By Bishop Daniel E. Garcia | OSV News

As a shepherd of the Church, I believe I am called to shed the light of the Gospel upon the issues of our day. As the Church, we bring our unrelenting belief in the sanctity of the human person to the forefront of each challenge that faces our society.

When, as a society, we better enable the participation of people in shared civic and social endeavors, we affirm their participation as an expression of their God-given dignity. In light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais, many Black Americans and other communities of color are deeply concerned about what this moment may mean for the protection of their voices, the fairness of representation and their full participation in our democratic process. These concerns are serious, and they deserve to be heard with respect, moral clarity and pastoral solidarity. I wish to offer a word of hope and the solidarity of the Church in this moment.