How do you build relationships between cultures that have traditionally been opposed to each other? Fr. Peter Banks “walks between the raindrops” to integrate his Latino and Black parish in Watts.

The LA Times has this story about Fr. Banks, an Irish transplant to the US, who has been working to integrate his parish in Watts which is made up of two communities that have a history of not trusting each other. As the story points out, it hasn’t been easy and it hasn’t happened quickly. But it is happening.

From what I can tell, he’s doing his best to introduce each culture to the other, incorporating customs from each culture into the community while at the same time reminding everyone that we all “have the same heart.”

Typically, change doesn’t happen overnight, hence the saying “festina lente” (make haste slowly). But I do think that these types of changes will probably be lasting changes which will make things better for everyone. And it’s fantastic to see the Church as the instrument that is bringing about the necessary changes.