About CARJ

History of CARJ

CARJ started in 1984.

The early 80’s saw a great deal of unrest within the general community. We saw rioting and civil unrest. Black and minority ethnic people began speaking up about feeling on the fringe of society. They didn’t feel part of the community and found it was affecting health, education and housing.

Black and Asian Catholics also felt isolated within the Catholic Church. The church was perceived as white euro centric. They felt outsiders in Britain.

Bishops became concerned and anxious at the unrest and decided it was important to look into the problem. They talked to black, Asian and white Catholics to see what could be done. The problems were affecting every aspect of the church – black, Asian and white. The Bishops set up The Catholic Commission for Racial Justice. Its role was to look at how widespread the unease was and issue a report.

The report revealed the Catholic Church in England and Wales could do more to include people from all ethnic groups. It found there was a need for a dedicated organisation to make sure the issues from the report were addressed. This is when CARJ came into being.

CARJ began ‘educating’ within schools, parishes, with Christians and people of other faiths to teach how important it is to have a universal church – so everyone has a role to play.

In 1990 CARJ hosted a 3 day Congress of Black Catholics with around 250 in attendance. Nothing like this had ever been done before. It was a controversial and pioneering venture designed as a voice for black Catholics to say ‘we have a rightful place within the Church.’ It was to look specifically at what the Church could do for black and Asian Catholics, and what black and Asian Catholics could do for the Church.

A report came out of the Congress, raising specific points asking the Church to address immediately. See Charter in PDF format
Or see Charter in Word format

1999 saw the Diocesan Review. The Bishops were asking if the Catholic Church, schools and governing bodies were actually was now all-inclusive. The question was ‘are we now being consciously conscious?’

From 1999 to present day, the Guidelines for the Diocesan Review and Parish Review have been in action. We have been striving towards a culture where people are made to feel welcome whoever they are. We have asked ourselves what we can do to support and empower black and Asian Catholics in roles of service and responsibility at all levels in order to make us a truly inclusive Church.

CARJ facilitates, encourages and empowers others to be involved and included and also to change the culture within the Church.