thirteenth sunday in ordinary time do not be afraid; just
TRANSCRIPT
NUESTRA SEÑORA REINA DE LA PAZ
27 de junio 2021
DÉCIMOTERCER DOMINGO EN EL
TIEMPO ORDINARIO
OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CHURCH
June 27, 2021
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Welcome to OLQP Catholic Church! İBienvenidos a OLQP Iglesia Católica!
Contact / Contacto: 2700 19th St S, Arlington VA 22204 703-979-5580, [email protected] Temporary Parish Office Location: 1915 Edgewood St S
Website / sitioweb: olqpva.org
Masses Scheduled to be live-streamed:
June 27— 11:15am & 1pm
July 4—6pm & 1pm
DECLARACIÓN DE MISIÓN DE OLQP La parroquia de la iglesia católica Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz se dedica a dar testimonio de las enseñanzas de Jesucristo, especialmente el Evangelio de San Mateo, Capítulo 25:21-46. Nuestra misión es nutrir el espíritu y alentar el potencial de aquellos a quienes servimos a través de la celebración litúrgica, labores educativas y ministerios sociales. La parroquia contin-uará identificándose con su origen como una comuni-dad afro-americana, pero reflejando una congregación multi-étnica y continuará promoviendo la armonía racial y la justicia social. Si bien es cierto que nuestro enfoque principal es la vecindad comunitaria, contin-uaremos trabajando para proveer por el bienestar de los más necesitados en general. Es así como nos esfor-zamos para hacer de nuestra comunidad parroquial una familia que comparte y se preocupa por sus miem-bros.
OLQP MISSION STATEMENT
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church is dedicated to witnessing the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 25:31-46. Our mission is to nurture the spirit and to encourage the potential of those we serve through liturgical celebration, educational endeavors and social ministries. The parish will continue to identify with its origin as a Black parish. As a multi-ethnic congregation we will seek to promote racial har-mony and social justice. While our primary focus is within the immediate community, we will also work to provide for the well-being of the downtrodden everywhere. In this we strive for our parish community to be a caring, sharing, and loving family.
“No temas, basta que tengas fe”. Marcos 4,41
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
Mark 5:36
Masses / Misas: Weekdays / Días laborables: Mon-Fri, 12pm / lunes a viernes 12pm Weekend Mass Schedule / Horario de misas de fin de semana: Saturday Vigil — 5:30pm Misa de vigilia sábados - 5:30 pm Sundays — 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:15am, 1:00pm (Spanish) & 6:00pm (Young Adult) Domingos — 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:15 am, 1:00 pm (español), y 6:00 pm (Misa de jóvenes adultos)
THIS WEEKEND’S SECOND COLLECTION:
PETER’S PENCE
SEGUNDA COLECTA DE ESTE FIN DE SEMANA: PETER’S PENCE
COLECTA DE CARIDAD DEL PAPA
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION /
PREPARACIÓN SACRAMENTAL
Baptism / Bautizo: Please email Baptism Coordinator Cecilia Lopez Oetgen,
Por favor mande un correo electrónico a la coordinadora de los
bautizos, Cecilia López Oetgen, [email protected].
Marriage Preparation/ Preparación para el matrimonio: Please contact the parish office at least six months before wedding
date to complete requirements.
Por favor llame a la oficina de la parroquia seis meses antes
de su matrimonio para completar todos los requisitos.
Reconciliation / Reconciliación—Confesión: Fr. Ray Hall Library
Biblioteca Fr. Ray Hall
Saturdays 4:15-4:45pm & by appointment
Los sábados: 4:15-4:45pm y por cita previa.
SUNDAY COLLECTIONS / COLECTAS DEL DOMINGO Sunday Collection / Colecta del pasado domingo: $4,755
Faith Direct (June Average / promedio del mes de junio): $14,873
MISAL PALABRA Y EUCARISTÍA /
WORD & EUCHARIST MISSALETTE Today’s readings can be found on page 610.
Las lecturas de hoy se encuentran en la página 611.
