Pope Paul VI and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a meeting at the Vatican in September 1964. (AP/Vatican Media)
On Monday, Jan. 19, the nation will commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day — on and around which Black Catholic events can be found in good measure across the country. Below, you will find a listing of such events, both in-person and virtual.
(This list may not be exhaustive. You can contact your local diocese, Black Catholic office, or a Black parish in your area for more info. We will be updating this page and the BCM calendar as more events are announced.)
National
— 1/19 (virtual): MLK Health Equity Symposium with Trinity Health.
Albany
— 2/10: MLK and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series at Siena College’s Sarazen Student Union Maloney Great Room. with Dr. Stella Safo.
Arlington
— 1/18: MLK Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Bishop Michael Burbidge. Reception to follow.
Atlanta
— 1/17: MLK Mass at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur with Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv. and homilist Auxiliary Bishop John-Nhan Tran..
— 1/18: MLK youth celebration at St. Mary’s Academy in Fayetteville with Auxiliary Bishop Bernard Shlesinger III.
Austin
— 1/17: MLK commemoration at St. Austin Catholic Church with keynote speaker Fr Bruce Nieli CSP. Reception to follow.
Baltimore
— 1/19: MLK prayer service and peace walk at St. Bernardine Catholic Church with guest speaker Taylor Branch, Archbishop William Lori, and Msgr. Richard Bozzelli.
— 1/19: MLK breakfast and prayer celebration at St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Campus Center Great Room with keynote speaker Tanya Hughes.
— 1/26: MLK convocation at Loyola University Maryland’s McGuire Hall with Dr. Carla Hayden.
Baton Rouge
— 1/19: MLK Mass and breakfast at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Beaumont
— 1/17: MLK Mass at St. Anthony Cathedral with Bishop David Toups. Reception to follow.
Biloxi
— 1/12: MLK interfaith celebration at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hattiesburg. Unity march, wreath presentation, and program to follow at various locations.
Birmingham
— 1/10: MLK prayer breakfast at the Cathedral of St. Paul Life Center with Fr Kareem Smith.
Bismarck
— 1/19: MLK event at the University of Mary’s Starion Bank Living Room with reflection speaker Damon Owens.
Boston
— 1/19: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church with keynote speaker Meyer Chambers.
Brooklyn
— 1/18: MLK Masses at St. Bonaventure and St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Churches in Jamaica Queens.
— 1/19: MLK Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Flatlands.
Buffalo
— 1/18: MLK Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Bishop Michael W. Fisher and homilist Fr Carl Gales, SVD.
Burlington
— 1/19: MLK events at Saint Michael’s College’s.
Camden
— 1/12-19: MLK blood drives at various locations.
Chicago
— 1/15 (hybrid): MLK celebration at the Lutheran School of Theology Chapel with panelist Catholic Theological Union president Fr Enzo Del Brocco, CP. Reception to follow.
— 1/18: MLK speaker series at St. Sabina Catholic Church with Rev. Traci Blackmon.
— 1/18: MLK Mass at Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church with homilist Fr Ken Hamilton, SVD.
— 1/19: MLK day of service with Loyola University Chicago at various locations.
— 1/19: MLK events with Benedictine University in Lisle, including the DuPage County MLK Unity Breakfast at Dry Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, followed by an on-campus Mass and luncheon with a virtual presentation from Nate Tinner-Williams.
Cincinnati
— 1/19: Keep the Dream Alive Awards at the Church of the Resurrection with keynote speaker Rep. Greg Landman.
— 1/17-22: MLK Week events at Xavier University.
— 1/20: MLK Day events at Mount St. Joseph University.
Cleveland
— 1/16: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost and homilist Fr Kareem Smith.
Dallas
— 1/10: MLK celebration at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
Davenport
— 1/18: MLK citywide celebration at St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church in Ottumwa with keynote speaker Rachelle Chase.
Detroit
— 1/17: MLK service day at various locations. Meet at Sacred Heart Activities Building. Prayer service and presentation to follow.
— 1/19: MLK Mass for Justice and Peace at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament with Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.
Dubuque
— 1/20: MLK breakfast at Mount Mercy University’s Betty Cherry Heritage Hall with Rev. Dr. Michael Blackwell.
Fort Wayne South Bend
— 1/24-31: Walk the Walk Week at the University of Notre Dame.
Fort Worth
— 1/24: MLK Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral with Bishop Michael F. Olson and homilist Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Perry of Chicago.
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Galveston-Houston
— 1/18: MLK Mass of Remembrance at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston..
Indianapolis
— 1/19 (virtual): Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic women’s prayer group reflecting on MLK’s “I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
Jackson
— 1/17: MLK celebration at St. Peter Cathedral with the Xavier University of Louisiana choir and Sr Thea Bowman Choir and guest speaker Dr. William Jemison.
