We belong to one another We belong to one another The Committee for Community Relations of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has issued the following statement for Racial Justice Sunday, which this year is on 8 September. Racial Justice Sunday this year will take place on Sunday 8 September. With the agreement of the Bishops Conference, the Catholic community in England and Wales are full participants in this annual ecumenical event. We, therefore, wish to urge all Catholics, in their parishes and schools, to join in the observance of Racial Justice Sunday this year. I wish to join with other church leaders in urging Christians to become fully involved in the spirit of the day and to contribute generously to the appeal for the work of the churches for racial justice.
Racism is an illness that afflicts many societies.
Our own society is not immune to the prejudice, discrimination and disadvantage which is racism. It was, I am equally sure, a significant factor in the causation of the Brixton disorders. Urgent action is needed if it is not to become an endemic, ineradicable disease threatening the very survival of our society. Over recent years, there has also been a worrying increase in racial violence and racial attacks. In May 1994 the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee published a report, Racial Attacks and Harassment, which pointed out that racial incidents reported to the police had increased from 4,383 in 1988, to 6,359 in 1990 and 7,738 in 1992.