BULLETIN DEADLINE / PLAZO PARA EL BOLETÍN Wednesday / miércoles —9 AM — [email protected]
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME DECIMOTERCER DOMINGO EN EL TIEMPO ORDINARIO
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 (98B); 2 Corinthians 8:7,9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43 Sabiduría 1,13-15; 2,23-24 (98B); 2 Corintios 8,7,9, 13-15; Marcos 5,21-43
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME DECIMOCUARTO DOMINGO EN EL TIEMPO ORDINARIO
Ezekiel 2:2-5 (101B); 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6 Ezequiel 2,2-5 (101B); 2 Corintios 12,7-10; Marcos 6,1-6
MASS INTENTIONS, JUNE 26 – JULY 2 TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
INTENCIONES DE LAS MISAS, 26 JUNIO – 2 JULIO DECIMOTERCER DOMINGO EN EL TIEMPO ORDINARIO
Saturday June 26th 5:30 pm Mary Mikolajczak (D) by Ginny Franco
Sunday June 27th 8:00 am Madeleine Duoc Nguyen & Paul Hung Ngo (D)
by Best Buns Group 9:30 am Norma McClosky's Family in Paraguay (L) by Tony Remedios
11:15 am Victoria Delena (D) by Genoveva Mundo 1:00 pm por la parroquia
6:00 pm Melchor Galvez (D) by Emma Francia and Family Monday June 28th
12:00 pm Zara Manuel (L) by Jude Dias Tuesday June 29th
12:00 pm Kara Cuisia Prodigalidad (D) by Judy Francia Reyes and Wally Reyes
Wednesday June 30th 12:00 pm the Parish
Thursday July 1st 12:00 pm Don Alviar (D) by Judith Francia Reyes and Wally Reyes
Friday July 2nd 12:00 pm the Parish
1/8
OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND STRENGTHEN US / NUESTROS ENFERMOS Y CONFINADOS NOS FORTALECEN
PLEASE PRAY FOR / POR FAVOR OREMOS POR: Catherine Algeri, Suri Barahona, Gene Bétit, Grace Bialecki, Cindy Bianga, Francis Bilgera, Joseph Leopold Bissonnette, Precious Bowens, April Brassard, Dave Brassard, Evie Brown, Lynne Burgh, Marty Butner Covington, Brody Carroll, Louise Chambers, Carmen Rosa Claure, Jeff Cory, Mary DaLuca, Cheryl Darby, Jim Davis, Adrienne DiCerbo, Ernest Donatto, Patricia “Pat” Dowd, Irene Fitzpatrick, Yevette Francois, Anne Fullerton, Iva Futrell, Karen Gammache, Trishann Ganley, Francine Gemmill, Fred Gladbach, Yolanda Gregorio, Harris Family, Sally Harrs, Linda Hawkins, Clare Hayden, Dee Hickey, Margaret Hodges, Margaret Howe, Patrick Hynes, Beatriz Uribe Jaramillo, Lillian Jay, Pat Johnson, Sharon Jourdan, Cindy Kernick, Sally Krahn, Carmen Andrea Lara, Pat-rick Lawrey, Bertie Leahy, Maria Linares, Lidia Montero Lopez, Olga MacKenzie, Wil McBride, Stefan McGuigan, Martha Gladys Medina, Maria Magdalena Medrano de Ventura, Eileen Melia, Frances Mierzwa, Arthur Miller, Mary Miller, Yvonne Mockler, Carmen Montijo, Dorothy Moran, Rosemary Morrisey, Bob Morsches, Chelsea Murray, Dorothy Myrtle, Mario Amel Najarro, Bruyce Niligis, Julie O’Brien, Patrick Ogden, Janet O’Neil, Delfima Pacheco-Choque, Roy Paco, Catherine Parr, Mary Pasquarella, Mark Pazich, Minnie Pazich, Paul Ramirez, Maddie Respicio-Cabatic, Wally Reyes, Michael Rodgers, Maritza Roldan, Marco Cristi-aan Rufolo-Roger, Josefina Salgado, Carolyn Santos, Susan Savage, Jane Shepard, Janet Shirvanian, Mary Shookhoff, Jeffrey Smith, Mary E. Smith, Eva Souza, Nina Stewart, Michael Arthur Sweat, Rose Trujillo, Nancy Urquizo, Stephen Utley, Robin Vogel, Kate Witkowski, Midge Wholey, Mary Woods, Claudia Zapata, Kate Zopp.