La Crosse
— 1/19: MLK Day of Service, Learning, and Celebration events at Viterbo University.
Lafayette
— 1/19: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Edward Catholic Church in New Iberia with the Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and guest speaker Dr. Phebe Hayes.
— 1/16: MLK Mass and awards celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Bishop Douglas Deshotel.
Lansing
— 1/18: MLK dinner and Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Ann Arbor.
Little Rock
— 1/10: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew with Bishop Anthony B. Taylor.
Los Angeles
— 1/17: MLK prayer breakfast at Proud Bird Restaurant with guest speaker Dr. Ansel Augustine and Drum Major Award winner Oscar Pratt Sr. Tickets $75.
— 1/18: “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy for Future Generations” event at Loyola Marymount University’s Life Sciences Building Auditorium with panelists Dr. Ansel Augustine, Donovan Blount, Todd Hawkins, and Eddie Hilley.
— 1/19 (hybrid): MLK Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with Archbishop José H. Gómez.
Memphis
— 1/19: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with Bishop David P. Talley.
Milwaukee
— 1/17 (hybrid): MLK memorial prayer service at All Saints Catholic Church with Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and keynote speaker Vevette Hill-Nwagbaraocha.
— 1/20: MLK day of service with Marquette University’s Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility at the Alumni Memorial Union.
New Orleans
— 1/18: MLK Mass and celebration at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with keynote speaker Dr. Leona Tate.
— 1/19: MLK day of service, meeting at the CYO Building on Mendez Street.
— 1/20: MLK interfaith celebration at the Loyola University New Orleans’ Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola with keynote speaker Cherrell Simms Taplin.
Newark
— 1/16: MLK keynote lecture at Seton Hall’s University Center Event Room with Dr. Khyati Y. Joshi.
— 1/19: MLK symposium and workshop at Seton Hall University’s Bethany Hall Room A.
New York
— 1/17: MLK interfaith service at St. Aloysius Catholic Church with keynote speaker Tusef Salaam and community spiritual leaders in Harlem.
— 1/18: MLK Mass at Church of the Holy Rosary-Nativity of Our Blessed Lady. Reception to follow.
— 1/19: MLK March for Justice at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Highland Falls. Program and reception to follow.
Oakland
— 1/19: MLK mass and prayer breakfast at St. Benedict Catholic Church.
Pensacola-Tallahassee
— 1/18: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola with Bishop William Wack, CSC. Reception to follow.
Philadelphia
— 1/18: MLK interfaith prayer service at St. Malachy Catholic Church.
— 1/18-23: MLK week events at Villanova University.
Phoenix
— 1/17: MLK Mass, awards, and prayer breakfast at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Cardinal Wilton Gregory and Bishop John P. Dolan.
Pittsburgh
— 1/19-21: MLK events at Duquesne University.
Providence
— 1/21: MLK remembrance luncheon at Providence University’s Slavin Center.
— 1/25-30: MLK week events at Salve Regina University in Newport.
Raleigh
— 1/19: MLK Mass at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral with Fr Michael Burbeck and homilist Fr Kareem Smith.
Rochester
— 1/15: MLK celebration at St. Marianne Cope Catholic Church in Henrietta.
Rockville Centre
— 1/19: MLK day of service and events at Molloy University.
San Diego
— 1/18: MLK Mass at St. Rita Catholic Church with Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido and homilist Dcn Marvin Threatt.
San Francisco
— 1/13: MLK noontime concert at Old St. Mary's Cathedral with pianist Carl Blake, guest musicians, and narrator Dr. Aaron Grizzell.
— 1/19: MLK multifaith day of service at various locations, including St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in San Mateo.
Santa Fe
— 1/19: MLK celebration at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Rio Rancho with guest speaker DeMark Liggins. $40 per seat.
Scranton
— 1/19-23: MLK Week events at Misericordia University in Dallas.
Seattle
— 1/19: MLK Mass at Seattle University’s St. Ignatius Chapel with keynote speaker Sharon Spence-Wilcox.
Spokane
— 1/18-23: MLK Week events at Gonzaga University.
St. Augustine
— 1/19: MLK silent march at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church. Program and concert to follow.
St. Louis
— 1/18: MLK Peace and Justice Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski.
Washington
— 1/18: MLK Mass at the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in Rockville, Maryland, with Cardinal Robert W. McElroy.
— 1/18: MLK day of service with the Catholic University of America, meeting at the Pryzbyla Center Great Rooms.
— 1/19: “Let Freedom Ring” celebration at the Howard Theatre with Common and Georgetown University.
Worcester
— 1/19: MLK community breakfast at Assumption University’s Plourde Recreation Center with Quinsigamund Community College and keynote speaker Dr. Jennifer Davis Carey.
This story was first published in the Black Catholic Messenger.
