Bishop Roy Campbell: “DEI means God”

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9

In these days that are wrought with attacks on human dignity, it is difficult to know how to respond or whether to respond at all. We look to our church leaders to model putting faith into action by speaking truth in love as Jesus taught us to do.

Pax Christi USA affirms Bishop Roy E Campbell, Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, DC and president of the National Black Catholic Congress, for his courage to bring faith to bear in these times through his essay, “DEI means God.” This essay is an excerpt from the original homily Bishop Campbell gave at the Archdiocesan Black Catholic History Mass in February of this year. In his message he creatively and faithfully reminds us that in Latin the word for “God” is translated ‘Dei’ which should call us to reflect that in Christ we are called to love one another (John 13:34–35), to share with those who are poor (Luke 18:22), and to recognize that from many nations God gathers one people (Genesis 35:11).

Bishop Campbell’s essay was published on September 8 on the website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, but was abruptly taken down after severe criticism from conservative Catholic publications; a USCCB spokesperson indicated that it had been posted in error.

“At a time when so many voices are being ignored, it is regrettable that the voice of an active African-American bishop would be silenced,” said Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., Bishop President of Pax Christi USA. “Bishop Campbell was appropriately pointing out the compatibility between diversity, equity and inclusion with our Catholic values. The removal of his essay seems to fall into the pattern of the politically charged reaction against DEI when its affirmation is most needed.”

We invite you to read Bishop Campbell’s essay below, hoping that you will see in it a connection with Catholic Social Teaching and find inspiration to continue to build the beloved community that welcomes all people made in the image of God. (A more detailed version of Bishop Campbell’s original homily was posted here in February 2025 on the website of the Catholic Standard, the Washington archdiocesan newspaper.)

Thank you, Bishop Campbell, for your courage, pastoral imagination, and fidelity to the Gospel. Your vision is an invitation to the whole Church to live more fully into God’s inclusive love.

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DEI means God

Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr.
Archdiocese of Washington DC

“I give you a new commandment: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.  This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” [John 13:34-35]

A great number of us in the United States of America call ourselves “Christians.”  What should that mean? It means we have been called by Jesus Christ to follow Him. Jesus told an official: “There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [Luke 18:22] If we are called to follow Christ, then we are called to act like Christ. This means to follow the example of Christ in loving everyone, regardless of who they are, where they are from, how they look, or what language they speak.

We are not called to hoard places, property, or possessions for ourselves, but to share what we have with one another “without exception.” Our Lord told Jacob: Then God said to him: I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will stem from you, and kings will issue from your loins. [Genesis 35:11] From these many nations, Jesus Christ came to call us back as one flock, one people in Him. This is why Christians are called, as disciples of Christ, to love one another as He loves us.

Yet, the current government administration that we have is working to separate us from one another, not just migrants, but many, especially people of color, who have been denied for far too long, equal opportunities in education, social recognition, and economic growth, truly denying the DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING!

This administration wants to erase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the American conscience.  However, just think about the letters, DEI.

DEI, Dei means God in Latin, and:

God is Diversity: “Then God said to him: I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will stem from you, and kings will issue from your loins.” [Genesis 35:11]

Diversity reaches out to all people, regardless of where one is from or their station in life.

God is Equity: “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. The works of his hands are true and just, reliable all his decrees, Established forever and ever, to be observed with truth and equity. He sent release to his people, decreed his covenant forever; holy and fearsome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who practice it. His praise endures forever.”  [Psalm 111:2, 7-10]

Equity is the truth of the justice of God applied to everyone, regardless of where people are from, with love.

God is Inclusion: And all Israel, resident alien and native alike, with their elders, officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark facing the levitical priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. Half of them were facing Mount Gerizim and half Mount Ebal, just as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had first commanded for the blessing of the people of Israel. Then were read aloud all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, exactly as written in the book of the law. Every single word that Moses had commanded, Joshua read aloud to the entire assembly, including the women and children, and the resident aliens among them.” [Joshua 8:33-35]

Inclusion is living the law of the Lord as one. That law is to love God by the way we love one another.

DEI to me means that God is always working among us and through us for the eternal life of each of us. This is what the Subcommittee for African American Affairs of the Committee on Cultural Diversity is working toward, for Black Americans, in fact, for all Americans.