catholic Bishops of the United States:

1. To call the government and the entire nation to mediate, conciliate and honor its treaties, executive orders, and special agreements by first being the witness model through the church's commitments to the Indian people in land disposition, educational policies, health care, direct financial assistance, individual liberties and inherent tribal sovereignty.

2. To join with other interested groups to create immediately an American Indian Secretariat within the USCC/ NCCB which will he headed and staffed by Indian persons with a bishop, preferably of Indian descent, as national chairman. That the bishops join in the creation of attendant legislative/judicial advocacy wherever there is significant Indian population, e.g. state, county, local communities.

3. To strongly support quality Indian education - spiritual, academic and vocational --both on and off reservations, by direct financial -assistance, insisting that the control of education be in the hands of Indian people.

To achieve this, the U.S. bishop will foster and develop American Indian leadership in local organizations and political representation at the state and national level, without hindering Indian cultural tradition; they will also call on Indian educators to instruct non-Indians in the spiritual and ascetic values of the native Indian way; the bishops will also promote special higher education scholarships and direct financial assistance programs for recruiting, encouraging and supporting Indians interested in Catholic colleges and universities and other institutions of learning, with a special emphasis on leadership.

4. To develop and promote leadership among the Indian peoples:
a) That the church admit liturgies which reflect the sacredness of this land, this people and heritage, through the use of liturgies that encourage the expression of American Indian traditions such as the sacred drum, sacred pipe, sacred dance, sacred circle in those places made sacred by Indian tradition.
b) The NCCB include, in the prescribed curriculum for seminaries in the United* States, courses in American Indian spirituality and cultures.
c) The NCCB recognize, study and implement the pastoral letter "A New Beginning" now being implemented by the bishops of Minnesota.
d) That the ordination of Indian bishops take place as soon as practicable, depending upon the human resources available.
e) That the Catholic bishops support a realistic policy for an Indian diaconate program, carried on at the local community under the direction of the local director, revising current policy on sex, age requirement, celibacy and permanency, which at present hinder development of Indian diaconate.

5. To work to increase Catholic awareness of the American Indian peoples' cultural contribution towards the humanization of this nation by means of their values - reverence for all life, respect for the inner mystery of the human person; the bishops should promote the Indian peoples' prophetic role to deepen and spiritualize the American people through reverse acculturation.

6. To develop and support a special ministry to non-reservation Indians, especially in any and all areas where jurisdiction, tradition, poverty and paternalism have perpetuated grave injustices in law enforcement, medical care, education, worship and community acceptance and leadership.

7. a) That church workers coming onto Indian reservations be assigned only from among men and women who have volunteered for this ministry - and only from those who show positive psychological preparedness.
b) That even those volunteers be required, biannually, by ordinaries and religious superiors to attend workshops in cross-cultural sensitivity.

IV Recommendation: Church Response to Racism and Discrimination

In order to insure that the church in the United States participates actively in efforts to shape public policies aimed at ending racism and discrimination based on ethnic, racial and linguistic
characteristics, we recommend that the Church, on a national basis, promote the commandment in Mark12:29-31: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." We recommend:

1. That this assembly commend the work of the National Office for Black Catholics and the Secretariat for the Spanish-Speaking of the United States Catholic Conference and the Catholic Conference of Ethnic and Neighborhood Affairs and require the NCCB to commit itself with these agencies to develop national pastoral and social action plans for their communities and assist them with the human and financial resources necessary for the implementation of these plans.

2. That the Social Development Office of the USCC and any other official agencies established to deal with matters of domestic social and economic policy, cooperate with the above offices and agencies in formulating and implementing church policy on public issues.

3. That the NCCB establish a task force, with representation of the National Office of Black Catholics and the American Indian communities, to evaluate the work of the Commission for Catholic Missions among the Colored People and the Indians and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions and recommend policies for that office. Such policies should insist on the meaningful participation of the people served by the commission and the bureau in developing and implementing projects.

4. That the NCCB, the Campaign for Human Development and other appropriate organizations sponsor or advocate research and action to meet the social and economic needs of the urban and rural poor whites who comprise two-thirds of the urban poor. The complex cycle of migration from one area and entry into another under conditions of poverty and discrimination is an object of pastoral care.

Continuing in the spirit of the Appalachian bishops' pastoral letter, "This Land Is Home to Me," the needs of the millions of Appalachian and Puerto Rican migrants, as well as their empowerment and self-development in Appalachia and Puerto Rico deserve a special consideration in pastoral research and action.

5. That all official and semi-official agencies of the church dealing with education join together to make a public report on the educational needs of black, Spanish-speaking, American Indian, Asian-American, and other ethnic groups; the present programs of the church and its educational institutions that are designed to meet those needs; and the plans which exist for meeting those needs in the future.

6. Each diocese should give very high priority to the continued operation of parochial schools already existing in poor urban and rural areas. This should be seen as a service to the poor on the part of the entire diocese and not that of the parish alone.

7. That the church in the United States, acting through its established agencies for social and legislative action, make every effort to bring to an end all forms of racism and discrimination, particularly in such public policy areas as housing, education, neighborhood development and job opportunities, health care and nutrition. The church should also take positive steps to defend the right to cultural freedom and self-determination of America's many ethnic, racial and cultural groups.

8. That church leaders and the whole Catholic community recognize the persistence of the evil of racism in American life, a system of individual and institutional attitudes, actions, policies and practices which subordinate people on the basis of race or color. This evil we must also admit infests the life of the church as well as society. That we call upon church leaders to act vigorously on this issue to the end that the Catholic Church become a force of leadership in eliminating racism from American life. We recommend that the NCCB write a pastoral letter on the sin of racism in both its personal and social dimensions to be published no later than April 4, 1978.

9. That the NCCB working cooperatively with the National Office of Black Catholics, the Secretariat for the Spanish-Speaking, the Catholic Conference for Ethnic and Neighborhood Affairs, and the proposed American Indian Secretariat, establish the means for the church in the United States to actively support and work with established organizations engaged in the effort to end all forms of racism. and discrimination in the United States.

This support and work should be prioritized to be undertaken with established organizations with demonstrated effectiveness in this area of the implementation of Christianity and justice and equality. Such organizations should include but not be limited to the Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai Brith, the Urban League, the National Association for Advancement of Colored People and the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice and Church Women United.

10. We recommend that the NCCB, through the USCC, give higher priority to the study of the problem of alienation of our black, Hispanic and Indian youth from the church and develop policies and bicultural programs relating to their needs and distinctive back-grounds in order to alleviate this great problem in our communities.

11. That the Catholic Church in the United States use whatever means available to it to see that freedom of the press and the media is upheld and not utilized as a central mechanism to foster more discrimination and racism.

12. That every diocese have a specifically designated task force, racially mixed and representative, to make a Christian response to all acts of racism and discrimination within the diocese, including cooperation with existing public agencies committed to respond to such actions.

13. That each diocese establish a black, Hispanic, Indian, and ethnic secretariat to keep bishops informed on the needs and feelings of these racial and ethnic groups.

14. That the NCCB recommend that the local and national church groups withdraw any monies deposited in financial institutions which are complicit in redlining, hiring discrimination or which make clear profits from racism and other forms of exploitation, either in the United States or abroad.

15. That the proper church agencies and the media at our disposal be used to fight discrimination in the United States immigration policy and to promote just legislation in this area as well as promote a generous amnesty for undocumented aliens already residing in the United States.

 

Reprinted with permission of the Quixote Center.