OLQP PARISH STAFF / PERSONAL DE LA PARROQUIA
Pastor / Párroco: Fr. Tim Hickey, CSSp, [email protected]
Parochial Vicar / Párroco Asociado: Fr. Martin Vu, CSSp, [email protected]
Ministerio Latino: Fr. Joseph Nangle, OFM, [email protected]
Deacon / Diácono: Dcn. Tony Remedios, [email protected] (@ajremedios) on Twitter
Parish Office / Oficina parroquial
Business Manager / Gerente de Negocios: Christina Kozyn, [email protected] Social Justice & Outreach Minister / Ministro de Justicia Social y Acercamiento (bilingüe): Sally Díaz-Wells, [email protected] Faith Formation Director / Director de Formación de Fe (bilingϋe): Cecilia López Oetgen, [email protected] Youth & Young Adult Minister / Ministro de Adolescentes y Jóvenes Adultos: Rebecca Grant Jenkins, [email protected] Receptionist (Bilingual): Thelma Molina, [email protected] Administrative Support: Jeannette Gantz Daly, [email protected] Monica McCormick, [email protected] Maintenance Department Support (Bilingual): Mel Cabrera, [email protected] Michael Hill, [email protected] Zulema Ramallo Faith Formation Support (Bilingual):
Sandra Rivera, [email protected]
3/8
NEWS FROM MEDOR Father Frantz, pastor of St. Joseph of Medor parish, wrote that despite the recent uptick of COVID cases and deaths in Haiti, there have still been no known cases of the virus in the 74 square mile parish. However, Father Frantz did have sad news: Sadly, Sister Francois, who served in Medor several years ago, as the parish clinic director and nurse, died last week from COVID. She had been working at a clinic in another part of Haiti. She will be fondly remembered for her enthusiasm, warm smiles, kindness, love and healing presence and will be sorely missed. Please pray for the repose of her soul. Haiti celebrates Father's Day on the last Sunday in June. Let's wish all the dads in Medor a Happy Father's Day!
FAITH FORMATION REGISTRATION For 2021-2022 NOW OPEN
The registration form is on the parish website (olqpva.org >> our faith >> registration) or you can call the Faith For-mation office to receive a copy by mail. We are registering for all 2021- 2022 programs including first year sacramental programs (First Communion and Confirmation are now 2-year programs). There is a family book fee for Foundations of $20; one fee per family. Program/book fees are also in place for the sacramental programs. Fees can be paid on-line through Faith Direct (Faithdirect.net, parish code VA271, note “foundations”) or families can mail in a check with “foundations” on the memo line. Details on all the pro-grams being offered for 2021-2022 school year are available on the parish website under “our faith” tab. Please contact our new Director of Faith Formation, Cecilia ([email protected]), with any questions or call 703-979- 5580 to leave a message for a return call.
WEEKLY OLQP MOMENT
Join the parish community on Monday at 5:21pm to reflect on the topic of Faith. There is no time requirement for your reflection and no virtual meeting to join. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, please pause for your reflection knowing you are with others from the OLQP community. Anyone wishing to add the OLQP moment to their calendar can email "OLQP Moment" to Patrick Julius at [email protected] to receive the information in a calendar request. Please specify if you want the reminder in Spanish.
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NOTICIAS DE MEDOR El Padre Frantz, párroco de la parroquia St. Joseph en Medor, escribió que a pesar del aumento reciente de casos de COVID y muertes en Haití, no se ha sabido de casos del virus en las 74 millas cuadradas de la parroquia. Sin embargo, el Padre Frantz tuvo malas noticias: lamentablemente, la Hermana François, que sirvió en Medor hace varios años, como la directora y enfermera de la clínica de la parroquia, murió la semana pasada de COVID. Ella había estado trabajando en una clínica en otra parte de Haití.
Se le recordará con mucho cariño por su entusiasmo, sus amplias sonrisas, su bondad, amor y su presencia sanadora. Se le va a extrañar muchísimo. Por favor recen por el descanso de su alma. Haití celebra el Día de los padres el último domingo de junio. ¡Deseémosles un Feliz día de los padres a todos los padres en Medor!
