The U.S.-based branch of the Jesuits has unveiled ambitious plans for a “truth and reconciliation” initiative in partnership with descendants of people once enslaved by the Roman Catholic order.
Jesuits pledge $100 million for descendants of people the Catholic order once enslaved
Maryland Jesuits in 1838 sold 272 people to plantation owners in Louisiana to pay Georgetown University s debts.
By Marisa IatiThe Washington Post
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Photographs of descendants of enslaved people who were sold by Georgetown University and the Maryland Jesuits to southern Louisiana in 1838. Claire Vail/American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society via AP
WASHINGTON One of the Catholic Church’s most well-known religious orders has pledged $100 million for the descendants of hundreds of enslaved people they once profited from – a significant move toward atoning for its slavery as the United States continues to reckon with its past.
Jesuits in US pledge $100M for racial reconciliation
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The U.S.-based branch of the Jesuits has unveiled ambitious plans for a “truth and reconciliation” initiative in partnership with descendants of people once enslaved by the Roman Catholic order. The Jesuits pledge to raise $100 million within five years with a broader goal of reaching $1 billion from an array of donors in pursuit of racial justice and racial healing.
Even the smaller amount represents the largest financial pledge thus far from a U.S. religious institution, as a variety of them nationwide seek to make amends for their past involvement in slavery and racial oppression.
Title: Victor Trammell for Your Black World | Photo credits: Jaclyn Lippelmann for the Catholic Standard
Administrators of the U.S. Jesuit Conference of Priests (USJCP) just announced they will attempt to raise $100 million dollars to benefit the descendants of enslaved Black people.
During the days of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Black Africans were bought and sold–under the direct command of the Roman Catholic order. This new USJCP initiative is an attempt to foster racial reconciliation and atone for Catholic participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade,
The priests co-established a foundation called the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation. This organization represents the descendants of both those who were enslaved, as well as those who had enslaved them and supported by JP Morgan Chase, according to a statement released Monday.
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