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Home , African Americans, Augustus Tolton, Daniel Rudd, Mary Elizabeth Lange, Pierre Toussaint, Pope John XXIII

ON the Road to Sainthood History, Heritage and Truth History Month is a time for us to African being considered for celebrate the contributions of Black Catholics to the Roman Catholic tradition. Mother (1784-1882). . . Mother Mary Lange was the foundress and first General of the Oblate Sisters of Providence (1829-1832), the first congregation of African women religious in the history of the

Mother Henriette Delille (1818-1862) Mother Henriette Delille (1812-1862) A free woman of

Most Reverend color in , Mother Delille founded the Sisters The National Black Catholic Clergy (NBCCC) of the Fernand J Cheri, O.F.M. of the Holy Family in 1842. The congregation voted on Tuesday, July 24, 1990 while meeting in Auxiliary Bishop of ministered to slaves, at a time when educating slaves convention at Fordham University in New , to establish African American US Catholic Bishops New Orleans was illegal. Mother Delille was the first U.S. born African Ordained March 23, 2015 American formally postulated for anonization. November as BLACK CATHOLIC HISTORY MONTH. The reason behind the selection of the month of November was the (1766- 1853) number of important dates to Catholics of African descent that

He was born into in , Toussaint became a fell within this month. freeman, successful businessman, and philanthropist in  Fr. Charles Uncles- (1859-1933) City. He is the only lay person honored, Nov. 1 All Day = an opportunity to review the lives of the hundreds Ordained in December 1891, Father Charles Randolph alongside cardinal- archbishops. of Saints of African descent in the first 300 years of the Church. Uncles, a native of , was the first black American Nov. 2 All Souls Day = a time to remember all those African lost to cruel ordained a Roman Catholic priest in the United States. treatment in the crossing of Ocean.  He was one of the founders of the St. ’s Society of the Nov. 3rd became the first black American . He was Sacred Heart, formed to minister to the black Father (1854-1897) canonized by John XXIII on May 16, 1962. community. He was born into slavery in . Ordained in  in 1886, Tolton was the first recognized Black Nov. 13th The birth of St. Augustine in 354 A.D., the first Doctor of the American priest. Pastor of St. Monico in , Church from North . Tolton become the spiritual leader of the 19th century  Blessed Iwene Tansi, Priest National Black Catholic Congress movement. “I have Nov. 20th The death of Zumbi of Palmares in Brazil, South American and Monk September 1903 – 20, 1964 never felt I am a slave to any man or woman but I am a founder of a free state for . Born in Aguleri, Anambra State, servant of Almighty God who made us all. When one of Died in Leicester, his children is in need, I am glad to be His slave.” Beatified, March 22, 1998 by Pope John Paul II Feast Day (1835 and 1855- death 7, 1918) A former slave born in Hannibal, Missouri, is now being considered for sainthood in the Catholic Church for her inspirational life of devotion and service. Greeley exemplified three qualities of holiness throughout her life, Bishop Rodriguez said: humility, perseverance and faith.

Daniel A. Rudd, Founder National Black Catholic Congress Black Catholic History Month Three Black Catholic provides opportunities to learn and share the whole Rudd (August 7, 1854–1933) was history and rich heritage of Christian Catholicism. founder of the Catholic Congress, Pope Saint Victor I 189 to 199 now known as the National Black Catholic Ubi Victoria Veritas! Having been born in the Roman Province of Congress The Victory of Truth! Africa, he was the first African pope. Saint Victor I, the 15th Pope who reigned from 186- Christianity did not originate in Europe, Black Catholic 197 A.D. This pope was said to have decided History began in the (8: 26-40) which when to celebrate . He was the first chronicles the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch by Philip The First Black Catholic Congress, 1889 Christian author to write about theology in June 13, 2013 by Pat McNamara the Deacon, the first Black African in recorded Christian . history. Feast Day THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC TRIBUNE, AND THE PLIGHT The First Black Saint OF BLACK CATHOLICS, By: Henry Louis Gates Jr. Oct. 29 2012 Pope St Miltiades 311 to 314 1884-1899

Then there was Pope Saint Militiades, (born, Africa?—died Jan. 10, 314, Rome . who served from 311-314 A.D. He wrote Held January 1st to 3rd in 1889 at many of the St. Augustine's Hall in The Washington Catholic and settled issues over Bee, an important Black newspaper in the nation's capital, did fasting on Thursdays or Sundays. make the following comment in its issue of January 5th… The

Saint Maurice (born 250 A.D. died in A.D. 286 Feast day December 10 Congress of Colored Catholics that met in this city during the Feast Day: September 22 past week demonstrated a degree of intelligence and ability. Pope St Gelasius I (492-496) Our esteemed friend Mr. Rudd of the American Catholic Lastly, there was the 49th Pope, Pope Saint Tribune was elected Chairman and the ability he displayed in Gelasius I. This African pope declared February the management of the convention assured us that he eserved 14 as “Valentine’s Day” to honor Bishop compliments. Valentine, a priest who had been executied. American Catholic Tribune in any Library Gelasius was the third and last Bishop of The First Black Catholic Congress, 1889 Rome of Berber North African origin. COLORED CATHOLICS MEET, A NOTABLE CONVENTION BEGUN— Feast day November 21 CARDINAL GIBBONS PRESENT New York Times, , 1889