0000001964 00000 n His body was returned there and interred in a simple grave by St. Peters Church. God bless your grandson, Mrs. Henderson! Will These African Americans Be Canonized? A nation experimenting with democracy and certain notions of freedom was unable to process the dignity of black skin amidst the kaleidoscope of ethnic diversity emerging therein. The touching story of Augustus Tolton reminds us of the glaring social deficits of a former time. WebTop Augustus Tolton Quotes I've always tried to do the smartest and best thing. 1873: Tutoring begins in preparation for the seminary. The Church is broad and liberal. 1870: Augustus Tolton was confirmed in St. Peter Church at age 16 and likely received his First Communion. His parents were slaves, so he too became one. I will pray for your grandson Ignatius in his discernment of his call to the priesthood. Born into slavery in Missouri on April 1, 1854, and was baptized Catholic. By BLACKCATHOLIC: My Writings Featured On Other Catholic Platforms, BLACKCATHOLIC Fervorinos: Brief Faith Talks to Get Your Faith Going videos Links and Transcripts, To The Questions You Might Have About BLACKCATHOLIC, Holy Brothers: Black Catholic Men Saints and Holy Ones, Saintly Sistas: Black Catholic Women Saints and Holy Ones, Patron Saint of BLACKCATHOLIC: Ven. Objectives . Not least by a fellow priest, part inspired by jealousy and part by racial prejudice, that, in the end, caused the young priests removal. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Liked this post? We cannot know the Christ unless we know him crucified, says St. Paul. That night, the woman evaded her pursuers. The Production Religious orders were also tried, but to no avail. Father Tolton was demeaned for reasons of his race and background. 1878: Augustus Tolton enrolls in St. Francis College, now Quincy University. Webdetermined that Augustus was a non-Christian name and, therefore, as so frequently happened at baptisms, the priest at the baptismal font Christianized the name by Toltons Canonization Timeline 2019 June 11, 2019 Pope Francis issues the declaration that Toltons Palm Sunday. What Tolton experienced in that time of social ambivalence is stuff we read about in history books or view in certain documentaries. Name and understand the four cardinal virtues. ):www.catholicgentleman.com [], Your email address will not be published. They leave us with good thoughts and smiles on our faces; each of them with a strong sense of justice pushing critically through the moral and ethical paradoxes of those times; each of them unafraid to permit their pastoral efforts to be reflective of their views and values. 286 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<302BB52D3863B64BA3B976C1397EBCB0><8D3543A6425E274CB40BF7885AC937E9>]/Index[262 48]/Info 261 0 R/Length 115/Prev 162616/Root 263 0 R/Size 310/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Nevertheless, Mrs Tolton soon found work and, thereafter, supported her children as best she could. He lived the Gospel within adversity and he did so faithfully for his entire life in a simple and loving way. 1897: Father Tolton dies at Mercy Hospital in Chicago on July 9. Peter Tolton then headed north and joined the Union Army. Big family! I am a Ethiopian American diocesan priest by the grace of God and prayers of our Lady. Tolton is a patron for BLACKCATHOLIC. As he did so he gazed at the three children sleeping and began to talk of his hopes for their future, one in which they would be free. K. V. Turley is a London based freelance writer and filmmaker with a degree in theology from the Maryvale Institute. This same year, Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi becomes the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate. If I say Ignatius wants to be a priest there are no exciting remarks. Augustus Tolton, who labored among us in times of contradiction, times that were both beautiful 0000001605 00000 n In July 1886, Fr. 372 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[348 51]/Info 347 0 R/Length 117/Prev 154762/Root 349 0 R/Size 399/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream He also celebrated his first Mass with Franciscan Sisters in Hoboken, New Jersey on July 7, and he celebrates his first Mass in Quincy at St. Boniface Church on July 18 and becomes pastor of St. Joseph Church. Theme: Head Blog, Black (And Catholic) Like Me: Stories and Reflections on the Churchs Black Saints, Let em Speak On It: Reflections on Notable Quotes From Black Catholics, Prod. Miracle Hunter Michael ONeill profiles the Bishop of the Barrios, Alphonse Gallegos. In the 1880s, a black man becoming a priest was thought to be impossible and, in fact, might never have been set in motion were there not a few priests and religious of courageous, visionary and unselfish choices made by them; Fathers Peter McGirr and Theodore Wegmann, School Sister of Notre Dame Herlinde Sick, Franciscan Fathers Michael Richardt and Francis Ostrop who were some of the best representatives of Catholics in action for their time. This same year, the Civil War ends on April 26. At 16, he made his First Communion and started to think about the priesthood. If the United States has never before seen a black priest, it must see one now. Cardinal Giovanni Simeoni announcing to the committee deciding where Tolton would be sent in the world after This same year, Fr. That day, however, there was one who stood apart from the crowd and quietly watched with tears in her eyes as her son returned to her a priest. