Where to find a Catholic MLK event (2025 edition)

National

• 1/15 (virtual): MLK Health Equity Symposium with Trinity Health at 11am ET.

Albany

• 1/15: MLK interfaith celebration at Congregation Beth Emeth at 7pm ET.
• 1/17: STOP Conference at Siena College in Loudonville at 8am ET.
• 2/11: “The Struggle Makes You Stronger: Lessons Dr. King Taught Me” keynote at Siena College in Loudonville with Nancy Giles at 7pm ET.

Arlington

• 1/19: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More with Bishop Michael Burbidge at 11am ET. Reception to follow.

Atlanta

• 1/18: MLK Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur with Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv. and homilist Dcn Royce Winters at 1pm ET.
• 1/19: MLK youth celebration at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Hapeville at 3pm ET.

Austin

• 11/18: MLK commemoration at St. Thomas More Catholic Church with keynote speaker Dr. Christopher Pichon at 11am CT.

Baltimore

• 1/20: MLK and Msgr Edward Michael Miller Peace Walk at St. Bernardine Catholic Church with Bishops of Baltimore, Msgr Richarl Bozzelli, and guest speaker Councilman Paris Gray at 12pm ET.

Beaumont

• 1/18: MLK Mass at the St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica with Bishop David Toups at 4pm CT. RSVP for reception to follow.

Birmingham

• 3/1: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover at 10am ET.

Bismarck

• 1/20: MLK observance at the University of Mary’s Lumen Vitae University Center Starion LivingRoom with Derrick Dixon at 10am CT. 

Boston

• 1/20: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church with the Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover Sr. and the Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir at 9am ET.
• 1/20: MLK interfaith prayer service at First Baptist Church in Duxbury at 10am ET.
• 1/20: Metrowest MLK breakfast at Weston United Methodist Church in Weston at 9am ET. Tickets required. (Co-sponsored by the St. Julia's Roman Catholic Church Social Justice Commission.)

Bridgeport

• 1/20: MLK celebration at the Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfield with speaker Dr. Brandon Frame at 1pm ET.

Brooklyn

• 1/19: MLK Mass at Our Lady of the Presentation-Mercy with Fr Chuks Mueme, SJ at 9am ET.
• 1/20: MLK Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with Bishop Robert J. Brennan at 12pm ET.

Buffalo

• 1/19: MLK concert and Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Bishop Michael W. Fisher and homilist Fr Kareem Smith at 9:15am ET. Reception to follow.

Burlington

• 1/20-23: MLK celebrations at St. Michael’s College.

Chicago

• 1/15 (hybrid): Ecumenical MLK celebration at the Lutheran School of Theology Chapel.
• 1/18: MLK celebration and film screening at Catholic Theological Union with speakers Mario Salas and Dr. James Garrett at 11am CT.
• 1/12-2/7: African-American speaking series on Sundays at St. Sabina Catholic Church.

Cincinnati

• "Keep the Dream Alive" MLK awards ceremony at the Church of the Resurrection with keynote speaker Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney at 3pm ET.

Cleveland

• 1/20: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Bishop Michael G. Woost and homilist Fr Carl Gales, SVD at 10am ET.
• 1/20 (hybrid): MLK celebration at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church with speaker Dcn Paul Kipfstuhl in Medina at 7pm ET. Reception to follow.

Columbus

• 1/16 (hybrid): MLK Commemorative Celebration at Trinity Episcopal Church with awardee Dcn Royce Winters at 12pm ET.

Denver

• 1/20: MLK Mass at Curé d'Ars Catholic Church with Bishop Jorge Rodríguez-Novelo at 9am MT. Reception to follow.

Detroit

• 1/18-20: MLK Service Days in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
• 1/20: Mass for Justice and Peace at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament with Bishop John M. Quinn at 9:30am ET.

Dubuque

• 1/20: Annual MLK breakfast at Mount Mercy University’s Betty Cherry Heritage Hall with keynote speaker Andre Wright at 8:30am CT.

Fort Wayne-South Bend

• 1/16: “Celebration for a King” at St. Augustine Catholic Church in South Bend with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra at 7pm ET.
• 1/26-2/1: Walk the Walk Week at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend.

Fort Worth

• 1/18: MLK Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Arlington with Bishop Michael F. Olson at 5:30pm CT.

Galveston-Houston

• 1/18: MLK breakfast at St. Monica Catholic Church in Houston with Knights of Peter Claver Junior Branch and Court #151 at 11am CT.
• 1/19: MLK Mass of Remembrance at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and homilist Dcn Will Hunter at 3pm CT.
• 1/20: MLK scholarship breakfast at Knanaya Catholic Community Center in Missouri City with the NAACP Missouri City and Vicinity Branch at 8am CT.

Helena

• 1/20: MLK community celebration at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Missoula at 4pm MT. Community social to follow.

Jackson

• 1/18: MLK celebration at the Cathedral of St. Peter with Judge Constance Slaughter Harvey at 1pm ET.

La Crosse

• 1/20: MLK Day of Service, Learning, and Celebration at Viterbo University.

Lafayette

• 1/17: MLK Mass and award celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Bishop Douglas Deshotel at 6:30pm ET.
• 1/20: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Edward Catholic Church in New Iberia with Dr. James Gray at 9am CT.
• 1/20: MLK grand parade at South City Park in Opelousas with keynote speaker Judge Shaun Caillier Harden at 1pm ET.

