Dear Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine,

On behalf of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and myself and my predecessor, Archbishop-emeritus John F. Donoghue, permit me to express condolences on the death of your mother, Coretta Scott King.

We have lost from our sight a most precious neighbor, a noble woman of peace, a sister in Christ. But our faith in a loving and eternal God, a faith which we profess and strive to live, now calls us, you particularly, to act and to hope as your mother courageously did at moments throughout her own life when either fear or despair could have overpowered her. She let neither win.

To this day I remain touched by the memory of your mother’s presence. She is and will always remain for myself, and many, a beacon of strength, justice and compassion fueled by her love of God, family and neighbor. She has been not just a good Samaritan—but a great one whom we will always hold dear.

Please be assured of my prayers for you during this time. While we mourn her passing, let us also celebrate a life well lived.

Yours in Christ,

+Wilton D. Gregory,
Archbishop of Atlanta