Danielle Brown resigns from U.S. bishops' anti-racism group

Danielle M. Brown is out as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ associate director for the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, the latest change in a new-look social justice department for the nation’s episcopate.

Brown, a Michigan-born attorney and former judge who resigned from the USCCB role in January, had served at the conference since 2018.

“I left in part because I had given all that I could and felt called to contribute, discerning ultimately that it was time for a new adventure.,” she told BCM in a statement.

“I am confident that the bishops will remain committed to justice as Jesus envisions it, reconciling the past with the present, ultimately preaching the gospel and calling all to Jesus through this important work.”

Associate Director, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism

Under the direction of the Chairman and Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, and under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Associate Director advances the USCCB mission and the Bishops’ priorities and plans and directs the efforts of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. This work is carried out in collaboration with the Executive Director, Directors and Associate Director of the Secretariat working together as a team with final responsibility, authority and accountability resting with the Executive Director. The Associate Director works in an integrated way with the entire Secretariat for Justice and Peace to collaborate in carrying out the Bishops’ work in support of the dignity of the human person and against the sin of racism. Serves as the lead staff to the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism which seeks to teach about and to witness to the intrinsic dignity of the human person as an antidote to the grave sin of racism. The Ad Hoc Committee explores and implements concrete solutions to address the racism that still pervades our society and our Church today, and works in collaborative ways to strengthen the response of all people to this evil. The Associate Director supports the Ad Hoc Committee in living out its mandate, and helps to promote and implement the bishops’ strategic plan for the Conference. The Associate Director must be a practicing Catholic, registered in a Catholic parish, who embraces, upholds and promotes in every aspect of his/her work the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church. Continuing Responsibilities: 1.Serves as lead staff to the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, in collaboration with and under the supervision of the Executive Director, including: a.Serving as principal staff contact with Bishop-Chair and other Ad Hoc Committee members; b.Planning, coordinating, and staffing regular meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee and of staff; c.Drafting, and coordinating drafting of, correspondence and more substantial documents for the Chair and Ad Hoc Committee; d.Working with staff and Bishops in other Committees and Offices within USCCB on issues relating to racism, including on pastoral and policy matters; e.Participating in work with academic institutions to advance the Bishops’ work to combat racism; f.Participating in communicating the Bishops’ work to combat racism to various audiences outside the Conference (the faithful, general public, secular and Catholic academy, etc.) g.Participating in the ongoing development of Conference strategies to combat racism, and of the methods the Conference will use to implement those strategies 2. Representation/Relationships a. Collaborate with staff of the Secretariat for Justice and Peace, especially the Director of Domestic Justice and Human Development, the Catholic Social Teaching Education Manager, and the Communications Manager for Social Mission, to integrate Church teaching about the dignity of the human person and the sin of racism into the policy, educational and communications work of the Secretariat. b. Maintain and build necessary relationships, represent USCCB, communicate policies and strengthen collaboration with national Catholic organizations and other pastoral, policy and advocacy organizations. c. Collaborate with interfaith and ecumenical groups to advance the Bishops’ work to combat racism; 3. Other Responsibilities a. Participate in and contribute to meetings of the collaborating Departments, Secretariats and offices as appropriate; b. With appropriate consultation, respond to requests from General Secretariat and other USCCB offices as appropriate; c. Undertake other activities as requested to advance the USCCB mission, the Secretariat’s work, and the bishops’ priorities. Level:Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred Language Requirement: (if any)Spanish helpful, but not required Number of Years Required:7-8 years The starting salary for this position is $100,279. This is the amount to be expected when starting in this position. The upper limit for this position is $127,723.

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Brown’s role at the conference in Washington included collaboration with various committees and departments to combat racism, a work that began with the creation of the Ad Hoc group following the deadly 2017 Charlottesville car attack. The committee has been led by Black bishops since its creation and issued the pastoral letter “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love” in 2018.

The group’s work was perhaps most visible early on during the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide racial reckoning after the 2020 police murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. The Ad Hoc Committee’s then-leader, Archbishop Shelton Fabre, was noted for his pointed call for justice and a recognition of the anti-Christian nature of racial prejudice.

Brown, who has played an integral role on the committee during nearly the entirety of its existence, noted that it encouraged bishops in their own reckoning with racism, including pilgrimages to “cultural sites of historical significance” and an exploration of the “theological aspects of reparations.”

“I'm grateful for the great work of the bishops of the Ad Hoc Committee and supporting bishops,” said Brown. “Such efforts can and will deepen insight and inform prayer and ultimately decision making.”

Following the election of Archbishop Timothy Broglio as USCCB president in 2022, Fabre was succeeded as Ad Hoc Committee chairman by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago. Perry is best known for supporting the Traditional Latin Mass and for his work on the sainthood cause of Venerable Augustus Tolton.

Perry retired as a bishop in September 2023, but was granted special permission by the conference to continue as the Ad Hoc Committee chairman for two years. He is joined on the committee by bishops from various ideological perspectives, including Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., Archbishop Emeritus of Boston; Archbishop Fabre of Louisville; Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco; Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and several others.

Last summer, the USCCB’s Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development—in which the Ad Hoc Committee is housed—announced major staff layoffs following the resignation of longtime Catholic Campaign for Human Development director Ralph McCloud, the highest-ranking African-American layperson in the Church.

The sudden restructuring—which reportedly resulted from financial challenges and was widely condemned by Catholic advocates—included a rebrand as the Secretariat of Justice and Peace.

Brown did not mention the department changes in her statement shared with BCM this month, and the USCCB did not respond to a request for comment on her departure.

As of Monday evening, the conference had not publicly acknowledged Brown’s resignation, though they have posted the associate director position on their hiring website.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.