By Mary Beth Marino

“Three Kings visited the Baby Jesus at his birth, and one of them was dark.” This was the opening statement of the homily given Sunday at Christ the King Cathedral, marking the beginning of Martin Luther King Week.

Bishop James P. Lyke, auxiliary bishop of Cleveland, Ohio, and one of nine black bishops, officiated at the Mass as hundreds of people emotionally renewed the spirit of Martin Luther King and his cry for peace, freedom, and unity among all people.

Bishop Lyke said of Martin Luther King, “He was the King who bowed before Jesus and asked, “Where do we go from here sweet Jesus boy? To chaos or community?”

Bishop Lyke, president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, expressed a personal note of appreciation to Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan, who was present in the sanctuary for the entire ceremony, for forming the Commission for Black Catholic Concerns in the archdiocese. There are approximately 26 local members – laymen, priests and nuns – who are working towards the aims of black Catholics within the archdiocese.

“How can we take our rightful place in the Church as a black Catholic?” asked the bishop. “First of all my friends, it is essential that we in the black community, clergy, religious, and lay men and women, explore the meaning of what Pope Paul VI has called ‘the Gifts of Blackness,’ so that the treasures of our actual American heritage might enrich the universal Church.”

The bishop said that it is essential to know and share black religious tradition, black theology, spirituality, black saints, black Catholic history, black liturgy; all these are specific tasks of black Catholics and their pastoral ministers.

The message was clear that to belong was to contribute; and to contribute was to work for unity. To share and organize was to have common vision among all. “If you fail to participate, you lose all that Martin Luther King has worked and died for,” the bishop said.

Music was under the direction of Mr. Don Newby, choir director for Our Lady of Lourdes parish and Vickie Jackson, director for Saint Anthony’s parish. The hymns, selected for this special ceremony, all related to thanksgiving for freedom and change. “We Come This Far By Faith” was the theme of the service as well as the processional hymn. The Mass concluded with the Civil Rights freedom anthem, “We Shall Overcome.”

A short demonstration of “Kwanzaa,” which is the study of seven principles that originated in the African culture, was also given.

The atmosphere of the two hour service was emotional and a fitting tribute to Martin Luther King as well as the celebration of the Epiphany. Hearts were warm, hands were held, and the spirit of Martin Luther King’s dream was felt by all.

A reception followed in the Hyland Center where Bishop Lyke and Archbishop Donnellan were honored, concluding the first of many celebrations to be held in Atlanta during King Week ’84.