On this Juneteenth, the Old Catholic Churches International pauses to remember and to celebrate.

On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned what had already been true for two and a half years: that they were free. The delay itself is part of the story. Freedom proclaimed is not always freedom delivered. The work of liberation is long, uneven, and unfinished.

As a church committed to those the world has pushed to the margins, we cannot observe this day quietly. Juneteenth calls us to reckon honestly with the history of this nation, to honor the resilience and dignity of Black Americans, and to recommit ourselves to the ongoing work of justice that the Gospel demands of us.

The same Christ who stood in the synagogue and declared good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom for the oppressed is the Christ we follow. We do not get to celebrate his resurrection while ignoring the chains still worn by his people.

Today we give thanks for all who fought, suffered, survived, and persisted so that freedom could become real. And we renew our commitment to stand with those for whom the announcement has still not fully arrived.

Blessed Juneteenth to all.

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