Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Honored at Annual Concert and Mass
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Saturday, Jan. 14 at St. Thomas More parish, a concert and Mass honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was held. Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington, was the principal celebrant. The Archdiocese of Washington Gospel Choir, directed by Lynné Gray, accompanied the liturgy and performed a special musical program before the Mass.
Homilist Fr. Pat Smith encouraged the faithful to imitate and share God’s glory, the way Dr. King acted upon God’s vision. “It was the vision that God gave King that fueled his resolve,” he said. “King believed God would do what God could do. He was confident God would do His part.”
At the Mass, Bishop Dorsonville presented awards to four students for their essays honoring Dr. King. This year, 87 students from 10 local Catholic schools and religious education programs participated in the annual essay contest. The winning students were: first place winner Catalina Scheider Galinanes from St. Bernadette School in Silver Spring; second place winner Grace Stanton from St. Bernadette School in Silver Spring; third place winner JoJo Draddy from St. Bernadette School in Silver Spring; and fourth place winner Malaika Lewis from St. Peter School in Waldorf.
Dr. King remains an inspirational figure for many people throughout the world, including those in the Catholic Church, for his work to end racial injustice and discrimination with non-violence. The concert and Mass were part of the archdiocese’s celebration of National Migration Week, to recognize the richness of cultural diversity and unity of faith, as well as an opportunity to pray for a culture that engages and invites all people.
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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 95 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.
Contact:
Lizzie Wahle
301-853-4516
[email protected]