Diocese honours King in blood

Sydney
3 February 2002

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Diocese honours King in blood

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Diocese honours King in blood

michigan.jpg Michigan pays tribute to Dr King's memory with its Blood of the Martyrs campaign

The diocese of Lansing, Michigan, commemorated the Martin Luther King holiday with its second annual diocese-wide Blood of the Martyrs blood drive, a campaign that organisers hope will eventually take root across the country.

"The ultimate goal is to literally change the way this holiday is celebrated, for our children's sake and for our country's sake," says Ron Landfair, director of Black Catholic Ministry in the diocese.

He told The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey: "How wonderful it would be, if, 20 years from now, we made it a point to give blood nationally.

"How wonderful for the Catholic Church to be harbingers of this tradition."

About three years ago local Red Cross officials were talking about a blood shortage.

About the same time Lansing Bishop Carl Mengeling approached Landfair about plans for the next Martin Luther King Day. The Blood of the Martyrs concept emerged.

"I think the Church struggles with Dr King because he's not Catholic," Landfair said. "We see the luncheons and rallies that take place in his name, but how do we acknowledge his denominational relationship and still come up with a way to honour him?

"When you talk about martyrdom and self-sacrifice, what greater gift, beyond money, can we offer but blood, which is life for the good of the community?"

Last year 650 people gave blood.