Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
The Gloria Purvis PodcastFebruary 22, 2022
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre speaks to members of the media Feb. 8, 2022, at the Archdiocese of Louisville Pastoral Center about his appointment as the fifth archbishop of Louisville. (CNS photo/Ruby Thomas, The Record)

Pope Francis has appointed the Most. Rev. Shelton Fabre as the next archbishop of Louisville, Ky. Archbishop Fabre is one of two Black U.S. Catholics serving as archbishop, along with Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C. He comes to Louisville with years of pastoral experience, first as the auxiliary bishop of New Orleans from 2006 to 2013 and then the bishop of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana from 2013 to 2022.

Gloria Purvis welcomes Archbishop Fabre to the podcast to discuss a range of issues affecting the church and Black Catholics today, most notably the sin of racism. Archbishop Fabre calls this “a watershed moment for our country [and] our church” and encourages those Catholics who don’t know how to have courageous conversations on race to visit their pastor first and share their desires to help and learn.

They also discuss the importance of listening sessions for Black Catholics who are experiencing prophetic anger in response to the evils of racism today. The archbishop believes that both the work of justice and prayer have equal roles to play in the transformation of our society. “Laws have an important role to play in overcoming racism,” Archbishop Fabre says, paraphrasing the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice, “but laws alone will not change the human heart.”

Finally, Gloria and Archbishop Fabre talk about what’s next for the U.S. Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, which the archbishop chairs.

Support “The Gloria Purvis Podcast” by getting a digital subscription to America magazine.

Show Links:

The latest from america

Frank Turnbull, S.J., a longtime editor at 'America' who died earlier this week, is remembered as a humble, quiet and yet forceful presence to those who knew him during his 85 years of life.
James T. KeaneJuly 18, 2025
A Reflection for Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, by Zac Davis
Zac DavisJuly 18, 2025
Trauma-informed spirituality knows better than to promise that prayer will take away all the pain. But it can offer the hope that, even in the midst of pain, there can be moments of feeling whole.
Nicole KirpalaniJuly 18, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telephoned Pope Leo XIV, who urged Israel’s leader to revive negotiations and enact a ceasefire.