May 21, 2025

Dear Friends,

The Interfaith Peace Project continues its ongoing observance of the International Day of Peace (September 21) and International Women’s Day (March 8), by sending out reflections on the eighth and twenty-first of every month. On March 8, Fr. Tom started a 10 part series on the Beloved Community. You will receive a section of the series on the 8th and 21st of each month through July 21, 2025. If you miss a part of the series, you can find it on our blog at interfaithpeaceproject.org. If you have anything that you would like to share, please contact:

Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P
[email protected]
925-787-9279

THE BELOVED COMMUNITY PART 6
EQUALITY, EQUITY, AND EQUANIMITY
Continuing to Observe The International Day of Peace
By Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P. and Susan Batterton

Close to the heart of the Beloved Community is the virtue and practice of equity. Without equity, equality is abstract and, ultimately, unattainable. Equity is the practical, common-sense practice that makes equality a reality in the real lives of so many people oppressed and excluded by institutional and systematic injustices. 

From one perspective, equity is the hub in the triad of equality, equity, and equanimity. As Lara Estaris points out in her YWCA Spokane post of September 26, 2023: “Equity is about achieving fairness by addressing individual needs, while equality focuses on sameness, treating everyone identically. Recognizing and accommodating differences is essential to promoting true fairness.”

Equality

When religious, civic, political, and cultural institutions align with the deepest understanding of what it means to be a human person, equality is recognized as an essential human right. It is frightening to witness any political or religious leader ignore the fundamental right of all human beings – equality.

Every religion and form of government must examine itself to uncover any teaching or practice compromising the equality of each and every person. Racism and sexism, for example, cannot hide behind so-called religious beliefs or unjust laws of the State.

The right, duty, and obligation of every person to the free exercise of their conscience is the heart and soul of equality. This points to the God-given dignity every person ought to enjoy. Equality, then, has two aspects. First, it refers to the dignity of everyone. Second, everyone is entitled to equal opportunity according to their gifts and talents. The Beloved Community cherishes the dignity of everyone in its quest for equality in human society.   

Equity

Equality, however, is a lofty goal without the courage to practice equity. Equity strives to make equality a reality in people’s lives. Equity is not charity. It means justice and fair play.  It is one thing to say an education is key to a successful life. It is quite another to deny the opportunity based on race, ability, orientation, or ethnic background. For example, does it really make sense to have rich and poor school districts in a Nation that says its children are its future?

The enemy of equity is the inherent privilege granted because of race, gender, religion, and national origin to name a few. Privilege is systematic as it enables discrimination, prejudice, and institutional injustices to seem normal.   Equity demands the systematic causes of injustice be recognized and rectified.

Equanimity

Equanimity might be our salvation. Once we can recognize ourselves in others, the possibility of seeing one another as human persons worthy of respect emerges. The practice of equanimity empowers us to experience the world around us with calm composure by which we recognize and identify the injustices afflicting so many. This is not indifference but an empowering serenity inviting us to the depths of our hearts. Conscience invites every person to be empathic. The calm heart beats with love for all. Simply, we recognize our capacity to love others as companions on the road of life.

Pema Chodon lovingly teaches us: “Only with equanimity can we see that everything that comes into our circle has come to teach us what we need to know.” What we need to know empowers us to act justly, boldly, and lovingly.

Blessings to you Beloved Community for being an oasis of peace in these troubled times. Thank you for striving to discover your heart’s ability to love. Thank you for making it possible for others to have a chance to be themselves.