LA MATRÍCULA PARA LA FORMACIÓN DE FE PARA EL
2021-2022 ESTÁ ABIERTA AHORA El formulario de inscripción está en el sitio web de la parroquia (olqpva.org >> our faith >> registration) o puede llamar a la oficina de Formación de fe para recibir una copia por correo. Estamos matriculando para todos los programas del 2021-2022 incluyendo los sacramentales del primer año (Primera comunión y Confirmación ahora son programas de 2 años). Algo nuevo para el año escolar del 2021-2022 es una cuota por familia de libros de $20. Hay también cuotas adicionales para programas/libros para los programas de los sacramentos. Las cuotas se pueden pagar en línea por Faith Direct (Faithdirect.net, código de la parroquia VA271, “foundations”) o las familias pueden enviar un cheque por correo con “foundations” en la línea del asunto. Detalles acerca de todos los programas que se ofrecen para el año escolar del 2021-2022 están disponibles bajo la pestaña (tab) “our faith” del sitio web de la parroquia. Por favor contacte a nuestra nueva directora de la Formación de fe, Cecilia ([email protected]), si tiene alguna pregunta o llame al 703-979-5580 para dejar un mensaje para que le llamen.
MOMENTO SEMANAL DE OLQP Únase a la comunidad parroquial el lunes a las 5:21pm para reflexionar sobre el tema de la Fe. No se requiere que se reflexione por un tiempo específico y no hay que asistir a una reunión virtual. Dondequiera que esté, sin importar lo que está haciendo, por favor pare para reflexionar sabiendo que está unida/o a otras personas de la comunidad de OLQP. Cualquier persona que desea añadir el momento a su calendario puede mandarle un correo electrónico “Momento de OLQP” a Patrick Julius – [email protected] para recibir la información en una solicitud para el calendario. Por favor especifique si quiere el recordatorio en español.
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A Consistent Ethic of Life Catholic Community
OLQP ANNUAL BACKPACK &
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE OLQP Religious Education Families are collecting new
backpacks and school supplies for parish and local
children, kindergarten through high school.
We STILL need:
66 Pocket Folders 251 Pencils
94 Scissors 12 Colored Pencils
115Markers 263 Erasers
115 Covered Sharpeners 337Glue sticks
152 Uncovered Sharpeners 96 Crayons
15 Pens 864 Notebooks
216 Backpacks --not a typo!!! 397 Pencil boxes
Please note, we do not need 3-ring binders. School
supplies can be left in the food collection bins
behind Father Ray Hall. If you have questions or would
like to provide an entire backpack, please contact Pat
Vinkenes at [email protected].
REUSE THOSE GROCERY BAGS! We are in real need of brown paper bags with handles. These help Food Pantry volunteers package our food and it give the bags a second life before recycling. Thank you for working to reduce waste and to help the Food Pantry. Please drop them off during office hours from 10am until 2pm in the food collection bins behind Father Ray Hall or bring them to Mass on Sunday and leave them at the back of church.
CALLING ALL RISING 7TH, 8TH, AND 9TH GRADERS!
We’re calling you if you are interested in the OLQP Young Disciples Work Camp, August 2nd – 6th on the OLQP campus. We will be partnering with Phoenix bikes again to recycle and repair bikes for the Shirlington Employment and Education Center (SEEC). Space is limited, so if you’re interested, please contact Youth and Young Adult Minister Rebecca Grant Jenkins, [email protected]. If you previously expressed interest, please also confirm your participation for that week. Get those service hours in!
4/8
CAMPAÑA ANUAL PARA RECOGER MOCHILAS Y MATERIALES ESCOLARES
Las familias de la Formación de fe de OLQP están recogiendo mochilas nuevas y materiales escolares para las niñas y niños de la parroquia y del barrio de kindergarten a la escuela superior. Por favor considere apoyar a nuestras niñas y niños. Verdaderamente necesitamos su ayuda y todavía necesitamos los siguientes artículos: 66 carpetas con bolsillos 251 lápices 94 tijeras 12 lápices de color 115 marcadores 263 gomas de borrar 115 sacapuntas con tapa 152 sacapuntas sin tapa 337 barras de pegamento 96 crayolas 15 bolígrafos 397 cajas para lápices 216 mochilas -- ¡Esto no es un error! 864 libretas Por favor fíjese que no necesitamos carpetas de anillas. Puede dejar los materiales escolares en los contenedores para los alimentos detrás de Fr. Ray Hall. Si tiene preguntas o quisiera donar una mochila completa, por favor contacte a Pat Vinkenes: [email protected].
