CNA Staff, Nov 1, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Nov. 1 marks the 160th anniversary of Maryland Emancipation Day, remembering the day the Maryland Constitution of 1864 went into effect and officially abolished slavery in the state.
“This day, when all those still held in bondage were finally set free, is a profound reminder of the dignity of every human person, a dignity that the Catholic Church upholds as sacred and inviolable,” the Catholic bishops of Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Delaware wrote in a joint statement.
The message was signed by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore; Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell of Washington, D.C.; Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar of Washington, D.C.; Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, D.C.; Auxiliary Bishop Juan Esposito of Washington, D.C.; Auxiliary Bishop Adam Parker of Baltimore; Bishop William Koenig of Wilmington, Delaware; and Auxiliary Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, CSsR, of Baltimore.
The bishops remind the faithful in their message that “at the heart of our Catholic faith is the belief that each person is made in the image and likeness of God. Slavery, in any form, is an affront to this divine image, reducing human beings to mere property and denying them their God-given freedom.”
The 1864 decision made Maryland one of the earliest states to abolish slavery. This monumental decision came one year ahead of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States and its territories.
Despite this victory, the bishops pointed out that “the work of justice is never complete.”
“The end of slavery was a monumental victory, but it also reminds us that freedom must be protected, matured, and expanded to ensure justice for all.”
The bishops also highlighted the fact that not only did the abolition of slavery restore the dignity of individuals but also “the sanctity of family life, which had been shattered by the horrors of slavery.”
“Families that had been torn apart, sold, and scattered could now hope to rebuild and thrive, standing as a testament to the power of human resilience and the grace of God,” they added.
Recognizing that the effects of slavery and racism continue to affect society today, the bishops reminded the faithful that “as Catholics, we are called to be active participants in the promotion of justice, standing against all forms of oppression and advocating for the rights and dignity of all. This day reminds us that freedom is a gift from God that must be extended to everyone without exception.”
They continued: “This day is not only a time to look back with gratitude for the progress made, but also a time to look forward, recommitting ourselves to the work of healing, reconciliation, and justice.”
The bishops concluded their message stating: “We stand in solidarity with all who are oppressed, working for a world where the dignity of every human life is recognized and upheld. Let this anniversary inspire us to be instruments of God’s peace, justice, and love, as we continue to journey towards true freedom for all.”
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What does it mean one of the first to abolish slavery? By then, multiple states had long abolished slavery, and more were started as free states to begin with (think Ohio). This makes it seem like the whole country was hip to the slavery groove, thank goodness by 1864 some began to see the light. Not that such details are important next to the larger message. But still.
While we’re at it, we might also celebrate the earlier history of Maryland, one of only three colonies to ensure freedom of religion, formally in the short-lived Toleration Act of 1649 (the other two colonies were Pennsylvania and Rhode Island).
With a backwardist glance, the year 2024 marks the 375th anniversary. Two citations:
“Maryland was founded on the broad principles of religious freedom, and Puritans
expelled from Virginia found shelter there. During the period of the Commonwealth, however, the very men who had sought an asylum in Maryland overthrew the authority of Lord Baltimore and passed severe penal laws against the Catholics, sending all the priests as prisoners to England. In a few years they returned and resumed their labors under great disadvantages. Though a law of toleration was passed in 1649, it was of brief duration” (John Gilmary Shea, “Our Faith and Its Defenders: The Catholic Church in the United States,” New York: Office of Catholic Publications, 1896).
“While Virginia harassed all who dissented from the English church, and the northern colonies all who dissented from the Puritans, the Roman Catholics of Maryland, a sect, who, in the old world, never even professed the doctrine of toleration, received and protected their Christian brethren of every church, and its population rapidly increased. But this enlightened spirit was, in the course of time, controlled. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, power, in this province, fell into other hands, and laws were enacted, equally severe with those of Virginia and New England, against the profession of any religious sentiments not according with the principal tenets of the Church of England” (William Grimshaw, “History of the United States from their First Settlement as Colonies to the Cession of Florida, 1821,” Philadelphia: Stereotyped by J. Howe, 1824, p. 69).