Racism has been a problem in our country almost since its founding. Of late there have been key points that show how bad things still are today. In 2018 the Diocese made changes that reduced the scope the AAMEN(African Ancestry Ministry and Evanglization Network) however when issues arose in 2020 to show how bad things still were in this country Bishop Zarama re-established the AAMEN similar to its prior scope. Then the Bishop’s staff started Racism training with a consultant from Georgia. While the programming was good the participation didn’t reach the folks that the staff had hoped it would reach. Further that training only lasted a year or so. Fast forward to 2024 and we had gone years without any programming in this area. So a request was made to have the diocese do regular annual bias based training that could grow to training. The suggestion was to have each parish in the diocese utilize the USCCB Stations of the Cross - Overcoming Racism on Fridays during lent. The Bishop suggested that we start at Holy Cross and utilize the Diocesan Communications Office to reach the rest of the diocese.   That lands us where are today our first year conducting Stations of the Cross - Overcoming Racism for the diocese. Holy Cross and other parishes in the diocese have utilized this document to do stations of the cross before. We are happy to be offering this to the diocese! 

So why do this bias awareness regularly? Simply to help us overcome the sin. We can’t be the best diocese in the world and continuously perpetuate this sin. Pope Francis called racism out as a sin. So we are doing our part to help us all in the diocese take a step on journey to heaven. If we can eradicate this sin this gets all a step closer! 

So what lead to this Stations of the Cross - Overcoming Racism document being approved by the US Bishops? Well as stated Racism has been a problem and the US Bishops years before the Stations of the Cross: Overcoming Racism document was approved launched an initiative called Open Wide Our Hearts. There is more detail about both of these initiatives on the USCCB website. Our hope is that not only will we adopt this stations of the cross document throughout the diocese but that we will also embrace the OWOH document. This is a journey and we have to start and continue taking steps to improve in order to reach our ultimate goal. And we as Catholics believe in community so let’s all work together to change how we treat this difference! In the end Christianity was extended beyond just the Jews to all races! So as Christians we are called to embrace each other without sin! 

So how can you start this journey at your parish. Well you are taking the first step - attending one of the events at Holy Cross. We have taken this opportunity to embrace as many races as we can in this inaugural year of conducting stations. Our hope is that in future years your parish will do the same and conduct stations of the cross for all races on Fridays during lent. Be sure to check-in(scroll back to option 2 at the top and check-in if you haven't already)  so the Bishop can see who all is attending and then be sure to give us feedback(at the end of each event you attend use option 3 above to provide feedback)  so we can provide insight back to Bishop Zarama as to how to best move forward with our diocesan journey.  Here are the communities that we have invited to Holy Cross for the 6 Fridays of Lent for 2025. 

Our Event Series Line Up for Lent 2025

1. African American Community, Friday, March 7, 2025 ( check-in / feedback)
2. India Americans - Tamil Community, Friday, March 14, 2025 (check-in / feedback ) links are same as above
3. Hispanic Americans, Friday, March 21, 2025
4. Asian Americans - Filipino Community, Friday, March 28, 2025
5. European Americans - Irish Community, Friday April 4, 2025 
6. Diocesan African Communities - Swahili, Francophone, Igbo, Friday April 11, 2025

Please join us for at least one of these!