¡REUTILICE ESAS BOLSAS DEL MERCADO!
Verdaderamente necesitamos bolsas de papel con agarraderas. Las bolsas ayudan a los voluntarios de la despensa de alimentos a empaquetar nuestros y les dan una segunda vida a las bolsas antes de reciclarlas. Gracias por ayudar a reducir el desperdicio. Por favor tráigalas durante las horas de trabajo de 10am a las 2pm a los contenedores de recogida de alimentos detrás de Fr. Ray Hall o tráigalas a Misa los domingos y déjelas en la parte de atrás de la iglesia.
¡LLAMANDO A LOS FUTUROS ESTUDIANTES
DE LOS GRADOS 7, 8 y 9! Te estamos llamando si estás interesada/o en el Campamento de trabajo de OLQP para jóvenes discípulos, del 2 al 6 de agosto en el campus de OLQP. Vamos a colaborar otra vez con las bicicletas Phoenix para reciclar y reparar bicicletas para el Shirlington Employment and Education Center (SEEC). Hay espacio limitado, así que si estás interesada/o, por favor contacta a Rebecca Grant Jenkins, la ministro de adolescentes y jóvenes adultos, [email protected]. Si ya has expresado interés, por favor también confirma tu participación para esa semana. ¡Acumula las horas de servicio!
THE SPRING ISSUE OF THE ADVOCATE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The latest OLQP newsletter shines a light on environmental justice and the use of renewable energy to lessen our carbon footprint. Articles also honor those who have passed away; highlight OLQP members engaged in community advocacy; and give an update on the Youth and Young Adult ministry. Read it online (https://www.ourladyqueenofpeace.org) or send an email to [email protected] to receive The Advocate by email or to have it sent to your home address.
MINKISI’S SCRIPTURE PRAYER AND REFLECTION “Walk in the Light”
All are invited to Minkisi’s monthly Scripture Prayer and Reflection, at 6:45-9:00 pm, July 12, second Monday, in Zoom. Bob Rohde will lead the meditation on Luke 10:1, 17-20. Contact Cecilia Braveboy for program information, [email protected], and for registration assistance Melody Atkinson, [email protected]. REGISTER BY FRIDAY, July 9, and go to: https://bit.ly/minkisijuly.
Programs that are open to the entire community, but offered in English only. Programas que le dan la bienvenida a toda la comunidad, pero que solo se ofrecen en inglés.
Una comunidad católica con una ética consistente con la vida
5/8
JUST A THOUGHT...OR TWO…
In today’s Gospel we encounter Jesus preaching
to great crowds when suddenly a man inter-
rupts and approaches, begging him to save his
daughter’s life. Jesus immediately leaves to go
to the bedside of the young girl who is near
death…but is interrupted along the way…yet
again. This time he is interrupted by a woman
who has suffered for twelve years with hemor-
rhages. She, who is an interruption, becomes
the center of his attention. Jesus stops, know-
ing the little girl lay dying, to attend to the wom-
an’s needs.
We see a pattern in the ministry of Jesus, a
pattern of “interruptions” that time and time
again become moments of healing, moments of
the Reign of God bursting forth because Jesus
takes the “interruption” and turns it into an en-
counter with The Divine!
Henri Nouwen, famously once said that he used
to get annoyed with all the interruptions in his
ministry, until he realized that the interruptions
were his ministry. What an incredibly challeng-
ing way to look at interruptions! We all know
we must get things done! But the truth is that
too often we can miss occasions to minister to a
sister or a brother in need because they arrive
as we are busy about other things. They appear
to be interruptions, but perhaps they are
“opportunities”!
These “interruptions” could be opportunities for
us to become the love of Christ present in the
world through our response to another’s mo-
ment of need. In the midst of this woman’s
darkness she recognized Jesus as a beacon of
hope!
