Pax Christi USA response to Archbishop's views on social justice movements

Nov 12th, 2021

Archbishop Jose Gomez

In a speech given to the Congress of Catholics and Public Life in Madrid, Spain, on 4 November, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, characterized today's Catholic movements for social justice, as 'anti-Christian pseudo-religions.'

Responding to these comments Pax Christi USA said:

"We reject this negative and misleading stereotype of movements which we support and with whom we act for justice in solidarity. We are motivated by their very commitment to the values that we believe to be at the heart of the gospel of Jesus and expressed so eloquently in Catholic social teaching.

There are too many mistaken charges and judgements made by the archbishop to address comprehensively, but we want to raise one that we find particularly scandalous. Archbishop Gomez condemns what he calls 'woke' movements that he believes are 'dangerous substitutes for true religion'. His derisive use of the term 'woke' is commonplace among those who feel the power they have traditionally wielded is threatened by those who call for greater justice, equity and social change.

But the concept of 'waking up', of having one's eyes opened to see more clearly what was hidden or ignored should sound familiar to Catholics. To lament 'becoming woke' is to miss the message of the Gospel, the language of Jesus, John the Baptist, the apostles and the early Christian community for whom 'waking up' was a metaphor for an experience of transformation, the Christian concept of conversion, metanoia.

Whether one finds themselves inside or outside the world of institutional religion, the hunger for justice that results from a change of heart and mind and is incarnated in new attitudes and actions is something to be celebrated, not condemned. The language may not always resemble traditional 'church-talk' but the prophetic work of today's social justice movements all across the globe provides a crucial contribution to our ability to 'read the signs of the times'. Like John the Baptist, these prophetic figures are not necessarily found in churches on Sunday, nor do they find favour in the halls of religious power, but their message is as challenging as John's: "Repent, for the reign of heaven has come near" (Matt. 3:2).

We need look no further than Pope Francis for the antidote to the criticism levied by Archbishop Gomez. When the Pope addressed the Fourth World Meeting of Popular Movements in October, his words - directed specifically at young people who are so often the engines of today's movements for social justice - were words of encouragement and praise. He called them 'social poets' because they have 'the ability and the courage to create hope where there appears to be only waste and exclusion.'

Recognizing the importance of listening to the voices of those who live on the peripheries of power and entitlement, Pope Francis told these social justice activists:

'Sisters and brothers, I am convinced that the world can be seen more clearly from the peripheries. We must listen to the peripheries, open the doors to them and allow them to participate. The suffering of the world is better understood alongside those who suffer. In my experience, when people, men and women, have suffered injustice, inequality, abuse of power, deprivations, and xenophobia in their own flesh - in my experience, I can see that they understand much better what others are experiencing and are able to help them realistically to open up paths of hope.'

Where some like Archbishop Gomez have chosen to condemn, Pope Francis chooses to "bless the ones who stay awake" (Rev. 16:15).

"Do you know what comes to mind now when… I think of the Good Samaritan? …The protests over George Floyd," stated Pope Francis. "This movement did not pass by on the other side of the road when it saw the injury to human dignity caused by an abuse of power."

We will always stand with the marginalized, the discounted and those demonized by the powerful. We stand with all our friends in social movements in the U.S. and around the world who live on the peripheries and call out for all of us to awaken to the promise of social justice. We hear in these voices St. Paul who encouraged the Ephesians, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Eph. 5:14).

Signatories:

Pax Christi USA
Franciscan Action Network
Association of U.S. Catholic Priests
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Sisters of Divine Providence
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, LA
U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute Leadership Team
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, PA
Office of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity/Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
International Thomas Merton Society
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee
The Quixote Center
Gospel Nonviolent Working Group, Association of U.S. Catholic Priests
Pax Christi Texas
Saint Susanna Parish (MA)
Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
St. Teresa of Avila Church, Audubon, PA
Good Troublemakers of Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP): Committee on Racial Justice
Pax Christi Baltimore
Pax Christi Lansing (MI)
Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice
Pax Christi Little Rock (AR)
Pax Christi Houston (TX)
Pax Christi Greensburg (PA)
Pax Christi Manasota Chapter (FL)
Pax Christi New Jersey
Pax Christi Harrisburg
Pax Christi Michigan
Pax Christi Memphis
New Wineskins Catholic Worker
Peace and Social Justice Committee, Christ the Servant Parish (IL)
Pax Christi Orange County (CA)
Pax Christi Whatcom (WA)
Pax Christi Australia
St. Rita Catholic Church (CA)
Pax Christi Illinois
Saints Francis & Thérèse Catholic Worker, Worcester, MA
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House, DC
Pax Christi Hilton Head (SC)
Equality for Women in the Church
Pittsburgh Area Pax Christi
Whole Health Outreach
Pax Christi Maine
The Assisi Project
Pax Christi Maryknoll (NY)
Lakeshore Pax Christi (WI)
Pax Christi Western NY
Pax Christi Austin (TX)
Gesu Church Peace & Justice Committee, Detroit, MI
Pax Christi Florida
Kairos Peace Community, NYC
The Interspiritual Empowerment Project
Voices for Racial Justice
Pax Christi Seed Planters (IL)
William & Mary Catholic Campus Ministry Service & Justice Book Club (VA)
Oaxaca
Sadako House Catholic Worker, Norfolk, VA
Hampton Roads Pax Christi (VA)
Pax Christi San Antonio (TX)
Agape Community (MA)
Association of Pittsburgh Priests (PA)
Pax Christi Fremont (CA)
Catholic Racial Justice Collaborative-St. Louis, Mo
Institute for Peace and Justice
Pax Christi MA
St. Susanna Parish Pax Christi (MA)
Marymount School of New York
Greater Springfield Campaign Nonviolence
Pax Christi Pacific Northwest
Pax Christi Will County (IL)
Pax Christi El Paso (TX)