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, McGirr. It is a haunting theme that runs through the Christian story, an indelible line in the Christian narrative, an interestingly powerful story that has as its banner, the cross. His time in Quincy, though, was short-lived. This same year, Mary Jane Patterson graduates from Oberlin College in Ohio and becomes the first black woman to graduate from an American college. Funds were raised and the basis of a great and beautiful church, St. Monicas, dedicated to the service of the citys black population was started. Everyone was kind to me, Father Tolton recalled years later. Rome wrote to Bishop Ryan for an explanation. It was said that I would be the only priest of my race in America and would not likely succeed, Tolton once wrote. There is only one priest Jesus Christ is our high priest and calls men to have a participation in His priesthood. He was buried in Quincy at his request. Just outside the train station he had been seen to stumble and then collapse on the city street. 63 0 obj <> endobj xref 63 23 0000000016 00000 n As an ambulance was called, a crowd gathered around the unusual sight of a black man dressed in a faded cassock. 0000059992 00000 n In reply to his letters, excuses were made as to why he could not be accommodated. Toltons legacy says to us that transformation is possible through suffering. Augustus witnessed mistreatment of his people and became a victim himself of such mistreatment. They knew the odds that stood against them and the Church. 1865: Augustus Tolton entered St. Boniface School and left a month later because parish and staff were being threatened and harassed by his presence. 1886: Augustus Tolton was ordained at St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome on April 24 and was told he would return as a missionary to his home country of the United States in Quincy, Illinois. Our Lady teaches us to place our faith and trust Jesus. He waited. Trusting all to Providence, the same fervour and energy that Fr. Y.1+Xr-S*2iQ`e This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. ~z'bct3rCYv kt\L@w !^tJa`stV^Oq!^6 zQP04ib@jhXZ8@%`fH &r\\d0Sa+llHV3BRS$h1M 'q"@SX80X?`pAA2f& G5c $uCV*L*XC`]*(x'@ ] endstream endobj 64 0 obj <>>> endobj 65 0 obj <> endobj 66 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 67 0 obj <> endobj 68 0 obj <>stream The priests who knew him also saw a future priest in the dedicated, pious young man. WebFather Augustus Tolton was a priest who, for the love of souls, tore down a racial barrier, reluctantly and single-handedly, on direct orders from Rome. 1857: In the Dred Scott case, the Supreme Court decides that African Americans are not U.S. citizens, and that Congress has no power to restrict slavery in any federal territory. Hopefully that includes Ignatius. I must now give praise to that son of the Emerald Isle, Father Peter McGirr, pastor of St. Peters Church in Quincy, who promised me that I would be educated and who kept his word. Among the best known of these six is Fr Augustus Tolton (1854-1897), the first recognized American Black priest. 1872: Augustus Tolton graduated from St. Peter School at age 18. His father, Peter, was an honest and good man well liked by his slave owner for whom he worked hard. He was, however, the first priest whose identity as an African-American was publicly acknolwedged at the time of his ordination. Tolton later felt called to the priesthood, but faced much opposition and no American seminary would accepted him. Another miracle has been recently attributed to his intercession. It shocked Gus because it was on that very subject he had been praying namely, a possible vocation to the priesthood. Catholic Excalibur: The True Story Behind St. Galganos Sword, US Bishops Urge Senators to Oppose Revival of the Equal Rights Amendment, A Lasting Trail of Light: The Witness of Pedro Ballester, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange and the Rich History of Black Catholic Religious Orders. You need patience to do Gods will and receive what he has promised. [10, 32-33; 35-36]. Web1882: The lower level of St. Marys Church in Chicago becomes Chicagos first Negro parish. I am a 72 year old african american grandmother. Bishop Baltes was willing to have him and the diocese would cover his seminary expenses. Father Augustus Tolton was the first identified black American ordained to the priesthood in the United States. Refused seminary training in this country because of his race, these same sympathetic priests and nuns helped him to receive a proper education and eventually seminary formation in Rome. Nevertheless the priesthood is a deep mystery and as deep as the holy Eucharist. I must now give praise to that son of the Emerald Isle, Father Peter McGirr, pastor of St. Peters Church in Quincy, who promised me that I would be educated and who kept his word. Not till Judgment Day will we have an answer to the why of black suffering and black ignominy, or dare we say, Black Holocaust? Several months later, his mother, Martha, decided it was time for her and the children to also seek freedom. She had colored saints Augustine, Benedict the Moor, Monica. Nevertheless, the visiting priest found a hearty welcome. Fr. He also learned to serve Mass. We have seen over the many years a variety of ways to confront the evil of racism, social protest violent and non-violent, academically through oratory, literature, prose and story-telling. Facets of the Church coopted what society legislated by norm and practiced by lawless custom as regards the races. But Father Tolton received no rewards or citations in life. He abuses me in many ways and has told