Good and gracious God, who loves and delights in all people, we stand in awe
before You, knowing that the spark of life within each person on earth is the
spark of your divine life.
Differences among cultures and races are all unique manifestations of Your light.
May our hearts and minds be open to celebrate similarities and differences among
our sisters and brothers. We place our hopes for racial harmony in You, our
loving God. Amen.
Human creation by God “in God’s own image” confers upon every human person
an eminent dignity; it also postulates the fundamental equality of all human
beings. For the Church, this equality, which is rooted in being, acquires the
dimension of an altogether special brotherhood and sisterhood through the
Incarnation of the Son of God . . . In the Redemption effected by Jesus Christ
the Church sees a further basis of the rights and duties of the human person.
Hence every form of discrimination based on race . . . is absolutely
unacceptable.
Pope John Paul II to the UN Special Committee against Apartheid, July 7,
1984.
•Determine as a group
which “ism” is the most
prevalent, and which is
the most harmful.
Important terms for discussion:
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Equality: The state of being equal. No person counts
more than any other regardless of social status
Tolerance: Respect acceptance and appreciation of
the rich diversity of humanity
Intolerance: A lack of respect for the practices and
beliefs of others. It is the basis for racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and discrimination in general
Xenophobia: Literally, Fear of Strangers; hostility
towards people who are different than you.
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
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Anti-Semitism: prejudice against Jewish people.
Fascism: A violent reactionary right-wing political
movement that includes an openly terrorist
dictatorship and builds a strong nationalism that
often turns to racism.
Nazism: the ideology of German fascists from
1933-1945. The word is short for NationalSocialism. Persecuted groups: Jews, gypsies,
homosexuals, and communists. Modern Nazi idealists
are called Neo-Nazi.


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Homophobia: The fear and hatred of homosexuals
Nationalism: A political ideology that puts the
interests of one nation above another. (This is not
necessarily negative but can be dangerous)
Patriotism: an ideology wherein one is proud of
their national identity (again, not negative but
potentially dangerous)


Internationalism: A system of beliefs wherein human
life and human rights are seen as more important
than nationality.
Integration: The process of unifying individuals and
activities into a new system without preference for
any particular group.