Dear Parishioners:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. meets with St. Pope Paul VI at the Vatican on September 18, 1964
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday Act, proclaiming the third Monday in January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The next year, he declared the third Sunday in January as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The two are still connected today.
Catholic Religious and Clergy march in support of Civil Rights circa 1960s.
On Monday, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day and reflect upon his life and work. His efforts in fighting for racial justice and equality made significant progress in erasing the stain of racism and injustice against African Americans. However, we know we still have work to do in ending the sin of racism. Continuing social unrest, growing tensions, and senseless violence in our communities remind us that we must continue to build the culture of love, respect, and peace to which the Gospel calls us.
The Church's teaching about the sin of racism is grounded in the scriptural understanding of all people's equal dignity, created in God's image and Christ's redemption of all. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: "Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design."
In accepting the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. King stated, "Civilization and violence are antithetical concepts." So while we celebrate his legacy and work against racial injustice, we must also reflect on the work that still needs to continue to establish a civilization of love. Too often we have witnessed people turning to violence to voice their protest. The senseless violence and mayhem we've seen do nothing to advance the cause of justice or serve the common good. Sadly attacks on human life are all too common and acceptable in our nation.
Our Catholic Faith teaches that the injustice and harm racism causes are an attack on human life. The Church has spoken out consistently and vigorously against abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, the death penalty, and other forms of violence that threaten human life. In the U.S. Bishop's Pastoral Letter on Racism, they state: "It is not a secret that these attacks on human life have severely affected people of color, who are disproportionally affected by poverty, targeted for abortion, have less access to healthcare, have the greatest numbers on death row, and are most likely to feel pressure to end their lives when facing serious illness. As bishops, we unequivocally state that racism is a life issue."
We mark a sad legacy of violence against women and children this week. Forty-eight years ago, this Friday, the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States. Friday is also a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. If we are to rid our society of the moral evil of racism and the violence of abortion, we must first begin with prayer. I invite you to join us on Friday as we mark this tragic anniversary with all-day prayer and adoration for the legal protection of the unborn. Just as we must continue to pray and work together to overcome the evil of racism, we must be more committed to promoting more profound respect for human life and dignity, especially for the unborn and the most vulnerable.
We hear many politicians and other leaders rightly condemning the violence all too present in our country. Sadly many of them have failed ever to condemn the violence of abortion. As Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta stated: "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love but to use violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion."
On Monday, we celebrate Dr. King's life and legacy with its significant contribution to our nation for racial justice and equality for African Americans. However, on Friday, we mark the legalization of abortion, a tragic legacy of injustice and violence. More work for overcoming injustice, inequality, and violence is needed. Let's begin with prayers for a culture of life and a civilization of love. Let us take up prayers for peace and love so needed in our world as we voice our petitions for the protection of unborn children.
Stay safe. Be well. Do good. God Bless.
