Archbishop José H. Gomez has joined the Catholic bishops of California in a special presentation of the Stations of the Cross to overcome racism in our hearts and society. The video, subtitled in Spanish and Vietnamese, is available at https://lacatholics.org/ and https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RYc9_QIRgr4?cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=1. Please share this special presentation of the Stations of the Cross with your communities of faith and ministries.
“As we pray today, we recall that our Church and our local community here have been shaped by the faith and the gifts of African Americans from the beginning,” prayed Archbishop Gomez. “So let us ask our Lord today to bring us closer as brothers and sisters, and continue to build the family of God here in California and everywhere in our nation and world.”
Archbishop Gomez introduced the special prayer from St. Odilia parish in South Los Angeles – the first African American Catholic Church established in the west built by African Americans as a beacon of faith, hope and love. The parish, established in 1926, is a hub for social and religious activities in the community. Many African American Catholic families from throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles can trace their family’s Catholic roots back to St. Odilia’s. Anderson Shaw, Director of the Archdiocese’s African American Catholic Center for Evangelization, lead the opening prayer.
Each of the 14 Stations of the Cross – reflecting on the persistent sin of racism as a rejection of the full humanity of the children of God – was led by a bishop of a California Catholic diocese at pertinent locations throughout California. The Sixth Station was prayed at the Fruitvale BART station in the Diocese of Oakland, the scene of a fatal shooting of Oscar Grant III in 2009 by a police officer. The Diocese of San Diego presented the tenth Station of the Cross in central San Diego where the headquarters of the KKK stood in 1920. For additional background on the video and participating diocese, please visit https://www.cacatholic.org/california-bishops-hold-%E2%80%9Cvirtual%E2%80%9D-stations-cross-draw-attention-sin-racism.
Catholic media El Sembrador (ESNE), Fr. Rocky of Relevant Radio, Guadalupe Radio, and Incorrupto Radio will be sharing this special presentation on their platforms.
Links:
LA Catholics Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/lacatholics/posts/3285205444823563?__tn__=-R
Video in English: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RYc9_QIRgr4?cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=1
Video with Spanish subtitles: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RYc9_QIRgr4?cc_lang_pref=es-MX&cc_load_policy=1
Video with Vietnamese subtitles: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RYc9_QIRgr4?cc_lang_pref=vi&cc_load_policy=1
Stations of the Cross guide: https://www.cacatholic.org/sites/default/files/stations-of-the-cross-overcoming-racism.p