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Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity hosting ‘Safer Summer’ summit at Zion Baptist Church this weekend

Activities begin with an 11 a.m. prayer Friday at the Octavius Catto statue at City Hall.

Octavius V. Catto, a Philadelphia educator, sportsman, and activist, is memorialized on the south side of City Hall. The granite box in front of the 12′ tall bronze statue represents a 19th century ballot box and is inscribed with the 15th Amendment. Catto was shot and killed on Oct. 10, 1871 defending voting rights on South Street near a polling location.
Octavius V. Catto, a Philadelphia educator, sportsman, and activist, is memorialized on the south side of City Hall. The granite box in front of the 12′ tall bronze statue represents a 19th century ballot box and is inscribed with the 15th Amendment. Catto was shot and killed on Oct. 10, 1871 defending voting rights on South Street near a polling location.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Members of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity say they will begin a three-day “Safer Summer in Philly” summit this weekend by gathering to pray. But they are cautioning: prayer without works won’t stop the violence in the city.

The prayer event starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 2, near the statue of Octavius Catto at City Hall.

Rev. Robert Collier, president of the Black Clergy group, said the ministers believe prayer is powerful and important. But they’re also calling for action from community groups, elected officials, school district leaders, and themselves.

The full name of the three-day event is “A Safer Summer in Philly, Weekend of Action,” he pointed out.

“We cannot be a faith group and not pray, that would be contrary to who we are,” Collier said.

» READ MORE: A monument at last for Octavius Catto, who changed Philadelphia

“We believe that prayer works, but prayer requires action. Once you get up off your knees from praying, that’s when you go to work. If you do what you’re supposed to do, the changes will come. You can’t just pray. You need prayer for direction.”

On June 3, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Black Clergy has invited community organizations, elected officials, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw for a half-day of discussions and meetings at Zion Baptist Church, at Broad and Venango, to come up with a plan to curtail the violence.

Democratic mayoral nominee Cherelle Parker is expected to talk about her plans to make the city safer, and School District of PhiladelphiaSuperintendent Tony Watlington will discuss the district’s safety plans for the summer.

“We want people to see the church is out there with them.”

Rev. Robert Collier

“This is a call to action,” said Collier, who is the pastor of the Galilee Baptist Church in Roxborough. “We don’t want folks coming just to talk. We want to have a concrete plan when we leave. We want to find out what is working and get everyone on board.”

On June 4, the Black Clergy is asking churches and religious leaders around the city to have an altar call to pray for peace and for religious leaders to speak directly about the need to quell the violence in their sermons on Sunday.

Collier noted that the prayer call at the Octavius Catto statue is important because Catto was a victim of gun violence. He was shot and killed on Election Day in Philadelphia in 1871 because he was trying to encourage Black people to get out and vote.

“We are in a state of urgency,” Collier said. “There’s only a few weeks before school is out. We’ve got to have a plan and execute that plan. If we don’t, there’s going to be a bloodbath this summer. We want to avoid that at all costs.”

“[Prayer] gives us hope. But we want to stir up enough energy this weekend to move forward,” he added. “We want people to see the church is out there with them, to help them navigate life and give them hope.”