Southwark: Seminar to promote racial and cultural inclusion

Archbishop John Wilson & Canon Victor Darlington with young people from Archdiocese of Southwark

The Archdiocese of Southwark has announced a day seminar designed to advance its commitment to promote racial and cultural inclusion across the archdiocese.

Welcoming the seminar, Most Reverend John Wilson, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark, said: "Discrimination tragically continues to cast an ugly shadow, not just overseas but also on our own doorstep. There is no place for racism in our world, our society or our Church because the fundamental, God-given dignity of every person is non-negotiable".

The Seminar, entitled 'Promoting Racial and Cultural Inclusion in Our Parishes, Schools and Communities', will be held at Amigo Hall, St George's Cathedral, Southwark, from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturday 28 October 2023.

The Chair of the seminar will be Canon Victor Darlington, Episcopal Vicar for Southeast London, who coordinates the Archdiocese's Commission for Promoting Racial and Cultural Inclusion. He reminds that: "Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has emphasised that racism is a grievous sin and that opposing it is a duty of every Christian. The Archdiocese's Commission for Promoting Racial and Cultural Inclusion is working with energy and commitment to ensure that we are an actively anti-racist and welcoming diocese. The Church has a vital role to play in speaking out against racism. As people of faith, we must ensure that the light of Christ shines out from within us as we work to build an equal society.

On the day there will be a range of speakers including the Most Reverend John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark; Fr Richard Nesbitt, Parish Priest, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, White City; Susan Elderfield, Lead for Youth Ministry, St Mary's University, Twickenham; Nana Churcher, author of 'The Power of Your Words'; and Andrea Fernandes, Co-Chair of the Racial and Cultural Inclusion Group, St Margaret of Scotland Parish, Carshalton.

Archbishop John Wilson noted: "The racial and cultural diversity of people in the parishes and schools of our Archdiocese is an immense and beautiful blessing. It is by the power of God that we are one in Christ in all our beautiful diversity. This seminar is an opportunity to celebrate our diversity and to explore ways of embedding racial and cultural inclusion in every part of our Archdiocese."

Canon Victor Darlington said: "Every Catholic parish and school must aim to be a model of racial and cultural inclusion. This seminar will help to promote that objective. It will enable us to learn from the experience of people across our Archdiocese, both those who have suffered from racism and discrimination and those who are working to eliminate it. The emphasis of the seminar will be a strongly positive one as we explore and build on successful initiatives to promote inclusion in parishes and schools."

To register for the free seminar, see: https://forms.office.com/e/1G3DvS124W

For further information please contact: racialjusticecommission@rcaos.org.uk