Detroit — Martin Luther King Jr.’s mission didn’t end with his life, just as Jesus’ mission didn’t end with the Crucifixion.

That was the sentiment Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Gerard W. Battersby expressed at Ste. Anne Parish on Jan. 15 during his homily at the Martin Luther King Jr. Mass hosted by the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Office of Black Catholic Ministries.

Bishop Battersby acknowledged it was the same faith in Jesus Christ that drew people to Ste. Anne’s to pray together that also motivated King to preach and lead a civil rights movement that had such a profound effect on the country.

“If we are to understand Dr. King’s gift, his prophetic gift, we can only do so if we understand his message in the context of a faith in Jesus Christ,” Bishop Battersby said. “We can only hope to understand Dr. King’s gift as a preacher and a leader, when we acknowledge him as a believer and witness to Christ.”

Bishop Battersby said while others might choose to ignore the Christian roots of King’s message, recognizing King’s roots as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta is critical to fully understanding his message.



“Martin Luther King Jr. can be seen as a founding father of our country, an exemplar of nonviolent resistance, a contemporary prophet, speaking truth to power in both a secular and religious light,” Bishop Battersby said. “These are the effects of a vibrant faith that Rev. King expressed so abundantly, and they must not be neglected.”

Just as Jesus made the blind see, the deaf hear and the leper be cured, Bishop Battersby said, King made people see the injustice prevalent in society and gave voice to the voiceless in a nation scarred by the sins of racism, segregation and discrimination.

“What made Dr. King such an important figure in our nation is none other than his faith in Jesus,” Bishop Battersby said. “Because Rev. King was a believer, he was able to confront the lies of his age with a clear eye of sobriety, the courage of a martyr and the wisdom of a prophet.”

Bishop Battersby said this particular Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day had a significant meaning in the Archdiocese of Detroit following the beatification of Blessed Solanus Casey, Detroit’s own example of serving the poor and downtrodden.

“Unlike Rev. King, Fr. Solanus wasn’t a scholar, but like Rev. King, Blessed Solanus was a friend of Jesus, an ambassador of Christ, an administrator of reconciliation,” Bishop Battersby said. “Rev. King challenged public officials to be faithful to the Constitution, challenging religious figures and believers alike to a more profound commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Blessed Solanus challenged people to have a profound confidence in God — to thank Him for all things, to love their neighbor, particularly the poor, the sick and imprisoned.”

The call to serve one’s fellow man was answered by youth groups throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit on Jan. 13, when parishes and schools went to volunteer at various nonprofits and ministries throughout Detroit.



Samantha Viviano joined a contingent from St. John Vianney Parish in Shelby Township in volunteering at the St. Dominic Outreach Center on Trumbull and West Warren in Detroit, a place where the poor can receive food, clothing and hygiene products.

“Volunteering in the city serves a good purpose for the people who live here, and it reminds those who don’t live in the city of what Martin Luther King Jr. did to help end stereotypes and help those in need,” said Viviano, who also volunteered last year at St. Dominic.

For the young volunteers, the MLK Day of Service was a chance for their generation to continue the legacy of a man who advocated for so many during their parents’ and grandparents’ generation.

Adriana Dent, a Detroit Cristo Rey student and member of St. Charles Lwanga Parish, volunteered at the St. Patrick Senior Center on Parsons Street, helping the staff clean and prepare a dinner for seniors.



“I like volunteering with other people in my community, especially giving back to the elders,” Dent told The Michigan Catholic. “I think a lot of people overlook them or don’t spend enough time with them. Martin Luther King’s message is about treating everyone equal, no matter who they are.”

As her fellow parishioners were interacting with members of the St. Patrick community, Dent added Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a chance for the community to see what young people can offer, following the message of a man whose “I Have a Dream” speech echoed through the Capital Mall long before they were born.

“Although there a lot of things going on in this world, there are still people who believe in being equal to each other, no matter their race or age,” Dent said. “Today shows people have good hearts and still want to give back to their community. Martin Luther King’s message means we should all come together and work toward a common good and not let differences in other people hold us back in being unified.”