THIS DAY IN CATHOLIC HISTORY
On August 28, 1963, Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle of Washington delivered the invocation at the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He prayed that the Holy Spirit would open every heart to the truth that all people are equal in the sight of God and that justice requires the rights of every person to be respected.
Catholics participated prominently in the peaceful march, including Mathew Ahmann, executive director of the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice, who addressed the gathering shortly before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Their participation reflected the Church’s teaching on the God-given dignity of every human person and its call to overcome racial prejudice through justice, charity, and peace.