We are witnessing history. There is no doubt about it. The lynching of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers was the last straw and the world erupted. Protests again police brutality were almost immediate. First in Minneapolis, then to other cities in America in every state, and then to Australia and China and London among other places in the world. It was amazing.
Now it would be a lie to say that these protests went without a hitch. Far-right extremists were caught in the act of provoking looting and violence along with undercover officers causing further damage to public property. Many opportunists took this time to dishonor the aim of the protest: police brutality again people of color.
But that didn’t sway the protesters as the cause was far too important to slow down. Marches, rallies, speeches, and more consumed my Facebook and Instagram feed. Posts for Black Lives Matters, against the LAPD, and videos of children protesting inspired many people watching.
Many police were recorded for their brutality. The summer of 2020 unveiled a violent culture within the police of the United States. It is absolutely true that we have wonderful men and women in uniform who uphold the law and understand that their vocation goes beyond being on payroll and that they have additional responsibilities, like those of teachers or clergy. However, those good officers are now veiled behind the violent batons of the rest. The racist, the prejudice, the crooked, the malicious.
The response has been vast. People condemn the mayor, the police chief, large corporations, the police training, white people, media commentators, the president, racism. They are lifting up people of color who definitely ought to be recognized; composers, artists, scientists, etc.
There are small ways that Catholics can make a difference in being an ally. While Catholics ought to be involved in the fight against racism, it is not a one-lane highway. Everyone must fight racism in the ways that they feel most prepared for and confident in. Some take to the streets to protest, others provide water, others write letters, others check in on their black colleagues. Catholics can do this with their intercessions.
Catholics believe in the intercession of the saints. This does not mean that they do not believe in direct access to God through Christ because they absolutely do. There are many reasons that Catholics give for the intercession of saints. Our own lived experiences resonate with the lives of the saints. Some ask for intercessions regarding a lost loved one, others for the sale of their home, etc. This also goes for us. When someone asks for your prayers, they are saying that your lived experience and faith are powerful. James 5:16 says: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” 1 Pet. 2:9 also calls us to be a nation of priests. God knows what He is doing and we all have a responsibility.
Furthermore, when we ask for the intercessions of saints, our prayers are then configured in Christ as His own. This brings me to Saint Charles Lwanga. He is one of 22 Ugandan martyrs and is a patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He was absolutely instrumental in protecting young boys from the sexual advances of the Bagandan king (Baganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda), Mwanga, while also instructing the youth in their Catholic faith as a catechist while they were imprisoned for refusing the king’s advances. He was burned at the stake at Namugongo on June 3, 1886 by Mwanga’s order. Pope Paul VI canonized Lwanga and his 21 companions on October 18, 1964.
Saint Lwanga is a protector, teacher, hero, and more. At the age of 26, he was able to believe with every ounce of his strength the protecting power of Christ. Now, as a venerable saint, he, teacher us to search for strength to move forward in fighting injustice from our oppressors.
Throughout the Black Lives Matter movement, it is important to acknowledge and lift up those in the black community who, despite racism, were driven to excel. Saint Lwanga will configure our prayers for freedom from oppression into Christ’s own prayers. We can do this even if we are not Catholic as Saint Lwanga’s story offers strength and conviction for those who resonate with it.
