A painting of George Floyd on a business in south Minneapolis. MARIA WIERING | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Minnesota’s Catholic bishops state commitment to eradicating structures of sin, racism

After a three-week trial, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts April 20 in the May 2020 death of George Floyd.

Derek Chauvin

The incident, captured on a bystanders’ video that went viral, sparked protests and riots across the Twin Cities, the nation and parts of the world. Chauvin, who is white, was found guilty by a jury that deliberated for more than 10 hours over two days of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Floyd, an African American.

Just prior to the verdict being read, Minnesota’s Catholic bishops released a statement with their commitment — no matter the jury decided — “to providing long-term leadership in eradicating structures of sin and racism in Minnesota and beyond.”

“The Catholic Church in Minnesota invites all people of faith to come together to speak with one another in a civil and charitable manner. Let us pray with one another and for one another. Let us respect one another as children of God, created in his image,” the statement said.

“There are no victims and no oppressors in the Kingdom of God,” the statement concluded. “For our children’s sake, let us embrace our true identity, without waiting another day.”

Floyd, who died while being arrested when a store clerk accused him of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill, had been held to the ground for more than nine minutes by Chauvin and several other police officers. He repeatedly told the officers that he could not breathe. Chauvin’s defense attorney pointed to Floyd’s drug use and health issues as possibly contributing to his death.