LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Bells tolled at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for eight minutes and 46 seconds today, coinciding with George Floyd's funeral in Houston.
Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by a white Minneapolis police officer who placed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. The Los Angeles Archdiocese invited parishes in the Southland to ring bells and offer Mass and prayers for Floyd in solidarity with all of the people honoring Floyd's life as he is laid to rest.
“We ask the Lord to let his face shine upon George Floyd and grant him eternal rest,'' Archbishop Jose Gomez said in his homily during Mass at the cathedral. “And we ask that he console and comfort his family, especially his young daughter.
“George Floyd's death was heartbreaking. It was wrong. It never should have happened,'' Gomez said. “His death is a sad reminder that we still have a long way to go in our country to confront the reality of black inequality and the racism that still infects our institutions.''
Parishes were called to celebrate Mass in Floyd's honor using prayers from “The Preservation of Peace and Justice'' and to include prayers for the repose of Floyd's soul and for his family's comfort and peace.
In a message last week, Gomez told the faithful that racism is “a blasphemy against God, who creates all men and women with equal dignity. It has no place in a civilized society and no place in a Christian heart.''
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles emphasized its commitment to continuing to work to end racial injustice and promote peaceful dialogue, discourse and understanding on race and social justice. Parishes, schools and ministries throughout the archdiocese have received prayer cards in English and Spanish to help the community of faith continue to pray for an end to racism.
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