6 Black Americans in the process of being declared saints, including 1 writer
Did you know Catholic Charities was founded by a former slave?
There are a number of Black saints recognized by the Catholic Church, including St. Simon of Cyrene (of what is today Libya) who helped Jesus carry the cross in the Gospels. But the only Black American saint thus far is South American: St. Martin de Porras of Peru. And you may be as surprised as I was to learn that 6 Black Americans are currently in the process of becoming saints; 3 were former slaves. In all, 5 of them were founders and administrators; 1 was a charity worker. 1 was also a writer, and 1 was also a hairdresser.
Sister Thea Bowman, PhD (b. in Mississippi, 1937-1990)
Two books “Sister Thea Bowman, Shooting Star: Selected Writings and Speeches” and “Thea Bowman: In My Own Words” contain posthumously published compilations of Bowman’s prophetic and inspirational writings, childhood memories, and writings urging racial unity.
Inspired by the charity work of teachers who belonged to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, she became a Catholic at age 12. (Blacks represent just 3% of US Catholics.) At 15, she decided to join them and moved to Wisconsin to do so where she was the only Black member. In 1978, she was appointed head of Intercultural Affairs for the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi and helped found the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University, New Orleans, where she taught preaching to the men studying to be priests.
Sister Thea Bowman became a much-admired writer, teacher, singer-musician, evangelist and highly-sought speaker with a beautiful voice. She continued to uplift audiences with her joyful demeanor even as she battled cancer (beginning in 1984) and was in a wheelchair. An interview with her on “60 Minutes” with Mike Wallace aired 5/3/1987. She died in 1990 at age 52. The Diocese of Jackson opened the canonization process, 2018
Pierre Toussaint (b. in Haiti, 1766-1853)
Toussaint was born into slavery in Haiti on the Bérard family plantation, where he was educated and prepared to become a house servant, like his mother. When the Haitian Revolution came, the family fled to New York City with Pierre and his sister. There he became a skilled barber to support his master’s widow after his master died. Toussaint continued a friendly correspondence with the Bérards ( including his godmother) after they moved to Paris, where they lost their fortune in the French Revolution.
He is credited with founding Catholic Charities in New York, which laid the groundwork for Catholic Charities. He also raised funds for the first Catholic orphanage in the US, and the Oblate Sisters of Providence, a community of African-American nuns founded in Baltimore. Toussaint also started the city’s first school for Black students. Declared venerable by Pope John Paul II, 1997
Henriette DeLille (b. in New Orleans, 1813-1862)
Born a free Black woman like her mother, DeLille’s father was a white Frenchman.
She founded the Sisters of the Presentation (now called Sisters of the Holy Family), the second Black religious order in the US. Its purpose was to educate enslaved people, even though doing so was illegal at the time. DeLille served as mother superior and also founded Lafon, the first Catholic nursing home in the US. Declared venerable by Pope Benedict XVI, 2010
Mother Mary Lange (b. in Cuba, ?-1882)
Born in Cuba, Lange moved to the Baltimore area as a young woman, where she used her own money to turn her home into a school for Black Caribbean children.
She founded the Oblate Sisters of Providence and became its first mother superior, and also started an orphanage and widow’s home. Declared venerable by Pope Francis, 2023
Father Augustus Tolton (b. in Montana, 1854-1897)
Born a slave to Catholic parents, at age 8 he escaped across the Mississippi River into Illinois and freedom with his mother and siblings.
He tried to enter seminary in the US, but was barred due to racism, so he went to Rome to study for the priesthood. In 1886, he was ordained, making him the first African-American to be ordained a priest. He returned to the US and served in Quincy, Illinois and Chicago, where he founded St. Monica Parish for Black parishioners and was known as “Good Father Gus.” Declared venerable by Pope Francis, 2019
Julia Greeley (b. in Montana, ?-1918)
Born a slave, Julia Greeley lost an eye as a child while watching a whipping of her mother when the whip hit her eye.
After she was freed by the end of the Civil War, she devoted herself to serving the poor, mostly in Denver. In 1901, she joined the Secular Franciscan Order, becoming known to the community as Denver’s “Angel of Charity.” The Archdiocese of Denver opened the canonization process, 2016
I very much appreciate you taking the time to read my work. If you have enjoyed it, please:
hit the like button or post a comment
repost it on Notes or social media
pledge to become a paying subscriber or founding member
Rules for the Road
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity (first published in 1992) is a wonderful writer's workbook and self-help book to help people with artistic creative recovery. It contains many prompts and techniques to boost self-confidence so you can get into the creative flow.