Diocesan News

Honoring the Dream: Flatlands Mass Celebrates MLK’s Legacy and Vision

Seventh-graders Kennedy Modestil, left, and Daisy Ruiz sing with the Midwood Catholic Academy School Choir during a Mass marking the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Flatlands, Jan. 20, 2025. (Photos: Gregory A. Shemitz)

FLATLANDS — Martin Luther King Jr. is deeply cherished by many Catholics for his inspiring vision of a world where people are judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. This powerful message strongly resonates within the community, motivating countless individuals to advocate for equality.

Bishop Robert Brennan underscores that Catholics who celebrate Martin Luther King Day are witnesses of hope who are “living it out every day.”

“Dr. King called on us to see humanity in one another, to treat each other with respect, to have them built into our common values,” Bishop Brennan told The Tablet after celebrating Mass. “He was a real proponent to a peaceful means of change and of rediscovering that deep spirit of human dignity.”

On Jan. 20, a day dedicated to honoring the legacy of the civil rights leader, parishioners came together at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Flatlands to celebrate his impact and reaffirm their commitment to advancing his vision. 

The annual event is organized by the diocese’s Vicariate Office of Black Catholic Concerns and coordinated by Father Alonzo Cox, pastor of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

St. Thomas Aquinas pastor Father Dwayne Davis said his parishioners gathered to remember King’s impact and thank God for his gift of preaching and for his advocacy. 

“We continue to pray for a great future for our Church, but also for our young people to be able to see the dream come alive,” Father Davis said. “I want everyone to understand that he fought for equality for each and every one of us, and until the day that each and every person in the land has equality and true freedom, we continue to fight the good fight.”

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), was one of the more prominent figures in the Civil Rights Movement, which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Joan Davenport, a St. Thomas Aquinas parishioner, said she was glad to experience a sense of togetherness with her church. Seeing the younger generation participate showed her that “hope will never die.” 

“There will always be a generation, always a conversation of hope,” Davenport said. “Even today, it takes courage to have these discussions.”

Davenport said that when she was growing up, seeing Martin Luther King Jr. proclaim messages of peace and nonviolence was a sight to behold during a time of rioting and civil unrest. Her childhood parish, the former St. Ann Church in Brooklyn, taught her a lot about King. 

She said three of the priests she knew were heavily involved in the civil rights movement.

“They marched with Dr. King, and at Mass, they brought in a powerful good,” Davenport said. “And the kids that were a part of the parish, they’re in their 70’s and still talking about their time at St. Ann’s.”

In his homily, Father Cox explained that a true witness of Christ is one who proclaims the gospel. He reminded the parishioners that they, too, are witnesses called to be pilgrims of hope.

After Mass, Father Cox told The Tablet he and Bishop Brennan were excited to see young people in attendance.

“The young people are the Church, and so we have to continue to support and strengthen them in promoting the good word within the Church,” Father Cox said. “We must not lose hope, and through them, we must continue to allow the legacy of Dr. King to be alive.”