Vera Kanu, 9, a member of St. Bartholomew Church in Little Rock, performs with the liturgical dance troupe during the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Mass Jan. 9 (Dwain Hebda photo)

The choir from St. Peter Church in Pine Bluff provided lively, uplifting music Jan. 9 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Members of Little Rock's Igbo language community bring the gifts to the altar in a spirited and musical procession. The Igbo speakers are headquartered at St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor blesses the Igbo gift-bearers following a procession that yielded water, wine and the traditional offerings of fruit and other food. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Among the priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Taylor were Father Warren Harvey (second from left) and rector Father Jack Vu (right), assisted by Deacon Butch King (left). (Dwain Hebda photo)

Verdell Bunting, president of the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics and a member of St. Bartholomew Church in Little Rock, introduces the Daniel Rudd Award winner. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Bishop Taylor embraces Sister de Porres Polk, OSB, as he presents her with the 2016 Daniel Rudd Award. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Several members of the Knights of Peter Claver were on hand at the Mass, as were members of their Ladies Auxiliary. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Keith Savage of Pine Bluff performs the recessional song on keyboard as the St. Peter Church choir provides the vocals.(Dwain Hebda photo)

At a dinner following Mass, Sister de Porres cuts Dr. King's birthday cake under the gaze of Father Warren Harvey (left) and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. (Dwain Hebda photo)

Order photo prints

Annual MLK Mass honors service, showcases diversity

Sister de Porres Polk given Daniel Rudd Memorial Award for her faith, leadership

Published: January 14, 2016

By Dwain Hebda
Little Rock Correspondent

Dwain Hebda

Sister de Porres Polk, OSB, reacts to a standing ovation after receiving the Daniel Rudd Award for her lifelong commitment to faith and community. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor made the presentation at the cathedral Jan. 9.

Dwain Hebda

About 20 minutes before the start of the 30th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Mass Jan. 9 in Little Rock, a young man leaned over in the pew and flagged down one of the many passers-by seeing to last minute details.

“Excuse me, I’m a visitor here,” he said, his eyes puzzled. “Is there something special going on tonight?”

By the looks on their faces when they entered, many regular Saturday night parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Andrew wondered the same thing. The Mass, sponsored by the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics, showcases the diversity of the Church in Arkansas while paying tribute to the memory of King and that diversity was on ready display through the service.

Liturgical dancers from St. Bartholomew Church in Little Rock preceded the procession. Following the offertory, African music brought a joyous procession of Little Rock’s Igbo community, centered at St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock, bearing water, wine and as is tradition, armloads of fruit and other food and gifts to place before the altar. The sanctuary swelled with joyous music from the choir of St. Peter Church in Pine Bluff accompanied by drums and electric keyboard.

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor presented Sister de Porres Polk, OSB, of Jonesboro with the annual Daniel Rudd Memorial Award, also sponsored by the Council for Black Catholics. The award recognizes black Catholics who have exhibited love for the faith and leadership in the Church and community.

Sister de Porres, a 50-year Benedictine and subprioress of Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, has been the only U.S.-born black woman religious in the state for much of her religious life. A licensed practical nurse, she spent many years caring for infants at St. Bernard Medical Center in Jonesboro and represented the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics.

Bishop Taylor concelebrated Mass with Father Warren Harvey, diocesan assistant minister to priests; Father Thomas Keller, retired; Father Jack Vu, rector of the Cathedral of St. Andrew, and Father Francis Damoah, SVD, pastor of St. Bartholomew and St. Augustine churches.

During the homily, his first delivered in English, Deacon Marcelino Luna challenged the congregation to not only reflect on the life and work of King, but to continue his work in their parishes and communities.

“Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream for all people to be treated equally, and he fought for that dream. He knew what was unjust and he wanted to do something about it … what about you and me?” he said. “We can comfort God’s people; we can have the courage to stand up for what is right for all nations and all people whether they are African-Americans or Hispanics or any other nationality.”

SEE MORE PHOTOS related to this story at Arkansas Catholic's Zenfolio page, and order prints if you like. You also can browse other photos taken by Arkansas Catholic photographers.