Where to find a Catholic MLK Day event (2026 edition)

On Monday, Jan. 19, the nation will commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day—on and around which Black Catholic events can be found in good measure across the country. Below, you will find a listing of such events, both in-person and virtual.

(This list may not be exhaustive. You can contact your local diocese, Black Catholic office, or a Black parish in your area for more info. We will be updating this page and the BCM calendar as more events are announced.)

National

• 1/19 (virtual): MLK Health Equity Symposium with Trinity Health.

Albany

• 2/10: MLK and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series at Siena College’s Sarazen Student Union Maloney Great Room. with Dr. Stella Safo.

Arlington 

• 1/18: MLK Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Bishop Michael Burbidge. Reception to follow.

Atlanta 

• 1/17: MLK Mass at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur with Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv. and homilist Auxiliary Bishop John-Nhan Tran..
• 1/18: MLK youth celebration at St. Mary’s Academy in Fayetteville with Auxiliary Bishop Bernard Shlesinger III.

Austin 

• 1/17: MLK commemoration at St. Austin Catholic Church with keynote speaker Fr Bruce Nieli CSP. Reception to follow.

Baltimore

• 1/19: MLK prayer service and peace walk at St. Bernardine Catholic Church with guest speaker Taylor Branch, Archbishop William Lori, and Msgr Richard Bozzelli.
• 1/19: MLK breakfast and prayer celebration at St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Campus Center Great Room with keynote speaker Tanya Hughes.
• 1/26: MLK convocation at Loyola University Maryland’s  McGuire Hall with Dr. Carla Hayden.

Baton Rouge

• 1/19: MLK Mass and breakfast at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Beaumont

• 1/17: MLK Mass at St. Anthony Cathedral with Bishop David Toups. Reception to follow.

Biloxi

• 1/12: MLK interfaith celebration at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hattiesburg. Unity march, wreath presentation, and program to follow at various locations.

Birmingham 

• 1/10: MLK prayer breakfast at the Cathedral of St. Paul Life Center with Fr Kareem Smith.

Bismarck 

• 1/19: MLK event at the University of Mary’s Starion Bank Living Room with reflection speaker Damon Owens.

Boston 

• 1/19: MLK prayer breakfast at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church with keynote speaker Meyer Chambers. 

Brooklyn 

• 1/18: MLK Masses at St. Bonaventure and St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Churches in Jamaica Queens.
• 1/19: MLK Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Flatlands.

Buffalo

• 1/18: MLK Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Bishop Michael W. Fisher and homilist Fr Carl Gales, SVD.

Burlington

• 1/19:  MLK events at Saint Michael’s College’s.

Camden

• 1/12-19: MLK blood drives at various locations.

Chicago

• 1/15 (hybrid): MLK celebration at the Lutheran School of Theology Chapel with panelist Catholic Theological Union president Fr Enzo Del Brocco, CP. Reception to follow.
• 1/18: MLK speaker series at St. Sabina Catholic Church with Rev. Traci Blackmon.
• 1/18: MLK Mass at Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church with homilist Fr Ken Hamilton, SVD.
• 1/19: MLK day of service with Loyola University Chicago at various locations.
• 1/19: MLK events with Benedictine University in Lisle, including the DuPage County MLK Unity Breakfast at Dry Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, followed by an on-campus Mass and luncheon with a virtual presentation from Nate Tinner-Williams.

Cincinnati 

• 1/19: Keep the Dream Alive Awards at the Church of the Resurrection with keynote speaker Rep. Greg Landman.
• 1/17-22: MLK Week events at Xavier University.
• 1/20: MLK Day events at Mount St. Joseph University.

Cleveland 

• 1/16: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost and homilist Fr Kareem Smith.

Dallas 

• 1/10: MLK celebration at Holy Cross Catholic Church.

Davenport 

• 1/18: MLK citywide celebration at St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church in Ottumwa with keynote speaker Rachelle Chase.

Detroit

• 1/17: MLK service day at various locations. Meet at Sacred Heart Activities Building. Prayer service and presentation to follow.
• 1/19: MLK Mass for Justice and Peace at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament with Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.

Dubuque

• 1/20: MLK breakfast at Mount Mercy University’s Betty Cherry Heritage Hall with Rev. Dr. Michael Blackwell.

Fort Wayne South Bend

• 1/24-31: Walk the Walk Week at the University of Notre Dame.

Fort Worth

• 1/24: MLK Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral with Bishop Michael F. Olson and homilist Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Perry of Chicago.

Galveston-Houston

• 1/18: MLK Mass of Remembrance at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston..

Indianapolis 

• 1/19 (virtual): Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic women’s prayer group reflecting on MLK’s “I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech.

