The St. Thomas More Racial Equity Initiative was created as an initiative from the Pastoral Council in Summer 2020. 

Mission: To heighten awareness and sensitivity of racism by providing educational programming for our parish community to promote a culture of equity and inclusion.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Juneteenth Prayer Service & Freedom Celebration:

Mark your calendars and join us for our Juneteenth Prayer Service & Celebration of Freedom! 

When: Monday, June 17th at 6:30 PM 
Where: St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Coralville

Come together for a special prayer service honoring Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. Let's reflect on our journey towards justice, equality, and freedom for all.

Following the service, join us for fellowship and an ice cream social to conclude the event. It's a time for community, unity, and celebration of the strides we've made and the work still ahead.

Don't miss this meaningful evening. All are welcome!

Events:

The Racial Equity Initiative has many opportunities for parishioners to get involved and learn about racism and how to respond with our Catholic Faith.

Stations of the Cross: Overcoming Racism Event

This version of Stations of the Cross focuses on overcoming racism that can help you, your family, and community reflect prayerfully on the pastoral letter against racism, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love. 

“Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love” Five Week Study

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) created a pastoral letter against racism in 2018, called Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love. In the letter, the bishops invite all people of faith to conversion. We are called to open our minds and hearts to Christ’s love for all people and to the experiences of those who have been harmed by the evil of racism.

Weekly the group will use the study guide created by USCCB to pray, listen, study, reflect, and respond to difficult questions related to our faith and racial equity.

Interested individuals can email Terry Conner - tdervrich@gmail.com

Book Studies, led by Kim & Tom Novak

Interested individuals can eamil Kim Novak - kimberly.a.novak@outlook.com

Book studies in the past have met bi-weekly and discussed “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson & “White Catholic’s Guide to Racism & Privilege” by Daniel Horan 

Resources & Involvement 

Take a look at our collaborative list of Anti-Racist Resources in many forms.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hANst_lM5xBX6B3L52_c5aetCVz24KGwd2FnR07B9pc/edit?usp=sharing

If you’d like to add something to this spreadsheet, please email Karen below

To learn more, or get involved on the leadership team, please email Karen Grajczyk-Haddad at KGrajczyk@gmail.com