In honor of Juneteenth
Fr. Stephen Thorne
Recently, I was having lunch at BusBoys and Poets — a restaurant not far from Trinity University in Washington, DC where I teach — and I noticed a sign on the wall with the words of civil rights activist, Fannie Lou Hamer. The quote made me pause and reflect.
“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free” — Fannie Lou Hamer
I was reminded of my responsibility to care for all of my brothers and sisters, especially those who suffer from injustice. It is by God’s Providence that the words in a restaurant would align so well with the Sacred Scriptures. Indeed, Saint Paul in his letter to the Corinthians states, “if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Cor. 12, 26).
These two quotes can help us today as we celebrate Juneteenth.
Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, is a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Celebrated annually on June 19th, Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed enslaved people that they were free — two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
As people of faith, Juneteenth is an important day to honor and celebrate. Emboldened by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our Catholic Social Teaching, we are called to be missionary disciples, working for justice for all. It is not by coincidence that this Sunday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. As Catholics, we gather around the Table of the Lord to receive the same meal, the Eucharist that sustains us on our journey. There is no Black Eucharist or White Eucharist, for we all receive the same gift that satisfies the hungry heart.
As a member of the Board of Catholic Mobilizing Network, our mission is clear: to end the death penalty and advance the healing practices of restorative justice. Juneteenth is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how we are all members of the Church and are called to be pilgrims of hope, carrying that mission onward.
This Juneteenth, perhaps you’ll celebrate by learning more about this commemoration and the struggle for freedom in our country. You can also explore resources on CMN’s website to understand the connections between the modern day system of capital punishment and our nation’s history of racism. And lastly, I’d invite you to consider attending a Mass or a prayer service in a church that is different from your own.
May Juneteenth and every day remind us of our call to work for liberty and justice for all.
Learn more about the impact of racism on the criminal legal system:
