BALTIMORE — Poor weather led city leaders to cancel Baltimore's parade honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But the warmth of an Edmondson Avenue church offered a chance for parishioners to reflect on Dr. King's lasting impact.
Notes from a practicing church band billowed through St. Bernardine Catholic Church in Southwest Baltimore as worshippers arrived.
Rev. Msgr. Rich Bozzelli spoke with WMAR about the significance of the event bringing folks to his church doors for a 12th year.
"I think it's important for a number of reasons for us," Bozzelli explained, "and certainly important to honor Dr. King and his legacy and understand his influence. We usually invite a public figure here to reflect on how Dr. King's legacy has affected his or her life and the work they do."
On Monday, that guest was freshman councilmember Paris Gray, whom voters chose as the area's new representative in City Hall, replacing outgoing councilmember Kristerfer Burnett.
Gray told WMAR he wants to carry King's legacy personally and professionally.
"That is what I try to live my life based off of," Gray said. "Trying to understand, be empathetic, understand the other side, never resort to violence, and always know at the end of the day, we can come to some type of resolution between two parties, between two people."
The ceremony usually involves a peace walk outside, though icy conditions tabled that part. Inside: music, prayer and reflection, including remembering Msgr. Edward Miller, who led the church for its first MLK Day ceremony. Miller died in 2013.
Archbishop William Lori lauded Miller for his commitment to his community, to opportunity, and to racial justice.
"It's so important for us to remember our history here at St. Bernadine's," Bozzelli said, "and how Fr. Miller really developed us as a primarily African American Catholic parish, so we can express our Catholic faith in the African American tradition."
