Bishop Gruss: ‘Now is a time for soul searching regarding our own prejudices and biases’

June 04, 2020

Diocese of Saginaw

SAGINAW - In this week following the tragic death of George Floyd, and amidst a growing divide in our country, Bishop Robert Gruss is calling upon all the Faithful to examine our own hearts, “Now is a time for soul searching regarding our own prejudices and biases.” If we desire to remove the sin and crime of racism from our communities we must begin with “self,” he said.

“Whatever lies in the depth of our hearts will eventually appear in our choices, for good or evil,” Bishop Gruss said. As St. John says: If we say, ‘We are without sin,’ we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [1John 1:8] We can say the same thing about prejudices. They are a part of all of us, though we may never have faced them honestly.

“Many people of color today continue to experience humiliation, indignity, and unequal opportunity only because of their race or the color of their skin. America must not be this way, nor remain this way. Racism unfortunately, for far too long, has been part of the fabric of American culture. The cumulative effects of personal sins of racism have led to social structures of injustice and violence that makes us all accomplices in racism.

“For this to end, we must ‘fight the evil of racism by educating ourselves, reflecting on personal thoughts and actions, listening to those who have been affected by racism, and by developing and supporting programs that help repair the damages caused by racial discrimination.’ We need to educate ourselves and our communities about the value of cultural diversity within our society.

“We must always condemn any and all forms of racism, racial injustice, bigotry, and every form of social or cultural discrimination. Racist acts are sinful because they violate justice. These forms of evil have no place in a “just” society. And a true “just” society will never exist until they are eradicated.

“The peaceful protests we are seeing across our nation reflect the justified frustration and anger of millions of our brothers and sisters who even today find themselves affronted with racist attitudes and behaviors. Legitimate protests should not be exploited by persons who have taken advantage of this situation in order to disrupt and promote their own evil agenda. Burning and looting buildings, destroying the livelihoods of people in their communities, as we have seen across the country, does not advance the cause of racial equality and human dignity. These actions too must be condemned. It could also be seen as its own form of racism.

“Yes, society remains in need of healing. Perhaps in prayer, we ask Jesus to help us to see the ‘tarnished reflection of ourselves’ so that healing may take place in us first. He wants to reveal our true reflection, so that we can see who we really are – someone precious, someone beautiful, someone for whom he was willing to die. If we do not see the true dignity in ourselves, it will always be difficult to see the true dignity in others.

“George Floyd’s life was taken from him in a brutal way with total disregard for his human dignity as created in God’s image and likeness. In death, his life has value as we honor ‘the sacrifice of his life by removing racism and hate from our hearts and renewing our commitment to fulfill our nation’s sacred promise — to be a beloved community of life, liberty, and equality for all.’

“I ask you to join me in praying for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us, the world and all societies, so that the fruits of the Spirit – joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness – may break down evil and violence, destroying the walls of selfishness, intolerance and hatred, thus building a world we have never seen before – the true Kingdom of God.”