Jackson

• 1/17: MLK celebration at St. Peter Cathedral with the Xavier University of Louisiana choir  and Sr Thea Bowman Choir and guest speaker Dr. William Jemison.

La Crosse

• 1/19: MLK Day of Service, Learning, and Celebration events at Viterbo University.

Lafayette 

• 1/19:  MLK prayer breakfast at St. Edward Catholic Church in New Iberia with the Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and guest speaker Dr. Phebe Hayes.
• 1/16: MLK Mass and awards celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist with Bishop Douglas Deshotel.

Lansing 

• 1/18: MLK dinner and Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Ann Arbor. 

Little Rock

• 1/10: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew with Bishop Anthony B. Taylor.

Los Angeles 

• 1/17: MLK prayer breakfast at Proud Bird Restaurant with guest speaker Dr. Ansel Augustine and Drum Major Award winner Oscar Pratt Sr. Tickets $75.
• 1/18: “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy for Future Generations”  event at Loyola Marymount University’s Life Sciences Building Auditorium with panelists Dr. Ansel Augustine, Donovan Blount, Todd Hawkins, and Eddie Hilley.
• 1/19 (hybrid): MLK Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with Archbishop José H. Gómez.

Memphis 

• 1/19: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with Bishop David P. Talley.

Milwaukee 

• 1/17 (hybrid): MLK memorial prayer service at All Saints Catholic Church with Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and keynote speaker Vevette Hill-Nwagbaraocha.
• 1/20: MLK day of service with Marquette University’s Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility at the Alumni Memorial Union.

New Orleans 

• 1/18: MLK Mass and celebration at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with keynote speaker Dr. Leona Tate.
• 1/19: MLK day of service, meeting at the CYO Building on Mendez Street.
• 1/20: MLK interfaith celebration at the Loyola University New Orleans’ Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola with keynote speaker Cherrell Simms Taplin.

Newark 

• 1/16: MLK keynote lecture at Seton Hall’s University Center Event Room with Dr. Khyati Y. Joshi.
• 1/19: MLK symposium and workshop at Seton Hall University’s Bethany Hall Room A.

New York 

• 1/18: MLK Mass at Church of the Holy Rosary-Nativity of Our Blessed Lady. Reception to follow.
• 1/19: MLK March for Justice at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Highland Falls. Program and reception to follow.

Pensacola-Tallahassee

• 1/18: MLK Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola with Bishop William Wack, CSC. Reception to follow.

Philadelphia 

• 1/18: MLK interfaith prayer service at St. Malachy Catholic Church.
• 1/18-23: MLK week events at Villanova University.

Phoenix

• 1/17: MLK Mass, awards, and prayer breakfast at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Cardinal Wilton Gregory and Bishop John P. Dolan.

Pittsburgh

• 1/19-21: MLK events at Duquesne University.

Providence

• 1/21: MLK remembrance luncheon at Providence University’s Slavin Center.
• 1/25-30: MLK week events at Salve Regina University in Newport.

Raleigh

• 1/19: MLK Mass at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral with Fr Michael Burbeck and homilist Fr Kareem Smith.

Rochester

• 1/15: MLK celebration at St. Marianne Cope Catholic Church in Henrietta.

Rockville Centre

• 1/19: MLK day of service and events at Molloy University. 

San Diego 

• 1/18: MLK Mass at St. Rita Catholic Church with Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido and homilist Dcn Marvin Threatt.

San Francisco 

• 1/13: MLK noontime concert at Old St. Mary's Cathedral with pianist Carl Blake, guest musicians, and narrator Dr. Aaron Grizzell.
• 1/19: MLK multifaith day of service at various locations, including St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in San Mateo.

Santa Fe

• 1/19: MLK celebration at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Rio Rancho with guest speaker DeMark Liggins. $40 per seat.

Scranton

• 1/19-23: MLK Week events at Misericordia University in Dallas.

Seattle 

• 1/19: MLK Mass at Seattle University’s St. Ignatius Chapel with keynote speaker Sharon Spence-Wilcox.

Spokane

• 1/18-23: MLK Week events at Gonzaga University.

St. Augustine

• 1/19: MLK silent march at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church. Program and concert to follow.

St. Louis 

• 1/18: MLK Peace and Justice Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis with Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski.

Washington 

• 1/18: MLK Mass at the Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in Rockville, Maryland, with Cardinal Robert W. McElroy.
• 1/18: MLK day of service with the Catholic University of America, meeting at the Pryzbyla Center Great Rooms.
• 1/19: “Let Freedom Ring” celebration at the Howard Theatre with Common and Georgetown University.

Worcester

• 1/19: MLK community breakfast at Assumption University’s Plourde Recreation Center with Quinsigamund Community College and keynote speaker Dr. Jennifer Davis Carey.

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

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