Posted on 01/18/2021 7:12:31 PM PST by ebb tide
NEW YORK — On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington wants Americans to recognize the determination, perseverance and contributions of African Americans throughout United States history in spite of the obstacles they faced.
“African American heroes and heroines have an important lesson to offer all Americans because they exhibit a determination and a moral integrity that enriches our nation and perfects the human spirit,” said Gregory.
“These men and women, scientists, artists, sports persons, scholars, and adventurers were invited to pursue greatness in the face of tremendous obstacles. They bore the blunt of rejection because of their race and heritage, yet they did not succumb to the pressures of a hostile society.”
Gregory made the remarks during his homily Saturday at the Archdiocese of Washington’s annual Mass honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which was held at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Washington D.C.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed on the third Monday in January every year to honor the life and legacy of the late civil rights activist. It was signed into law as a federal holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.
It comes at a time this year when people across the country continue to fight for racial justice after the death of George Floyd – an unarmed black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer in May – led to nationwide protests over the summer.
Gregory made history last November when Pope Francis made him the first African American Cardinal, which he called “an affirmation of Black Catholics in the United States, the heritage of faith and fidelity that we represent.”
In his homily Saturday, Gregory also talked about the way King and other civil rights activists “realized their potential in the face of overwhelming odds.”
“They pursued greatness when many people thought that they were not worthy of human respect or dignity. That is the way to greatness in any society among all people,” Gregory continued. “There is no easy recipe. There is only courage and hope. May each of us find enough of these virtues to become the people that the Lord invites us to become the Church and for our world. Dr. King lived the Beatitudes because he knew that was the recipe to greatness.”
Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops honored King in a statement Friday, January 15 – King’s birthday – by calling for unity at a time of division in the country.
Gomez referred to the events of January 6, when hundreds of President Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in protest of the 2020 election. The riots resulted in the deaths of four civilians and a police officer.
“In the spirit of Rev. King, we must meet the forces of hate and ignorance with the power of love. We must learn again the wisdom of the Gospel and love our enemies and bless those who oppose us. In this moment, Rev. King would counsel everyone in public life to seek reconciliation and reject the easy temptation to reprisals and recrimination,” Gomez said.
“We do not love those who oppose us because they are loveable, or even likeable, Rev. King once said. We love them because God loves them. And by our love, we seek their conversion and friendship, not their humiliation. This is our Christian duty in this moment – to be healers and peacemakers, to overcome evil and lies, not by more of the same, but with words of truth and works of love.”
Ping
If the writer of this article, and the Washington Cardinal looked into the background of George Floyd, I doubt they’d find him to be a hero.
The idea that people be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin is heresy to today’s commie fools. Expect Dr. King to be canceled any time now.
The thing that triggered these riots was the MSM reporting of the Floyd demise and spiking the facts behind his condition at the time. Because of that getting those facts out are desperately needed
Why not print this up and pass around in your precinct also send this to Gregory
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The democrat controlled media racist killing reporting was a deliberate miss portraying of the six foot seven inch 200 plus pound Floyd as an innocent black who was being forceably restrained because he was black not because he was resisting arrest.When He was legitimately arrested for passing a counterfeit $20 dollar bill he was resisting arrest and was a threat if not secured. But the media was not mentioning his size or reporting that Floyd was removed from a squad car because he was acting up under the influence of drugs and also later was discovered to have COVID 19. Which suggests his physical condition may have led to his death which the media turned into a murder change and a charge of serious abuse by police because of police efforts that were tried to get him who under control. Check out
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3853159/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3855598/posts Latest post
further confirmation here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3865226/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3850910/posts Floyd on drugs
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3851693/posts (confirm had covid19)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3852373/posts (2 cops were trainees)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3852275/posts#16 neck hold use world wide
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3863889/posts Floyd complained 20 times
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/38723395/posts more facts
This posting has comments that reveals that both the arresting officer and Floyd knew each other and had worked together in bar security
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3851100/posts
If Obama had urged blacks to believe in the justice system and comply with the police would we be confronting his use of creating racial division now ?
The results of politically induced miss reporting incidents where blacks have resisted legitimate arrest began to be used earlier during and after the post Zimmmerman trial, then on to the Ferguson episode. Obama’s abuse of the “Bully Pulpit” which seemed to promote resistance to legitimate arrest led to black gangs attacking non blacks found innocently traversing black neighborhoods and to a score of murders or life changing injuries and later attacks of theft and vandalism on local businesses as well as attacks and murders of police officers during that period
MLK would be sickened of today’s “black” America. Secondly, the Floyd incident had NOTHING to do about his skin color or race.
Apparently, Cardinal Gregory didn’t get the word. The term, ‘African American’ is no longer valid, in fact it’s racist. The unsatisfactory term is too narrow, it fails to honor the long and complex journey toward equality descendants of African slaves have endured. ‘Black’ also fails as woefully inaccurate as the extant range of skin colors far exceeds a single circumscribed hue. No new term is available, a consensus has not been reached.
“Secondly, the Floyd incident had NOTHING to do about his skin color or race.”
Those in the grip of the leftwad pseudo-reality do not care if a thing *is* true. It is enough for them that it *should be* true, according to the para-logic and para-morality that hold up their false reality.
“No new term is available; a consensus has not been reached.”
Doubtless they’re struggling to coin one that’s at least five words long, just to annoy people.
Heroes of the early civil rights movement came in many colors. Many were Jews which, ironically, are reviled by the current crop of self-proclaimed “civil rights” leaders.
I never understood why the term “Negro” is no longer used.
My black and Puerto rican heroes i met in da bronx. Aunt ginnie and uncle Orlando took me in while my mother sought work and was abandoned by my concentration survivor father. Note at 50 his PTSD had come to the forefront. They took me in and raised me while my mother worked to support 3 children. There are great people even in day
I didn’t see the Cardinal in Nam where I met a real Black American hero at a desolate and dangerous mortar site at the base of Chau Phu Mountain, Chau Doc Province.
Piss off, clown!
“Many were Jews”
Most or all of whom were, as today, communists acting as agents of influence for the Ruskies.
With “heroes” like theirs, who needs villains?
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