the bishop to send me out of this place. He died of complications from heat stroke on July 9, 1897. He was born a slave in Missouri and escaped to Quincy, Illinois, through the Underground Railroad. They had fled Missouri and were crossing over into the Northern state of Illinois, and to freedom. There is a German priest here who is jealous and contemptuous, Augustus wrote in his second report to the Propaganda. The Catholic Church deplores a double slavery that of the mind and that of the body. We may not be Now his canonization cause needs one miraculous healing worked through his intercession to be approved by Rome in order that he might be beatified. He thrived. They were being shot at. in the Us. After many years he was eventually accepted at a Pontifical university in Rome. But a Cardinal, Giovanni Simeoni in Rome said, America We gaze at the crucifix to find a source of meaning. Gus grew up quickly. Saints arise from the exigencies of the eras within which they live. Fr. The Augustus Tolton cause for canonization is announced by Cardinal Francis George. A religious figure like Tolton arises with unique inspiration amidst the chasms that remain apparent between black and white races in this country. He was taken to a nearby hospital. He maintained above all fortitude of spirit harboring no resentment for any of the insults and offenses receive from others. 0 Required fields are marked *. Among the best known of these six is Father Augustus Tolton (1854-1897), the first recognized American Black priest. His books include Exploring the Miraculous, 365 Days with Mary and 20 Answers: Apparitions and Revelations. 1852:Harriet Beecher Stowes novel about the horrors of slavery, Uncle Toms Cabin, is published and sells 300,000 copies in the first year. Despite his open and generous manner, his learning and piety, his hard work and dedication, and above all his priestly heart and its desire for souls, he was to be defamed, insulted and ultimately rejected. On this grave stone which later replaced the original reads: hbbd```b``f3@$R"5A$K>V&$DX&pEMAd2L`IF/]L@iLS5@ vh Augustus superiors at the Propagation told him to accept Archbishop Feehans invitation and to go to Chicago at once. In Chicago, Father Gus was made pastor of all Black Catholics in the city. The Faith is more than bricks and mortar, however, and, in 2011, after an initial investigation at the behest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Fr. In June 2019, Pope Francis advanced the cause when he issued a decree declaring him venerable.. And we each participate in this unfortunate victimization in varying degrees. Augustus Tolton was the first recognized African American Catholic priest. %PDF-1.4 % That night they took an old row boat across the Mighty Mississippi while the Confederates shot at them from shore. Religiously inclined in his boyhood, nurtured by promptings of his mother Martha, he was found spending hours in church in prayer in between job schedules. A bright and intelligent boy, with a good heart, aged nine, he was helping support his family by working at a local tobacco factory. 0000003561 00000 n WebTHEY MIGHT BE SAINTS- BISHOP ALPHONSE GALLEGOS He strolled the streets of Sacramento, saving souls by visiting families and mixing with low riders in the Latino community. The formality of applying to a seminary proved, however, more complicated for the young recently freed slave, especially as there had never been a man of his race at any seminary in America. Mass is celebrated there until 1889. On February 24, 2011 his cause was opened by the Archdiocese of Chicago making him a Servant of God, the first step towards canonization. Augustine Tolton: Americas First Black Priest March 7, 2016 At night the river looked deeper than ever as the woman rowed across it with her three small children. They settled in Quincy, Illinois, a major stop on the Underground Railroad. HLN1y His solemn Requiem Mass was attended by more than 100 brother priests and a crowd that overflowed the church. The Toltons Catholic faith was deeply held and urged them on to action. The Cardinal overruled the previous decision to send him to Africa. Mass is celebrated there until 1889. Theres ALOT more to his story, but I just wanted to have this much here. But Father McGirr and the sisters who ran the school knew they needed to prepare both parents and students for the schools first black student. EIN 27-4581132 They were fleeing for their lives. His was a quiet approach, a novel ministry to black and white together and he was, unfortunately, resented for it. They ran through several nights to the Mississippi River and Hannibal, Missouri, where they were about to be apprehended by Confederate soldiers before two Union soldiers stepped in to defend them. 1862: Martha Jane escapes withher children to Quincy, Illinois. Augustus Tolton, Black Catholic Organizations and Religious Orders, Black Catholic Blogs and Journals/Magazines, Sunday in a TweetShell for the Gospel for the 1st Sunday of Lent (Year A) [February 26, 2023] Matthew 4:1-11, Sunday in a TweetShell for the Gospel for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) [February 19, 2023] Matthew 5:38-48. A Better Way Forward, Heres a Bishop Doing Something Good, and More Great Links! New York Times, November 11, 1889, The Catholic Church deplores a double slavery that of the mind and that of the body. The young man looked embarrassed. Augustus Tolton Quote - Catholic Quote - Catholic nursery decor - Catholic Printable - digital download - Baptism gift $5.00 Add to cart 431 shop reviews Sort by: Suggested The record of his life is absent any show of retaliation toward anyone or anything. Died July 9, 1897 1859: Martha Jane and Peter Paul are given permission to marry by their respective masters at St. Peter log-cabin Church,Brush Creek, MO. He ordained on April 24, 1886, and sent back to the United States. 