USCCB: statement for 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s March on Washington

August 14, 2013

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church has issued a statement for the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famed “I Have a Dream” speech.

“Joining Dr. King at the March on Washington were other religious, civic and community leaders, among them Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, who delivered the invocation, and many Roman Catholic priests, religious sisters and brothers and lay faithful,” the committee’s bishops recalled.

“Marking this 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, we join our voices to those who call for and foster continued dialogue and non-violence among people of different races and cultures, and who work tirelessly for the transformative, constructive actions that are always the fruit of such authentic dialogue,” the bishops continued. “We rejoice in the advances that have occurred over the past 50 years, and sadly acknowledge that much today remains to be accomplished.”

“We join the call for positive action that seeks to end poverty, increase jobs, eliminate racial and class inequality, ensure voting rights, and that provides fair and just opportunities for all,” they concluded.

 

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Further information:

• March On Washington Anniversary: Time To Face Unmet Goals (USCCB)
• Statement On The 50th Anniversary Of The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom (USCCB)
• March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: program (Wikipedia)