Priest: Dr. King should be honored with action, not a day off

Published: January 23, 2010

By Malea Hargett
Editor

Malea Hargett

Malea Hargett

At the urging of Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Mass Jan. 16 expanded its focus by encouraging Hispanic Catholics to attend.

During the Mass a two-minute message was proclaimed in Spanish by Nola Harrison, wife of Deacon Elton Harrison and a Spanish and French teacher at Pine Bluff High School, and by Jim Pruitt in English.

"Our Hispanic brothers and sisters are struggling to pursue these same inalienable rights, the right to life, the right to freedom and the right to pursue happiness," Pruitt said. "Dr. King's teachings are not just for certain people in a certain time. It is my hope that African Americans and Hispanics, who are similar in so many ways, can keep Dr. King's dream alive. We come together to celebrate the gift Dr. King gave to all of us."

"In a way we are all going through the same struggles," Harrison told Arkansas Catholic after the Mass. "The Latinos are very oppressed people at this time. Unity and diversity, we are all fighting for the same things."

About a dozen Hispanics and two priests serving the Hispanic community attended the Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock celebrated by Bishop Taylor. The Mass is hosted annually by the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics on the Saturday before the King federal holiday.

At the end of Mass, the Daniel Rudd Award, which is given to black Catholics who make a difference in the Church and community, was awarded to Sheila Jackson, a member of St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock, and Lee Lindsey, a member of St. Bartholomew Church in Little Rock.

Jackson, an attorney, was praised for providing free legal services and serving her parish as a religious education director, teacher and parish council president.

"Her generosity is legendary," said Verdell Bunting, DCBC president and member of St. Bartholomew Church.

Jackson said her strong faith is a result of her father, Louis Pruitt, who was invited to attend St. Augustine School by two nuns when he was 6 years old.

"We walked to church every Sunday morning to St. Augustine's Catholic Church," Jackson said. "The priests and nuns who served us showed us unconditional love. I grew to want to emulate their unselfishness and their generosity and their kindness."

Lindsey was one of the first blacks to graduate from Catholic High School in 1966. A veteran of three wars, he has worked in social work for 40 years. He has served his parish as a parish council member, lector, grand knight of the Knights of Peter Claver and Centennial Committee member.

"I am humbled by this award," Lindsey said. "I consider myself a humble man who is trying to do God's work."

The homilist was Father Maurice J. Nutt, CSsR, pastor of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Church in Memphis and a frequent speaker at Catholic charismatic events. In a passionate, 30-minute homily, the priest talked about how the "martyr of Memphis" should influence citizens today. The priest often paced in front of the altar and contorted his body, keeping the congregation's full attention.

"It is easy to forget the rejection Martin suffered when we remove him from historical context," he said. "We must do more than honor this man than with just a holiday. Holidays are a day off; we view holidays as a time to sit back and relax, kick our shoes off and chill. ... We must honor him by bringing to reality what he dreamed of."

Father Nutt said there are many issues challenging blacks today, including the lack of health care, high unemployment, crime and AIDS, and there is no time to say they are "victims."

"We are not victims; we are victorious in Christ Jesus," he said.