On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Josephites pause in gratitude, remembrance, and renewed commitment. We honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to challenge the conscience of our nation. Dr. King’s life reminds us that faith without justice is hollow, that love without truth is incomplete, and that silence in the face of oppression is betrayal!
Remembering and recommitting to Dr. King’s work is especially urgent right now. We are living in a moment marked by systematic attacks on civil rights, on diversity and inclusion, and on the inherent dignity of the human person. These assaults are not merely political disagreements or cultural shifts; they are affronts to basic humanity. More importantly, they stand in direct contradiction to Christianity and to the clear teaching of the Catholic Church.
Sacred Scripture leaves no ambiguity. From the beginning, we are told that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). Jesus identifies Himself with those who are marginalized and mistreated: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). The prophets cry out relentlessly against systems that crush the poor and deny justice: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24), words Dr. King himself made famous because they are first God’s words.
Catholic teaching echoes this Gospel clarity. The Church affirms that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society (Gaudium et Spes, 26). Racism is a sin because it denies this God-given dignity (Catechism of the Catholic Church). Any ideology or policy that diminishes human dignity, excludes whole communities, or treats diversity as a threat rather than a gift is incompatible with the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church. As the U.S. bishops have taught, “Racism is a life issue” because it attacks life at its very roots.
As Josephites, we hear this moment as a call much like Saint Joseph heard God’s call in a time of danger and uncertainty. Saint Joseph rose in the night to protect, provide for, and accompany his Holy Family (Matthew 2:13–15). In that same spirit, the Josephites remain committed to serving the Black community with fidelity, courage, and hope. We are reinvesting, reengaging, and collaborating with partners to respond to today’s pastoral and prophetic needs.
Through our Keep the Faith Initiative and new programs of the Josephite Pastoral Center, we are expanding resources for Youth and Young Adults, strengthening families, deepening faith formation, and advancing social justice rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and the lived experience of Black Catholics. This work stands firmly in the legacy of our Josephite ancestors, the Black Catholic faithful who persevered through exclusion, and the civil rights saints who believed that God’s justice could be made visible in history.
We invite the community to stay alert and hopeful in the coming weeks. In 2026, we are launching:
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A new Josephite website with an online learning classroom
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Engaging social media campaigns for formation and evangelization
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A new series of workshops on pastoring in Black parishes and building a truly synodal Church that includes you
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A children’s book series centered on faith, culture, and dignity
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A Black Catholic family Bible study guide to accompany the second printing of the African American Catholic Youth Bible
(Saint Mary’s Press), which will be sold exclusively through the Josephite Pastoral Center beginning this February
And this is only the beginning.
On this MLK Day, we invite you to join us in this mission, however the Holy Spirit is calling you. That call may come through prayer and worship; through committing to study and deepen your faith; through taking an active role in your parish ministries; through leading a prayer circle; through advocating for justice; or through becoming a mission partner whose generosity helps make these programs possible. For many, it will be more than one call.
Jesus assures us: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). Search your heart. Listen deeply. Respond boldly.
Inspired by Dr. King, strengthened by our Josephite ancestors, grounded in the wisdom of the Catholic Church, and guided by the Holy Spirit, let us answer God’s call to be a people who promote justice, defend human dignity, and help build a more just and beloved world.
+Most Reverend John Ricard, SSJ
Superior General
The Josephites
Saint Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart
Serving the African American Community Since 1871
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