Mass to celebrate King's legacy

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Fr. Charles Andrus, SSJ

SALT LAKE CITY - In 1955, the Brooklyn Dodgers finally won the World Series by defeating the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the playoffs, color television was a rarity, and racism was rampant in the United States. Blacks weren't allowed to enter many establishments; they were required to sit in the back of buses, drink from separate water fountains and attend segregated schools.

That type of blatant discrimination ended largely as a result of the Civil Rights Movement, which ushered in more than a decade of boycotts, sit-ins and other protests. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of this movement's leaders. His first major effort was a year-long boycott in Montgomery, Ala. that led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation of buses was unconstitutional.

For the next 12 years, King continued to push for equal treatment for minorities in the United States. Before his death in 1968, he was the youngest man ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

That legacy will be commemorated in Utah on Jan. 23 with a Mass and reception sponsored by the Black Catholics of Utah.

"The purpose behind holding it is carrying on the tradition of hosting a celebration commemorating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, and that includes his historical place as an advocate for human rights," said Susan Northway, the Diocese of Salt Lake City's liaison to the Black Catholics of Utah. "This group, one of their purposes is to keep this in front of the eyes and ears of people, and also to remind people that the work is not done."

Josephite Father Charles Andrus, associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament-Saint Joan of Arc Church, New Orleans and former director of the office of African American Ministries for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, will celebrate the Mass. A noted revivalist, Fr. Andrus is the associate vocations director for The Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart.

"This speaker is very knowledgeable about social justice issues," Northway said. "Being a pastor in a Katrina-devastated parish in New Orleans, he certainly has first-hand knowledge about putting into practice Christ's admonition to serve the underserved or homeless."

While in Utah, Fr. Andrus also will speak to students at Judge Memorial Catholic High School.

"He's going to talk about the civil rights movement in general and what Martin Luther King has to do with Catholic social teaching," Northway said, adding that she hopes those who hear Fr. Andrus will come to "a realization that many of the freedoms they enjoy today came about from courageous martyrdom and through inspired witness during the time of the '50s and '60s and '70s. I don't think many young people in high school have a very good background in this area or know very much about it at all."

All are invited to attend the Mass and reception at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.