• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Archbishop Lori offers invocation at ‘Protest with a Purpose’

June 8, 2020
By Paul McMullen
Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Racial Justice

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Josephite Fathers Ray Bomberger, left, and Freddie Kaddu were among those present for the June 8 protest. (Paul McMullen.CR Staff)

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori offered the invocation before a “Protest with a Purpose” outside the U.S. District Court for Maryland in Baltimore June 8.

The event came two weeks to the day after the death of George Floyd on videotape while a Minneapolis policeman kneeled on his neck. It evoked the 2015 death, while in custody of Baltimore City police, of Freddie Gray Jr.

The archbishop prayed for the Holy Spirit to consume racism and the conditions that led to the deaths of Floyd, Gray, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others around the nation.

The violent aftermath that followed Gray’s death contributed to a federal consent decree calling for extensive reform of the city’s police department.

The archbishop spoke at the invitation of Ray Kelly, the lead community liaison for that Consent Decree Monitoring Team, a parish leader at St. Peter Claver/St. Pius V in Sandtown, and, in January, the inaugural recipient of the archdiocese’s Faith in Baltimore Award.

“We chose this site, outside the federal courthouse, where officials are overseeing the consent decree,” Kelly said. “We have a conduit. The court is serious about getting this done. Change only comes when the policies and laws change.”

A number of speakers addressed police brutality and racism. They included Erricka Bridgeford, who organizes Baltimore’s “Ceasefire” weekends; Rabbi Daniel Burg of Beth Am Synagogue; and Zainab Chaudry, director of Maryland Outreach for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Organized by the Citizens Policing Project, the protest lasted several hours and highlighted 14 steps that would lead to Baltimore residents being “policed equitably and effectively.”

Those steps range from fully implementing the consent decree to increasing transparency ending state control over the city police department.

“We have a majority white state dictating terms to a majority black city,” Kelly said. “Do we need a better example of systemic oppression?”

The measures include reinstating “relationship-building,” such as the Police Athletic Centers for youths that were once part of Baltimore’s fabric. William J. McCarthy Jr., executive director of Catholic Charities of Baltimore, spoke to that latter point, emphasizing encounters among police and the populace that are non-confrontational.

The crowd included Josephite Father Ray Bomberger, Kelly’s pastor at St. Peter Claver/St. Pius V. Father Bomberger is also pastor of St. Gregory the Great in West Baltimore.

Also see:

Baltimore faith leaders call for peace and unity

Email Paul McMullen at pmcmullen@CatholicReview.org

 

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Paul McMullen

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori and Supreme Knight Kelly meet with Pope Leo

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

  • Augustinian prior opens up about papal vacation, first encyclical, appointments and tennis

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Russia Ukraine Vatican peace

Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors
  • Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass
  • Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops
  • ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do
  • Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop
  • After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home
  • Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students
  • Synod office provides guidelines to help local churches, bishops implement synodality

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en