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Archbishop John affirms again on Racial Justice Sunday 2026 that there is no place for racism

St George’s Cathedral was adorned with colourful flags from around the world, as diaspora from around the world celebrated Racial Justice Sunday.

The Archdiocese of Southwark is a richly diverse community and it is this beautiful diversity that was celebrated at the Mass.

In his homily, Archbishop John said:

Racial Justice is not just for today, it’s for every day. Racial justice is not just someone’s business, it’s everyone’s business. Racial justice applies to every encounter with every person, whatever their colour, background, or circumstances.

Again, we affirm there is no place for racism. Please, say it with me – ‘There is no place for racism.

The “test of a Christian”, Archbishop John said, “is how they love the brother or sister they can see as an expression of the love of God who is unseen”. He added:

The new commandment the Lord Jesus gives is that we love one another; and with that comes the obligation to respect everyone’s human dignity.

If we say we love God, we must also love every other person as a brother or sister. This is not always easy. It demands patience and perseverance. But we cannot tolerate racial prejudice and discrimination. We must overcome it in our society; we must overcome it in our communities; and we must overcome it whenever it wells up in our hearts.

The Racial Justice Sunday Mass was organised by Caritas Southwark, the social action arm of the Archdiocese of Southwark.

Archbishop John Wilson's homily - Racial Justice Sunday 2026

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

In our wonderful Archdiocese of Southwark, Racial Justice Sunday is celebrated with special importance. We are a richly diverse community across our parishes and schools in South London and Kent. We come from many nations of our one world. We bring the richness and beauty of our cultures to life in our communities. We have skin of different colours and speak many languages. As disciples we are one in Christ. As Catholics we are one in the Universal Church. As human beings – whatever our heritage or religion – we are one in the family of humanity. In short, we belong to each other. Each person is a gift with something to offer. We are each created in God’s image and likeness. We are always better united in love and peace than separated by hatred and injustice.

How important it is to remember that no single nation, no single class, and no single political system or ideological campaign, can ever monopolise the Christian Gospel, especially if it contradicts the teaching of Christ.

The test of a Christian is how they love the brother or sister they can see as an expression of the love of God who is unseen. The new commandment the Lord Jesus gives is that we love one another; and with that comes the obligation to respect everyone’s human dignity.

If we say we love God, we must also love every other person as a brother or sister. This is not always easy. It demands patience and perseverance. But we cannot tolerate racial prejudice and discrimination. We must overcome it in our society; we must overcome it in our communities; and we must overcome it whenever it wells up in our hearts. We make this commitment again today: There is no place for racism. Please, say it with me – There is no place for racism.

If anyone claims that, because of a person’s nationality, heritage, or colour, they are somehow less human, and not worthy of respect, it is plainly and simply a lie. It is neither a human truth nor a divine truth. It is a lie; and must be called out as such.

Around 2640 years ago, the prophet Zephaniah preached a message as relevant today as back then. He calls us to seek the Lord and to be free from pride and arrogance. He asks that we put God’s commandments for justice into practice, and that we live in right relationship with God and according to his ways. He tells us to act with humility, recognising that others have gifts to offer and we have things to learn. For Zephaniah, our hope is God’s name, and God’s name is love and mercy. We should, then, refrain from injustice, and not speak lies with a deceitful tongue. And, importantly, nothing should frighten us. It seems to me that Zephaniah offers a charter for living racial justice and for honouring God and each other.

About 700 years after Zephaniah’s preaching, St Paul, writing to the Corinthians, reminds us that God does not choose as we choose. Our choices can so easily be flawed by prejudice and self-interest. God does not choose according to worldly status or power. No, God chooses out of love and calls us to do the same. Choosing out of love means never boasting in ourselves at someone else’s expense, never putting someone else down to make ourselves look better, never promoting any opinion or message that devalues human dignity. We can only boast in the Lord and, therefore, we can only boast in what is loving.

Dear friends, at our celebration of Racial Justice Sunday in 2022, some people were still wearing face masks after the Covid pandemic. As I entered our Cathedral, I saw that people had written messages across their masks. One said ‘Racial justice is everyone’s business.’ Another said ‘We are one in the sight of God.’ And another proclaimed ‘God made me in his image.’ They were so powerful, as if these messages had to be written and worn because they were not being heard. Some words that stick in my mind were on the mask worn by a young black man. He had written ‘I am fearfully and wonderfully made.’ That he felt both the need, and also the confidence, to write that message and wear that mask tells us why we need to be here today.

When the Lord Jesus wanted to teach us about God’s kingdom, he used the beatitudes. He called us to live the blessings of being spiritually poor and in need of God; of finding our comfort in God, even in our sadness; of being gentle and humble; of living a good and moral life; of showing mercy; of cherishing virtue; of making peace; of standing up to be counted for the truth even in the face of opposition. The Lord Jesus embodied these beatitudes himself and is asking us to do the same as we commit ourselves to honour God and honour each other.

Racial Justice is not just for today, it’s for every day. Racial justice is not just someone’s business, it’s everyone’s business. Racial justice applies to every encounter with every person, whatever their colour, background, or circumstances.

Again, we affirm there is no place for racism. Please, say it with me – ‘There is no place for racism.’ Just as no one is excluded from God’s love, no one is excluded from making real the truth that whoever loves God must also love his brother and sister. (1 John 4:21)