Sacred Conversation on Race + ACTION
Sacred Conversations is a journey, commencing during Lent 2024, toward racial healing individually and collectively. This Lent we begin a collaborative project hosted at four parishes spanning all the regions in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Each gathering is comprised of prayer, synod style round table facilitated conversations focused on different aspects of racism, shared stories, and skill building techniques. In between gatherings there is some strongly recommended reading. The process is genuine listening to the Holy Spirit within oneself, and each other at the same time. Over the months, conversations move from the participants experience of race/racism, to reflecting on other participants’ experience, to reflection on racism alluded to in Scripture, to an analysis of structural racism in the local community and most definitely toward ACTION steps for a transformed metro Detroit.
Due to a generous grant from the St. Joseph Province of the Capuchin Franciscans, this season of Sacred Conversations is covered with no cost to participants or parishes. Join us as we embark on an interior journey as well as traveling to each of the four hubs below.
“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” MLK
Register by clicking the button below… More information including locations, dates, and topics below…
Each Session is about 3-4 Hours:
Session 1 Sat, Feb. 17, 10am – 2pm with lunch at Gesu, Detroit
Synodal Conversation on Race/Racism in your life; Theological reflection; Racism 101; Walls of History and Grace (change is possible); form Hub Teams; Lenten Promises – Personal, Congregational, Societal
Session 2 Sat, April 13, 10am – 2pm with lunch at St. Mary of the Hills, Rochester Hills
One-to-one cross racial training
Session 3 Sat, May 18, 10am – 2pm with lunch at St. Blase, Sterling Heights
Guided Conversations – Our Values (Beloved Community) versus the Dominate Narrative; Metro Detroit and “Spatial Racism” and the systems that maintain the racial divide; Commitments for Research; Problem v. Issues; moving to action
Session 4 Sun, June 23, 12:30pm – 4pm with snacks at St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Dearborn
Cutting the Issues; Organize teams to implement objectives; Evaluation, commitment, and celebration
Strongly recommended Readings include (links will be provided to registrants):
Dwell In My Love – Cardinal George Pastoral
Spatial racism creates a visible chasm between the rich and the poor, and between white people and people of color. It marks a society that contradicts both the teachings of the Church and our declared national value of equality of opportunity.
The Church and the Racial Divide – Bishop Edward K. Braxton
Leveling the Praying Field – Ansel Augustine
Undoing the Knots – Maureen O’Connell
Sacred Conversatons on Race + Action is one of the programs from Gamaliel. The mission of the Gamaliel Network is to empower ordinary people to effectively participate in the political, environmental, social and economic decisions affecting their lives.
For more information please contact Steve Wasko, waskosteve@aol.com or Cheryl Liske, OP, cliske_mivoice@yahoo.com