309 0 obj <>stream It is precisely this point where Easter faith begins. Students should be able to: 1. We give our all to the Lord yet blacks are the most under evangelized Also, what a blessing as it sounds as if your grandson and a fellow young parishioner are BOTH considering vocations to the priesthoodthere is certainly room for both of them! Father Tolton is a saint for doing things priests do, namely, care for people, ministering to their desperate needs, anointing them with the saving graces of the sacraments, forgiving their sins, preaching a word that works to transform the Church to its more authentic face before the world and describe for people how they can give an authentic response to God in genuine discipleship. He expects to become a missionary priest in Africa. That passage from the letter to the Hebrews must have resonated in Toltons heart: Recall the days gone by when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering. In his first year, he took over the school he had founded and also created a flourishing parish at St. Josephs, attended by both blacks and whites. Fr. He loved his Catholic faith. 0000002077 00000 n She is the Church for our people. It was through the influence of one of them that I became what I am tonight. He attended out of-the-way classes taught by friendly priests and nuns who saw in his eyes the bright spark of the love of God, a tender devotion to the Church and a determination to serve people whether black or white. One could even say it was Fr. Just remember that even though many people dont know his name, many people are praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. The stone rejected had become a living stone, one upon which now future generations would build. Father Augustus Tolton | CatholicSaints.Info, Fr. With help from an Irish Franciscan priest, Peter McGirr, he was accepted to study in Rome. His congregation was largely poor, ill-educated ex-slaves, with all the resultant ills of depression and violence attending those who, for varying reasons, had given up on life. Fr. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, his father ran away to fight with the Union. The Church is broad and liberal. hb```b``^ @167}beP,`~ F In hindsight, however, looking at that days generous welcome from all quarters, it was bitter sweet. Jim Justice to become law. Ordained in Rome, Italy, April 24, 1886 1889: Father Tolton begins his ministry in Chicago on December 19. Being the first black Catholic priest he was thrust as the first in a long line of black leaders who summoned the Church to embrace its black brothers and sisters. We also find inspiration in the lives of those who live that gospel with heroic seriousness and who model for us Christ like disposition and behavior. Augustine Tolton was now, at last, truly free. His goodness easily elicits our affection and our empathy, a goodness that attracted people of whatever background to his sermons and ministrations and counsel. 0000003050 00000 n The world is saved ultimately by our being victims. 19th century America placed dark skin at the bottom of the color pyramid. The young priest worked tirelessly to minister to them, reminding them of the one thing no human power could remove or tarnish: their Catholic Faith. So Gus was left to continue working at the cigar factory. 0000005284 00000 n N. 2958. At times you were publicly exposed to insult and trial; at other times you associated yourselves with those who were being so dealt with do not, then surrender your confidence; it will have great reward. He also found time to help start a Catholic school for Blacks. Around his bedside were the hospital chaplain who had administered the Last Rites, some nuns praying, and his mother. With one last look at his children, Peter headed out into the night, to the North, and to war. Augustus was born of the marriage union of two slaves, Peter Paul Tolton and his wife Martha Jane, in Ralls County, Missouri, April 1, 1854. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. His idealism was not political though; it was religious. Tolton had asked to be buried in Quincy. 1882: The lower level of St. Marys Church in Chicago becomes Chicagos first Negro parish. Father Tolton was not the first black (priest) in America. PRAYERS CARDS, NEWLETTERS, AND BROCHURES: For prayer cards, newsletters, and brochures, call 312.534.8376 or write Bishop Joseph N. Perry at the Archdiocese of Chicago: 3525 South Lake Park Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60653. https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/from-slave-to-priest-1#, http://www.dio.org/tolton/tolton/videos-about-father-tolton.html, https://www.ltp.org/p-2539-father-augustus-tolton-a brief-biography-of-a-faithful-priest-and-former-slave.aspx, Call 312.534.8376 or writeBishop Joseph N Perry, Archdiocese of Chicago, 3525 South Lake Park Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60653. MOTHER MARIA KAUPAS Augustus was born into slavery. His modeling shows us how to witness to the Gospel in midst of racial tension and instances of racial hatred that erupt still from time to time. We shall see whether it deserves that honor. He abuses me in many ways WebThis is the Official Website for the Novena to Father Augustus Tolton. 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