LCWR Condemns Threats against HBCUs
February 3, 2022
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious deplores the recent spate of threats of violence and attempts to disrupt the vitally important work of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). We denounce this latest demonstration of racial hate and condemn racism in all its forms whether the violent acts of Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists, or the daily acts of hate and discrimination that diminish us all.
We lament the racism that continues to afflict our communities and threaten the values that we hold dear. We pledge to stand with all whose dignity and lives are threatened by hate. We acknowledge our own complicity in the institutional racism that gives rise to hate and we commit to cleanse our hearts and rid our land of this evil. We promise to pray for our country and to continue to use our collective voice and our energy to build God’s beloved community where all can live free from the violence of racism.
Dismantle Racism and White Supremacy
On July 10, 2020, the national board of LCWR unanimously affirmed a call to place the conference on a five-year journey to address systemic racism and white privilege. The call emerged from an open and honest conversation held among leaders of LCWR and the National Black Sisters’ Conference. This work goes to the heart of remembering “who we are and whose we are,” as Servant of God Thea Bowman, FSPA, said, and to our integrity as a conference of religious leaders. It is spiritual in nature, raising existential questions about LCWR and our identity as US women religious, as followers of the way of Jesus who called us “to love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) . . .
The Sisters of Charity, BVM are members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Silver Spring, Md. LCWR is an association of the leaders of Catholic women religious in the United States. LCWR assists its members to collaboratively carry out their service of leadership to further the mission of the Gospel in today’s world. It works with the Catholic Church to influence systemic change, studies issues within the church and society, and utilizes its corporate voice in solidarity with people who experience any form of violence or oppression.