Lansing

• 1/19: MLK Mass and meal at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ann Arbor at 5pm ET. 

Little Rock

• 1/18: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew with Bishop Anthony B. Taylor at 4:30pm CT.

Los Angeles

• 1/14: “Keeping Dr. King’s Message of Hope Alive in 2025” event at Loyola Marymount University’s University Hall 1857 at 7pm PT.
• 1/19: MLK benefit concert and evening of solidarity at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church with Bob Hurd and Trevor Thompson in Pasadena at 5pm PT.
• 1/20: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with Archbishop José H. Gómez at 3pm PT.

Lexington

• 1/19: MLK Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church with Fr John Judie at 10am ET.
• 1/19: MLK Ecumenical Community Worship Service at Central Christian Church with Rev. Dr. Delesslyn Audra Kennebrew at 6pm ET.

Louisville

• 1/20: MLK celebration at the Cathedral of the Assumption with Archbishop Shelton Fabre at 10am ET.
• 1/20: Annual MLK Celebration at St. Monica Catholic Church in Bardstown with Pastor Michael Caldwell of Pleasant Union Baptist Church at 12pm ET.

Memphis

• 1/20: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with Bishop Emeritus J. Terry Steib, SVD at 10am CT.

Milwaukee

• 1/18: MLK memorial prayer service at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Fr Fred Alexandder, OCD at 1:30pm CT.

Mobile

• 1/17: MLK community celebration at the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts including participants from Holy Spirit and Resurrection Catholic Churches at 10am and 7pm ET. 

New York

• MLK interfaith prayer service at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Harlem with keynote speaker Rev. LaKeesha Walrond at 11am ET.

Newark

• 1/20 (hybrid): MLK Symposium at Seton Hall University’s Bethany Hall with Dr. Drew Hart at 8:30am ET. Registration required.
• 1/20 (hybrid): MLK symposium at Seton Hall University's Bethany Hall at 8:30am ET.

Oakland

• 1/19-2/23: African-American celebrations series at St. Columba Catholic Church.
• 1/20: MLK Mass and prayer breakfast at St. Benedict Catholic Church at 9am PT.

Omaha

• 1/15-21: MLK Week events at Creighton University.

Orlando

• 1/20: MLK breakfast at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs with AdventHealth Seminole County at 7:30am ET.

Palm Beach

• 1/20: MLK fellowship dinner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lake Worth Beach at 4pm ET.

Pensacola-Tallahassee

• 1/18: MLK luncheon at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola with Dr. Lonnie D. Wesley at 12pm ET.

Philadelphia

• 1/19: Annual MLK Interfaith Prayer Service at St. Athanasius Catholic Church with Archbishop Nelson Pérez at 3pm ET.
• 1/18-23: MLK events at Villanova University.
• 1/20: MLK Mass at the Miraculous Medal Shrine at 12:05pm ET.

Phoenix

• 1/18:  MLK Mass and service awards breakfast at Xavier College Preparatory with Bishop John Dolan at 10am MT.

Providence

• 1/23::  MLK celebration at Providence College with Matthew Slater at 5:30pm ET.
• 1/26-31: MLK Week events at Salve Regina University in Newport.

Raleigh

• 1/20: MLK Mass at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral with Bishop Luis Zarama and homilist Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Kurtz of Louisville at 12pm ET.

Rochester

• 1/16: MLK celebration at St. Marianne Cope Catholic Church in Henrietta at 7pm ET.

San Angelo

• 1/20: Ecumenical MLK celebration at Sacred Heart Cathedral with Bishop Michael Sis at 12pm CT.

San Antonio

• 1/24 (hybrid): Sankofa Institute Christian Unity Service at the Oblate School of Theology at 7pm CT.

Scranton

• 1/19: MLK celebration and awards dinner at the University of Scranton's Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Student Center with keynote speaker Dr. Terrell Lamong Strayhorn at 2:30pm ET.

Seattle

• 1/20: MLK Mass at Seattle University’s St. Ignatius Chapel with Fr Crispin Okoth and keynote speaker Gregory K. Alex at 11am PT.
• 1/23: MLK Commencement at Seattle University’s Pigott Building 104 with Dr. Lerone A. Martin at 12:30pm PT.

Spokane

• 1/20: MLK rally, march, and teach-in at the Spokane Convention Center with Gonzaga University at 10am PT.

St. Augustine

• 1/20: MLK Silent March from St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church with plaza speaker Pastor E. Chris Washington at 9:00am ET.

St. Louis

• 1/19: Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski at 2:30pm CT.

Toledo

• 1/19: MLK Mass and Drum Major Awards at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Bishop Daniel E. Thomas at 10:30am ET.

Venice

• 1/20: MLK prayer breakfast at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church’s Grogan Center with the NAACP Highlands County Branch and keynote speaker Pastor Katrina Lunsford at 7:30am ET.

Washington

• 1/18: MLK dinner and prayer walk at Holy Trinity Catholic Church’s McKenna Hall at 7pm ET. 
• 1/19: MLK concert and Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church in Hillcrest Heights with Cardinal Wilton Gregory and the HU Bison Catholic Gospel Choir  at 9:30am ET.
• 1/19: MLK Day of Service at the Catholic University of America’s  Pryzbyla Center Great Rooms at 8am ET.

Worcester

• 1/20: MLK breakfast at Assumption University’s Plourde Recreation Center with Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson at 8am ET. Tickets required.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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