In the midst of our present darkness, in the
midst of this pandemic, in the midst of this tidal
wave of demand for racial justice, we are being
called to be beacons of hope for others! When
was the last time God interrupted my life in the
form of someone in need? How did I re-
spond? How is God interrupting my life today?
Blessings, Fr. Tim
FAITH DIRECT ONLINE GIVING We are so pleased with the uptick in online giving here at OLQP, especially with Sunday Offertory giving and especially as the pan-demic continues to impact Mass attendance. We’re not quite where we were pre-pandemic, but we’re coming back! Sunday Offertory are contributions we rely on to pay for general operating expenses — liturgical supplies, janitorial supplies, payroll, ministry needs, lawn care and pest control, IT support and equipment maintenance and upgrades, insurance costs, office supplies, dioce-san assessments, etc.
Faith Direct—a safe and secure e-giving company ranked as one of the top options by the diocese—handles ACH and credit card trans-actions for our parish. You can setup recurring Sunday offertory giving as well as second collection giving, and a number of special giving options such as the Food Pantry, the Covid Fund and the Youth Ministry Summer Work Camp. Sign up by visiting: https://faith.direct/VA271. The site will offer a list of all the options.
Blessings, Fr. Tim and Fr. Martin
PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY November 3 - 13
Join Father Peter McShurley and Father Ed Hathaway of the Diocese of Arlington on a pilgrimage to Italy this November. This trip features six nights in Rome and three nights in Assisi and includes round-trip airfare from IAD. You can expect beautiful four-star hotels, private transportation, an incredible program of Catho-lic and cultural tours led by master guides, most meals, and daily Mass, prayers and spiritual direction. The cost is $4490.00 per person. Space is limited to forty pilgrims total. NB - A negative Covid-19 test is required to visit Italy. The vaccine is not required. For more information or to register please visit www.prorometours.com/italy-arlington or contact Margaret at [email protected] or 434-953-1112.
6/8
JUNETEENTH: ‘HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE
FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS’
BY JAYNE MARIE SMITH
My father was a Marine before I was
born and served as a reservist until I
was around 5 years old. I loved the
dress uniform decorating my father’s
trim frame and his handsome dark
skin and dark eyes peering from
underneath his cap. What I did not
like were the room inspections and
summer workouts he subjected his
daughters to, but that’s a story for
another time. Though I’m the
daughter of a Marine and great-great-
granddaughter of once-enslaved
people, I still get chills when I see
photos of Black men in Union
uniforms from the Civil War, the way
I imagine my ancestors did in the
1860s.
“How beautiful are the feet of those
who bring good news,” the Apostle
Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah after
asking, “How can they hear without
someone preaching to them? And
how can anyone preach unless they
are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15).
If you’ve been taught about
Juneteenth at all, the common telling
is that President Abraham Lincoln's
1863 Emancipation Proclamation
pronounced freedom for all enslaved
people in states that had seceded
from the Union, but that Black
Texans weren’t informed until June
19, 1865 — two and a half years later.
The delay is sometimes blamed on
distance and limited communication
or the idea that enslavers weren't
inclined to comply with the law.
While these may have been
contributing factors, these
explanations obscure why the Black
residents of Galveston, Texas,
actually celebrated the first
Juneteenth — and obscures how that
celebration still speaks to us today.
The reality is that Lincoln’s executive
order was meaningless to the
rebellious states unless and until the
Union army arrived to enforce it.
Likewise, while the 13th Amendment
—passed by the Senate in 1864, the
House in January 1865, and ratified
by the states later that year —
formally abolished slavery in the
United States, most Texans didn't yet
consider themselves a part of the U.S.
(though the U.S. didn’t consider the
secessions legal, Texas didn't regain
full congressional representation and
ratify the 13th Amendment until
1870). As such, in 1865, the Lone
Star State did not recognize the
authority of Lincoln or the U.S.
Constitution.
Reflecting on this history, I’m
haunted by recent declarations of
“Not my president” and images of
the Confederate flag in the
corridors of the U.S. Capitol six
months ago. American history books
teach that the Civil War ended in
April 1865 at the Appomattox Court
House in Virginia, but that was just a
military surrender by the
outnumbered Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Battles were still being waged,
including in Texas. “Officers and
men can return to their homes [with
the] satisfaction that proceeds from a
consciousness of duty faithfully
performed,” Lee said to the Southern
soldiers in his 1866 farewell speech.
