Page 4
January 10, 2024
Martin Luther King Jr.
2024 Special Edition
Honorees’ Service Embodies the Values of Dr. King
Honorees Ron Herndon, Martina Murray and David Fikstad Photos from Oregon Encyclopediaand
Larry Bartasavich Photography
St. Andrew
Parish set to
present annual
awards
St. Andrew Catholic Church
will present its annual Martin
Luther King, Jr. Awards at Mass
on Sunday, January 14 beginning
at 9:30 am at St. Andrew Cath-
olic parish. These awards are
given to people whose service
embodies the values of Dr. King,
who used nonviolence, civil dis-
obedience, and Christian teach-
ing to advance the cause of civil
rights in America.
Parishioners are honored for
their works with the poor, the
powerless, and the oppressed,
works often accomplished with
great devotion and little fanfare.
Likewise, over the years, commu-
nity service awards have gone to
Jobs with Justice, Northwest Pilot
Project, St. Andrew Legal Clinic
and Veterans for Peace, along with
many others working to bring jus-
tice and hope to our world.
This year, the parish recognizes
the 54-year career of activist Ron
Herndon who, upon graduating
Reed College in 1970, co-found-
ed the Black Education Center, a
primary school in NE Portland.
Today, Herndon serves as Direc-
tor of Albina Head Start, a posi-
tion he first assumed in 1975. In
the meantime, he has struggled for
equality and justice in many roles
and situations, most often chal-
lenging racist power structures
that few others tackle with such
persistence and success.
On Sunday, we are also hon-
oring two parishioners. Pana-
ma-born Martina Murray who
acts as liaison and scheduler for
the Promotores de Salud program
that links our Hispanic parishio-
ners with health care, including
vision and dentistry. We will hear
about her deep commitment to
that work.
The second award goes to Da-
vid Fikstad, who co-manages the
parish’s Emergency Services in
its mission to help neighborhood
people with food, shelter and util-
ity support. One nominator said of
Fikstad: “Clients ask for him by
name because they remember that
time when he went out of his way
to get them rental assistance, de-
liver groceries, get work boots, or
otherwise just listen to them. He
is the best possible example of the
works of mercy that all of us are
called to do in the world.”
Every year, this mass provides
us with indelible stories of tireless
servants of the poor and oppressed.
Since 2002, at the Sunday closest
to the national holiday celebrating
Dr. King, these awards reassert the
parish’s sharing in what he called,
in his Nobel Peace Prize accep-
tance speech, his “audacious faith
in the future of mankind.”
Tripods allowed. Reception and
further photo opportunities follow
the mass. All are welcome.
We are
Open!
3901 N. Mississippi
Ave. • Portland,
OR 97227
P: 503.281.0453
Fax 503.281.3408
Web: www.sunlanlighting.com • E-mail: kay@sunlanlighting.com