New Book by Elkins Park Native Delves Into Her POV of Failure of Catholic Universities Response to Racism

By

maureen o connell 2022 PI
Image via Monica Herndon, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Maureen O’Connell, associate professor of Christian ethics in the department of religion and theology, at La Salle University.

Maureen O’Connell, an Elkins Park native and associate professor of Christian ethics in the department of religion and theology at La Salle University, is exploring what she sees as the long-standing failure of Catholic universities to respond to racism in her new book, Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

O’Connell examines the issue through her own family history, starting from the time when her ancestors arrived in the United States and looking at how their whiteness, wealth, and decision-making benefited their descendants, including her.

The book is the result of years of meticulous research by O’Connell.

“For more than 10 years, my focus has been on thinking about the Christian tradition and the Catholic tradition, in particular, in response to racial inequality and racial inequity in society but also in the church,” she said.

In addition to being a way for O’Connell to understand her family history, the book is also “intended to be an introduction to some of the very basic ways of trying to understand racism,” she added.

Read more about Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness book by Maureen O’Connell, in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Stay Connected, Stay Informed

Subscribe for great stories in your community!

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
MT Yes
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement