Leroy Jordan, coordinator for the Black Catholic Ministry for the Springfield diocese, will be the presenter at a Pax Christi meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, in De Porres Center at Sacred Heart Convent, 1237 W. Monroe St. in Springfield.

The meeting will begin with a prayer service followed by Jordan's program on the call for Catholics to work to heal racial division. His presentation precedes the centenary of the 1908 Springfield race riots, which will be observed in programs throughout the community during the coming year.

The Springfield race riots resulted in needless loss of life and instigated advocacy which resulted in the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, according to Pax Christi member Diane Lopez Hughes.

Hughes also noted the position of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in their document Brothers and Sisters to Us: "The structures of our society are subtly racist, for these structures reflect the values which society upholds. They are geared to the success of the majority and the failure of the minority. Members of both groups give unwitting approval by accepting things as they are. Perhaps no single individual is to blame. The sinfulness is often anonymous but nonetheless real. The sin is social in nature in that each of us, in varying degrees, is responsible."

On Dec. 10, Pax Christi will hold its annual Christmas potluck at the same time and location. 

Pax Christi Springfield is an affiliate of Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace organization. The public is welcome to both events.  For more information, call Hughes at (217) 544-3997.