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Bishop Daniel E.
Thomas Statement On the 50th Anniversary of the
Assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 4 marks 50 years since
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American Baptist
minister and civil rights activist, was assassinated in
Memphis, Tennessee. On this day, as we reflect on his life
and work, we need to ask ourselves if we are doing all we
can to build a culture of love, respect and peace to which
he was so dedicated and to which the Gospel calls each one
of us.
The foundation of Dr. King's
message was transmitted through non-violent means to spread
the Word and protest injustice. To quote Dr. King,
"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper
darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot
drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot
drive out hate, only love can do that."
As we commemorate Dr. King, I
call on all people of good will to pray and act for peace
and the eradication of violence from our hearts, our homes,
our society, our country and our world. Today, let's commit
to make our own the words of Martin Luther King Jr.,
"Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical
violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only
refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him..... I
have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden
to bear."
Sadly, after 50 years, much
of the violence, racism and injustice addressed by Dr. King
still exists. In loving God with all our heart, mind, soul
and strength, and in loving our neighbors as ourselves, we
will respect each person as created in the image and
likeness of God. In that way, we will best honor the legacy
of Dr. Martin Luther King.
For more on Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., please see the recent statement of the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops Administrative Committee
Statement on the Life and Work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. of which Bishop Daniel E. Thomas is a member.
***
The Diocese of Toledo, established April 15, 1910,
encompasses 8,222 square miles in a mixture of urban and
rural areas and spans 19 counties across Northwest Ohio,
serving approximately 320,000 Catholics in 123 parishes. The
Diocese includes Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton,
Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam,
Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and
Wyandot counties.
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