Embrace and promote the culture of life

Rising out of a tragic past
As we approach the conclusion of Black History Month, it is opportune to acknowledge with great respect the hardships, accomplishments and contributions which Black Americans have demonstrated as part of the legacy of this great nation. In every sphere of contemporary society, Black Americans have become immersed in the betterment of all people, but most particularly disadvantaged minorities. An appreciation for Black History instills a valuable lesson in the strength of the human spirit imbued with the virtue of hope, for we must recall that part of Black History is the disconcerting chronicle of slavery. The memory of slavery remains an evil which troubles the collective conscience of our nation. But, rising out of that tragic past, Black Americans have offered to everyone an example of hope, of perseverance and of courage.
During my tenure as Archbishop of St. Louis, I became reacquainted with the Dred Scott Petition. The formal petitions of Dred and Harriet Scott, filed at the St. Louis Courthouse in April 1846, sought freedom from slavery and damages from their owner in the amount of $10. Although a St. Louis Circuit Court jury concurred with the petitions of Dred and Harriet Scott in 1850, the Missouri Supreme Court reversed the verdict two years later. On March 6, 1857, the United States Supreme Court followed with its declaration that slaves had no standing to seek redress in court.
Perhaps it is baffling for us in the 21st century to consider this type of treatment of human beings who were regarded as mere property without rights. Yet the institution of slavery flourished in America for several centuries. Thousands of people, under the burdens of taskmasters, knew great suffering. But they never abandoned hope. Dred and Harriet Scott eventually obtained their freedom, but only when their new owner freed them in 1857. Dred Scott died a free man in 1858. The example of the perseverance and hope of Dred and Harriet Scott, as well as countless others who were in the bondage of slavery is an inspiration.

The shackles of racism
Even though slavery ended with the Emancipation Proclamation, genuine freedom had yet to be fully realized. History recounts in painful detail the hardships faced by Black Americans as a result of discrimination and segregation. These evil fruits of racism kept numerous families and individuals shackled in poverty, oppression and fear. Nevertheless, the dauntless spirit of hope buoyed our African American brothers and sisters to strive for recognition, equality and the rights which every citizen in the United States is blessed to enjoy. One cannot forget the efforts and sacrifice of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and all those who were involved in the civil rights movement. Years later, their efforts continue to inspire harmony and justice among all people.
It was my privilege to welcome Pope John Paul II when he visited the city of St. Louis in January, 1999. I vividly recall the words of our Holy Father to the people of St. Louis and, indeed, to every citizen of the United States: “As the new millennium approaches, there remains another great challenge facing … the whole country: to put an end to every form of racism, a plague which your Bishops have called one of the most persistent and destructive evils in the nation.” This call of our Holy Father reminds all of us that we must see one another as brothers and sisters. Then will we begin to reverse the fear and mistrust which hinder our endeavors toward the building of a just society rooted in harmony and peace.

The Church in Africa
The consideration of Black History Month is incomplete if we fail to consider the witness of the Church in Africa. From ancient times to our own day, the Church in Africa has provided a steady and glorious beacon of faith, the influence of which continues to give encouragement and hope to every member of the Church. This continent through two millennia gave the Church valiant martyrs, brilliant theologians and scholars, as well as heroic men and women who fled the world to embrace ascetic life in the desert. The words of Pope Paul VI in his homily on the occasion of the 1964 canonization of the Ugandan Martyrs demonstrate the significance of the witness of these great saints: “Who could have predicted to the famous confessors and martyrs such as Cyprian, Felicity, Perpetua and — the greatest of all — Augustine, that we would one day add names so dear to us as Charles Lwanga and Matthias Mulumba Kalemba and their twenty companions … ? These African martyrs herald the dawn of a new age. If only the mind of man might be directed not toward persecutions and religious conflicts but toward a rebirth of Christianity and civilization” (Liturgy of the Hours, June 3).
Pope John Paul II, in his 1996 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Ecclesia in Africa, echoes God’s message of mercy and hope: “On account of many difficulties, crises and conflicts which bring about so much suffering and misery on the continent, some Africans are at times tempted to think that the Lord has abandoned them, that He has forgotten them (cf. Is 49:14)!” And God answers with the words of the great prophet: “Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget a child, I will never forget you. I have written your names on the palms of my hands” (Is 49: 15-16). Yes, on the palms of Christ, pierced by the nails of the crucifixion. The names of each one of you [Africans] is written on those palms” (no. 143). In the face of so much suffering which the African peoples continue to endure, such as the plague of AIDS, the harsh conditions of poverty and famine, as well as volatile and violent situations such as in Sudan, our brothers and sisters in Africa need the solicitude of every member of the Church. We need to assure them of our solidarity with them.
The season of Lent invites us to a sacred introspection, an examination of our minds and hearts which enables us to see ourselves as God sees us. In a particular way, we are called to conversion, a renewed vision, an all encompassing charity. Our reflections on Black History Month provide an opportunity for us to strive to root out racism from wherever it may be found.