St Margaret’s in Carshalton Beeches is the first parish to be recognised by the Archdiocese of Southwark as a “Saint of Southwark” for its work in promoting racial and cultural inclusion.
The Saint of Southwark programme was launched this month to highlights unsung heroes in parishes who put the words of Christ into action. It has been awarded to St Margaret’s because of the parish’s work in promoting racial and cultural inclusion
The parish, transformed with images and statues of saints from different cultural backgrounds and races, as well as depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary with different racial appearance and cultural dress, is led by parish priest Fr Anthony Uche, originally from Nigeria, who said, “The face of the Church must be seen in all we do.”
The Archdiocese of Southwark is the first Catholic diocese in England and Wales to establish a Commission for Promoting Racial and Cultural Inclusion. The commission’s purpose is to support engagement with marginalised communities and promote opportunities for growth in understanding issues of diversity and inclusion.
Canon Victor Darlington, chair of the commission, said: “The Catholic Church has a crucial role to play in speaking out against racism and promoting racial inclusion in our communities.
“Racism is a sin and has no place in our world. As followers of Christ, it is our duty to welcome all people, regardless of race or background, into our Church and show them there is a place for them.
“That’s why the work of St Margaret’s is so important, because when people go to a parish they should not only see white images but also people who look like them. Jesus loves us all and we in turn must love and welcome all.”
Yasmine, a parishioner and member of the racial and cultural diversity group, said, “When I think of racial equality, I think of fairness to everybody regardless of what race they’re from. When you think of what we’re meant to be as Christians, we’re called to love everybody, regardless of race.
“When Jesus came down, that was His whole message. It wasn’t about one particular set of people, it was everyone. If we want to be true followers of Christ you have to realise every single person is important.”
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