Racial Justice Sunday- Are we marking it on Sunday 9th Sept?

[VML]

Are we marking it on Sunday 9th Sept? Self explanatory really. I heard it mentioned on R4 Sunday morning, and wondered if Catholic parishes are doing anything.
Thanks,
Veronica

[oopsorganist]

Violet

I was waiting for someone to reply. It's a very good question.

[gwyn]

Cardiff Province Directory has Sunday Sept 9th as Racial Justice Day.

Who's Violet?

[oopsorganist]

Sorry Veronica
I got confused because I was doing something else at the same time. I always think of VML as Violet and there is not good reason why. I apologize.

Yes, it probably is the same in our Diocese because it often is around this time of year. And then there was Sea Sunday. And all that confusion around Harvest Festivals and also Remembrance Sunday. That is tricky too. That was the day a lot of people logged onto the forum the evening before. I was one of them, I had forgotten it was Remembrance Sunday and was wondering if people were doing anything and if so, what? We had a visiting nun last week raising money for Missions. I am going to call it nun Sunday. We've had a couple of those lately.

Seriously though, why do we have this double thing. It makes me confused and that is easily done. We have got "Wise dedication marks the disciple" going on with Racial Justice, and "Counting the Cost" according the the HON index. Is it good or bad to have so much to choose from?

[docmattc]

Its in our diocesan calendar too, pointing out that there's a second collection. I don't know what will happen other than that, I've not picked music which relates to racial justice as the readings don't especially lend themselves to the theme (there's mileage in Onesimus if we say he was of a different race (but any evidence of this?), but not the others). We also have a baptism which adds yet another facet to tomorrow's celebration.

Oops has just made the point that I've been thinking about all week. With so many 'themed' Sundays, just how much should we make of them when they may or may not relate to the readings of the day? Should we choose one or more of the hymns reflect the special theme, preach the homily about it (but this should break the Word we have just heard), or just include one of the Prayers of the Faithful reflecting the theme.

Making too much of the special 'theme', worthy though they are, could break up the rhythm of the calendar even more- A look at our Ordo shows that we have, between now and Advent: Racial Justice Sunday, Home Mission Sunday, World Mission Sunday, Prisoner's Sunday, Remembrance Sunday and Youth Sunday. Added to that in the parish we have harvest next week, and the parish justice and peace Mass in early October. That's 8 of the 12 Sundays left until Advent (just 16 weeks to Christmas folks ) with an additional focus which may or may not tie in with the readings of the day.

Could we use the theme to do something extra during the week rather than shoehorning it all in on the day? For instance, our Anglican Cathedral has a Racial Justice service in the afternoon, may be provide info about a local RJ forum etc. In Prisoners week could we encourage folk to consider prison visiting...

[oopsorganist]

Actually

what I was really thinking was something more along the lines of........is Racial Justice something we only want to consider one day a year. As if inclusion and justice are not core Gospel Values.

I think the idea of it being a theme for the bidding prayers is also tricky because that always makes it distant and routine.

This will be why we do not have harvest as a Liturgical theme, because we are always thankful.

Or is it something that we should be reflecting on .......... how do we combat racial injustice .......

[gwyn]

Oops said

Violet

Ah. That explains it. I thought it might have been the vestment colour for Racial Justice Sunday.

[oopsorganist]

But that was a good service this morning from St. Patrick's Oldham, I caught some of it when I woke up. Very positive.

[VML]

(Sorry, off topic, but the flower on my avatar is not a violet; - it is a veronica, a wild flower picked in my garden and scanned. It was the only thing I could get down to the small enough file size, not having Gwyn's expertise in animated gifs!)

We had no mention of racial justice but a superb homily on today's gospel from our visiting Indian priest who said lots of things that should be repeated often regarding how Jesus promised the hard way of living.
He was scathing about parents who 'perjure themselves' as they promise life long Catholic practice at Baptisms just to get their children into the school.

[pirate]

I heard the R4 service as well this morning; it caused me to lose 'Christ be beside me' as a recessional (which I wasn't entirely happy with) and insert 'For the healing of the nations' to the tune Mannheim (Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us) instead. Tied in reasonably well with the Deacon's homily about discipleship and the reference to RJ Sunday in the intercessions.

Sometimes there is joined-up liturgy even without obvious communication between the ministers - which is how it should be if we all have a bit of background and formation - our various takes on the readings/seasons/extraneous themes etc blend more often than we think!

[oopsorganist]

Yes ours was OK plus we had Liturgical Dancing. I blame Summer School myself.

And Father says we get these Diocesan extra themes because that is when he has to take a second collection. Of course.

On Nun Sunday we collected her over £300 but the other plate went down. Trust father to think in £ signs.

Ah ha, what we need is hymn book Sunday!