While Hispanic Americans have not endured slavery,

society that contradicts both the teachings of the Church

they too have been a conquered people and systematically

and our declared national value of equality of opportunity.

excluded from the mainstream American society because

Orfield and William Julius Wilson have noted the

of prejudice, racism, and segregation. 

economic inequities that result from this form of racism:

For Catholics, however, the stability of our parish

lack of decent affordable housing; withdrawal of home

institutions, the fact that Catholic parishes typically serve

mortgage funds; public schools with inadequate staff,

the people within a given territory and not a self chosen

faculty, physical quarters and supplies; decaying

congregation, offers unusual opportunities. Despite

infrastructure; lack of capital investment for business and

economic problems, the Archdiocese has tried to maintain

commerce; little or no opportunities for jobs near home

a Catholic presence in urban neighborhoods populated by

and insufficient public transit to jobs in the suburbs.

African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and people with

The spatial racism of our society creates a similar

roots in various European countries. Through the Parish

pattern in the Church. Geographically based parishes

Sharing Program, some Catholic parishes in affluent areas

reflect the racial and cultural segregation patterns of

have formed partnerships with parishes serving poor

neighborhoods and towns.

neighborhoods. This sharing springs from the conviction

born of faith that we are many parts of the one Body of

INSTITUTIONAL RACISM

Christ, which is the Church.

Racism also finds institutional form. Patterns of social and

As the answer to the question,  Where are you from? 

racial superiority continue as long as no one asks why they

becomes more complicated, we should realize that the

should be taken for granted. People who assume,

future of race relations in Chicago and its surrounding

consciously or unconsciously, that white people are

communities is tied to how willing we are as Catholics to

superior create and sustain institutions that privilege

live and worship in parishes that are diverse communities

people like themselves and habitually ignore the

of faith, anchoring neighborhoods where all people can

contributions of other peoples and cultures. This  white

live together as members of the one human family.

privilege  often goes undetected because it has become

internalized and integrated as part of one's outlook on the

FOUR TYPES OF RACISM: SPATIAL,

world by custom, habit and tradition. It can be seen in

INSTITUTIONAL, INTERNALIZED AND

most of our institutions: judicial and political systems,

INDIVIDUAL

social clubs, associations, hospitals, universities, labor

The face of racism looks different today than it did thirty

unions, small and large businesses, major corporations,

years ago. Overt racism is easily condemned, but the sin is

the professions, sports teams and in the arts. In the

often with us in more subtle forms. In examining patterns

Church as well,   all too often in the very places where

of racism today, four forms of racism merit particular

blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asians are

attention: spatial racism, institutional racism, internalized

numerous, the Church's officials and representatives, both

racism and individual racism.

clerical and laity, are predominantly white. 

Sometimes, with a genuine desire to be more inclusive,

SPATIAL RACISM

one or two black, Hispanic, Asian or Native Americans

Spatial racism refers to patterns of metropolitan

are asked to fill leadership positions in order to change the

development in which some affluent whites create racially

internal culture of an institution. But the racist

and economically segregated suburbs or gentrified areas of

disposition of the institution can remain largely unaltered

cities, leaving the poor mainly African Americans,

when the non whites do not acquire full participatory

Hispanics and some newly arrived immigrants isolated

rights. Without rising to levels of influence that can

in deteriorating areas of the cities and older suburbs.

change the entrenched attitudes, approaches and goals of

Myron Orfield, the Leadership Council for

the institution, they live with and even have to preside

Metropolitan Open Communities, and other experts have

over policies, procedures and regulations that leave the

documented the devastating impact of massive economic

institution in a basically racist mode. Often, when these

disparities between communities and of isolating people

select few people of color exhibit qualities of morality,

geographically according to race, religion and class. These

intelligence and skills, which contradict the low

disparities undermine the regional economy and the

expectations of the racial stereotypes applied to their

moral basis of the metropolitan area. Spatial racism creates

cultural groups, they are viewed as  exceptional

a visible chasm between the rich and the poor, and

anomalies.  

between white people and people of color. It marks a

Indifference to rates of violence against the lives of

38

DENOUNCING RACISM