ATLANTA—Artistic images of the Holy Spirit and essays on how it inspires the work of social justice are highlights of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.

Hosted by the Office of Intercultural Ministries for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the annual observance included a Mass and youth celebration with Catholic school students that honors Dr. King’s work of nonviolence and racial equality. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, events were available online.

This year’s theme was taken from Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” 

Bishop Joel M. Konzen, SM, was the principal celebrant for the Mass on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Lyke House: The Catholic Center at AUC, which serves Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.

In his homily, Deacon Avery Daniel, chaplain of Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, said the goal of Christian spiritual life is to live in the Spirit.

“If God is the Spirit, then to live in the Spirit is to live in God,” said Deacon Avery. “To make of ourselves and all that we are a living testament, a vessel of God in the world.”

Deacon Avery explained that our faith calls us to look at ourselves and our communities through the eyes of God, even though societal norms make this a challenge.

“Sometimes the norms of society have a way of artificially protecting our own comfort zone,” said the deacon. “Social conventions can end up being a way of shielding us from facing and interacting with people.”

However, Christ has given the example of the “nonnegotiable dignity of every human person.” This was the anchor for the work and ministry of Dr. King, said Deacon Avery.

God’s call must be taken seriously “just as Jesus Christ gave everything for that love and dignity, which every single one of us has, on the cross,” he said.

Youth winners recognized

The virtual youth celebration of art and essays, inspired by the work of Dr. King, was held Sunday, Jan. 16. Two essays tied for first place in the contest. 

Maggie Maloney, an eighth grader at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Atlanta, wrote about how Jesus and Dr. King both lived their lives “in the Spirit” in her winning essay.

“Dr. King and Jesus loved all men and wanted equality for everyone,” wrote Maloney. “They lived their lives working to make sure people treated each other with love and respect.”

Maloney shares the first place award with Payton Woodham, an eighth grade student at St. Catherine of Siena School in Kennesaw. Woodham wrote about how love can help with the small challenges faced in life.

“Though we are not fighting for the salvation of mankind, we can fight for peace among our friends, inclusion for someone left out, or happiness in our families,” said Woodham. “This is how we truly live in the spirit; small battles of love.”

Eighth grader Matthew Dulaney from St. Thomas More School in Decatur won second place in the essay contest and Brenda Parada-Jiminez from Our Lady of Victory School in Tyrone, also an eighth grade student, won third place.

Ryan and Katy Karschner, students at Holy Redeemer School in Alpharetta, tied with Martin Neri for first place in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Chancery Choice poster contest. The program had a Holy Spirit-inspired theme.

The Office of Intercultural Ministries selects the overall poster contest winners. The first-place winner for the poster contest is Kalina Nguyen, a third grader from St. John the Evangelist School in Hapeville. In her poster, a wing of the dove holds its seven gifts. From each of those gifts, Dr. King is illustrated as fighting for social justice, working with others and praying.

Ryan and Katy Karschner, a fourth grader and first grader respectively, from Holy Redeemer School in Alpharetta tied with fourth grader Martin Neri from St. Peter Claver Regional School in Decatur for second place in the poster contest. Fourth grader Ella Jordan from Our Lady of the Assumption School won the third place award. 

Staff of the Smyrna offices of the archdiocese select the Chancery Choice poster contest winners.The tie for first place went to Neri from St. Peter Claver Regional and Ryan and Katy Karschner from Holy Redeemer School. 

Third grader Kalina Nguyen from St. John the Evangelist School in Hapeville won first place in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. poster contest, organized by the Office of Intercultural Ministries. The theme for this year’s contest is, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.” (Gal 5:25)

Neri drew a Holy Spirit dove with its fruits underneath. Biblical and life examples of each fruit were depicted in the drawing. Ryan and Katy drew a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit with people of many races following the teachings of Dr. King.

Fourth grader Charlotte Gomes from St. Jude the Apostle School in Atlanta and third grader Sarah Small from St. Thomas More School in Decatur tied for second place in the Chancery Choice category.          

Emma Sylvester, a third grader from Queen of Angels School in Roswell tied with Anna Cumberland and Sophia Olivarez, fourth graders from St. Joseph School in Marietta, for the third place award.