Lee’s speech sounds eerily like former
President Donald Trump's
speech on Jan. 6, 2021: “This was a
fraudulent election, but we can't play
into the hands of these people. We
have to have peace. So go home. We
love you. You're very special,” Trump
said to the Capitol insurrectionists.
The spiritual side of me thinks of the
Apostle Paul’s description in Romans
7:19 of the ongoing battle inside of
him between good and sin. Bodily, as
an African American, I feel this battle
waging outside of me, too; in the
United States, this battle waged all
around me, ever ongoing, invisible,
but impactful. Both spiritually and in
my Black American existence, I
recognize that no one in rebellion
adheres to authority without the
presence of that authority.
7/8
For white and Black Texans in 1865,
this authority was represented by as
many as 10,000 Black men in Union
uniforms, bearing guns and proud
faces from their numerous major
victories. Juneteenth observations
rightfully focus on Union Gen.
Gordon Granger reading Order No. 3
(image above) finally announcing the
news of emancipation, as he was
flanked by two transports full of
soldiers marching to the Negro
Church on Broadway (now known as
Reedy Chapel AME Church). But it’s
the divine order of events that added
to the beauty of this day.
In May 1865, following the Union’s
victory in Virginia, the entire XXV
Corps — composed of free and
formerly enslaved Black men — was
shipped to Texas to secure the
Mexican border from Napoleon's
army and prevent resurgent
Confederate activity. While en route,
stormy seas — some might call “acts
of God” — forced the transport ships
to anchor in Galveston Bay on June
18, 1865 to gather supplies. The next
day, Friday, June 19, when Granger
arrived, the more than 1,000 enslaved
people working in Galveston’s ports,
houses, hotels, cotton fields, and
barber and smithing shops would
have witnessed thousands of Black
men in blue uniforms as far as the eye
could see as their liberators.
Granger read the words:
“The people of Texas are informed
that, in accordance with a
proclamation from the Executive of
the United States, all slaves are free.
This involves an absolute equality of
personal rights and rights of property
between former masters and
slaves ...”
It was the beautiful presence of
authoritative Black bodies that made
these words real. These Black soldiers,
like Christ, gave flesh to the
emancipating spoken words. They
embodied the chorus of the Negro
spiritual “Oh Freedom,” which rang:
“And before I’d be a slave, I’ll be
buried in my grave, and go home to
my Lord, and be free.” Before them
marched the cost of their freedom,
the death of the sin that bound them,
and the new life being offered to
them. Their freedom didn’t just come
from an order of a white man;
freedom came enforced by faces that
looked like them, a living picture of
freedom that spoke 10,000 words.
As we acknowledge the day Black
Texans heard they were free, we
cannot neglect thanking the beautiful
Black feet that were sent and stood
with the good news.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on
June 17, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. to clarify the
timeline of the 13th Amendment ratification
in Texas.
Jayne Marie Smith is multimedia
producer for Sojourners
SOJO.NET—JUN 17, 2021
faith in action for social justice
General Order No. 3
They will soar on wings like eagles. — Isaiah. 40:31
Kiernan Bartlett
St Olaf College
Nicole Caldwell
Hayfield SS
Casey Donahue
George Washington MS
Theo Joanna Jenkins
Flint Hill School
Nicolas Lopez-Riveira
Bishop O'Connell HS
Congratulations Class of 2021!!
¡¡Felicidades ELICIDADES a la Clase del 2021!!
Taylor Grace Lynch
Yorktown HS
Alberto José Méndez
Justice HS
Lily Eileen Ramey
Virginia Tech U
Riley Marie Rhoder
Fairfax HS
Sam Stewart
Commonwealth
Academy
Se remontarán con alas como las águilas.
Audrey Mary Vinkenes
University of Washington
Theodore Waddington
John R. Lewis HS
Carlos Wylde-Gladbach
Washington-Liberty HS
Ally Wylde-Gladbach
U of Mary Washington
OLQP Graduation Bulletin—2021