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LOOKING AT THE SOUTH Anthony Bourges, S.V.D. • A promise of better things to come A recently established organization that is doing good work in the field of race relations is the Louisiana Regional Interracial Commission. This group, which held its first meeting in September 19+8, is composed of students from the ' five Catholic institutions of higher learning in Louisiana: Dominican Col- lege, Ursuline College, Loyola University and Xavier University, all in New Orleans, and Sacred Heart College in Grand Coteau. These young people have set for themselves the goal of clearing prejudice from open minds and of promoting better interracial understanding in their communities. Knowing that prejudice and discrimination feed on ignorance and lack of knowledge of the person hated, they have monthly meetings for the purpose of mutual encouragement, discussion of ideals, progress and plans for the furtherance of their aim. For, as their official organ, The Christian Conscience, said in its November 19+8 issue: “Persons who have the most frequent friendly contact with any particular racial or religious group have the least prejudice against that group.” The student members of the Louisiana Regional Interracial Commission have, by their interracial activity, made a great advance for racial justice in our beloved Southland. They are the Catholic fathers and mothers of the future. They are the priests and nuns of the future. They are nowr fitting themselves so to influence their milieu as to bring about the eventual triumph of the Church in this country. And there will be neither colored nor white, neither slave nor free, but all wrill be one in Christ Jesus. This student organization meets every month in a different college. They conduct oratorical contests on the spiritual harm of prejudice. They promoted, on'last March 13th, an Interracial Day at Ursuline College in New Orleans. There was Holy Mass, at wrhich the students from the different colleges attended and received Communion together, followed by a Communion breakfast together. There followed a. meeting in the auditorium with prepared talks, wrhich prompted many questions from the floor. The Archbishop of New Orleans, Most Reverend Francis Joseph Rummel, S.T.D., attended the main session. Addressing the 400 people in the auditorium he said: “You have started a tradition which I hope you keep up.” This first New Orleans Catholic Interracial Day ended with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Near Covington, Louisiana, is situated St. Benedict’s Preparatory Seminary. It trains southern white boys for the southern dioceses of New Orleans, Lafayette, Alexandria and Natchez. Last year one of our colored Fathers from Lafayette was invited to address them about the Apostolate among the Negroes. And for this year they have invited another colored Father, this time from St. Martinville, Louisiana, to
Orphan Train Riders of BSL Document (022)