Tolton is the first African American ordained for the priesthood in the United States. I will end with three quotes: America has been called the most enlightened nation in the world. Written By: Augustus Tolton, in full John Augustine Tolton, also called Augustine John Tolton and Father Gus, (born April 1, 1854, Brush Creek, Ralls county, Mo., U.S.died July 9, 1897, Chicago, Ill.), American religious leader who is regarded as the first African American ordained as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church (see Researchers Note). 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. This has become, unfortunately, an indelible stigma in the American psyche. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. 1`' E,D2`%XX\DrE +LRZ*IF `6J5=@ 6w %PDF-1.4 % His idealism was not political though; it was religious. Next, the Irish priest wrote to the bishop of the diocese in Alton about Augustus becoming a diocesan priest. I'm in a perfectly happy mood, you asshole. 0000002077 00000 n 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. He receives special instruction because he was far advanced over other students. There is a German priest here who is jealous and contemptuous, Augustus wrote in his second report to the Propaganda. There is a German priest here who is jealous and contemptuous, Augustus wrote in his second report to the Propaganda. His canonization we hope will elicit an appreciation by the wider Catholic community for the contributions that Catholics of African descent offer the Church. Interviewed by the St. Thomas More Cougar Cast Student Show for Black History Month! New York Times, November 11, 1889, The Catholic Church deplores a double slavery that of the mind and that of the body. Mrs. Henderson, I am a product of Jesuit High School and Spring Hill College. 0000002471 00000 n Tolton felt unwell. 0000004840 00000 n He was from Missouri and died in Chicago, but he was ordained by and for Springfield in IL., where he was buried. His father, Peter, was an honest and good man well liked by his slave owner for whom he worked hard. Another miracle has been recently attributed to his intercession. For the first time in his life he lived in an environment free from racial discrimination. Unexpectedly, when aged only 43, having at last been able to attend a retreat for priests, on returning by train, Fr. 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! fQn_PzAdx%Q~b , 73G':rl4=@ HLN1y The couple were never to see each other again; the children were never again to play with their father. 0000001549 00000 n It was the priests of the Church who taught me to pray and to forgive my persecutors it was through the direction of a Sister of Notre Dame, Sister Herlinde, that I learned to interpret the Ten Commandments; and then I also beheld for the first time the glimmering light of truth and the majesty of the Church. The young man looked embarrassed. So its important to pray for Ignatius, as well as for those who may be against him. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. He was more than a fundraiser though. The young white boy the same age group gets all the attention because he wants to be a priest. 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. We stand in the shadow of his ministry. He thrived. 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. The stone rejected had become a living stone, one upon which now future generations would build. He showed himself a priest-servant to both black and white at a time when it was not socially appropriate or lawful to do so. His solemn Requiem Mass was attended by more than 100 brother priests and a crowd that overflowed the church. They were being shot at. This same year, the last ship to bring slaves to the United States, the Clothildre, arrived in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Just remember that even though many people dont know his name, many people are praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. Why the Devil Hates the Blessed Virgin So Much (And Why You Should Love Her). ~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 1871: The Chicago Fire burned from Sunday, October 8 to Tuesday, October 10. Father Augustine Tolton Patron of Black Priests and Seminarians, Pray for us! But society could not perceive nor accept that he was a priest for both black and white. By all accounts, his mother, having continued to work as a priests housekeeper died an equally holy death in 1911. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. 1870: Augustus Tolton was confirmed in St. Peter Church at age 16 and likely received his First Communion. Augustus witnessed mistreatment of his people and became a victim himself of such mistreatment. Web835 North Rush Street Chicago, IL 60611-2030 . EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, Suffering can result in strengthened faith or disbelief, agnosticism or outright atheism. Forces attempted to derail his priestly service in a creeping milieu of diversity that cried out for social and legal recognition but for which society and church could not respond at that time. %PDF-1.5 % He ordained on April 24, 1886, and sent back to the United States. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or Tolton at this time and stayed with him and his mother who by then also had come to be live in Chicago as her sons housekeeper. There are conflicting accounts of his journey to freedom. For years he persevered; eventually promoted by his employers, it proved a small consolation. He had every reason to become embittered. As he looked at the face of the young man he noticed somethingLater he asked Gus what he had been praying about. With all this said and for the fact that this apostolate was started on April 1, 2018, the 132nd anniversary of his birth, it is only right that Fr. Father Tolton could find joy under trial and be himself simultaneously an encourager of others with their trials. God must be watching to what has happened to Jews, African Americans, Native Americans, indeed anyone and everyone who has sought freedom, be they white, black or brown, this side of the world to over on the other side of the world. This same year, the Civil War ends on April 26. Finally, a second appeal to the Urban College through the Franciscans lead to Augustus acceptance. If America has never seen a black priest it has to see one now! With these prophetic words the assignment orders for Father Tolton changed from some place in Africa back to Quincy, Illinois in the Diocese of Alton. Not least by a fellow priest, part inspired by jealousy and part by racial prejudice, that, in the end, caused the young priests removal. ,M endstream endobj startxref People were unable to see the evangelical side to this novel situation of a black priest and the advantages it afforded church and society. Without a national program to assist the assimilation of freed slaves into the fabric of the country, its schools, social and educational institutions and politics were found generally off limits to blacks especially where whites were invested. We shall see whether it deserves that honor. Learn how your comment data is processed. ZeS6N ;'pw! In the beginning was the Word and words are the way that the Word can be better understood and communicated. Tolton lived in reduced circumstances. 398 0 obj <>stream Augustine Tolton was alone on a night train in a segregated carriage heading to Chicago where he had been assigned to care for that citys growing black population. 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. 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. In the end, to his surprise, he was sent back to where he had come from. He lived the Gospel within adversity and he did so faithfully for his entire life in a simple and loving way. God pulled him through a sinful situation. Sunday in a TweetShell for the Gospel for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) [February 12, 2023] Matthew 5:17-37, Sunday in a TweetShell for the Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) [February 5, 2023] Matthew 5:13-16, Black (And Catholic) Like Me: Stories and Reflections on the Church's Black Saints, Let 'em Speak On It: Reflections on Notable Quotes From Black Catholics. He was, however, the first priest whose identity as an African-American was publicly acknolwedged at the time of his ordination. Name and understand the four cardinal virtues. 1863: At the age of 9, Augustus Tolton begins working in a Quincy tobacco factory and his brother Charles dies at age 10. And somehow and in some way our historic suffering must benefit or have benefited some body, some cause, only God knows. He also learned to serve Mass. 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. WebU.S. That night, the woman evaded her pursuers. Toltons Canonization Timeline - Augustus Tolton Fr. Just as with his father before him, Gus was an idealist. I am so glad that I now belong to the diocese where Father Tolton was ordained and where he is buried. It worked. Born into slavery in Missouri on April 1, 1854, and was baptized Catholic. 63 0 obj <> endobj xref 63 23 0000000016 00000 n April 1, 1854 And exactly how the Toltons became free is a bit confusing. On 9 July 1897, he died as a priest should worn out in the care of his flock. He tackled it head on with sermons reminding all listening that as children of God there was but one Father and whatever you do to the least you do to Him. This same year, the Census of 1880 showed the U.S. population at 50 million with a Black population of 6.5 million (13%). or school. Proudly powered by WordPress | The Tolton family had remained regular worshippers at St. Peters. We give our all to the Lord yet blacks are the most under evangelized Objectives . We find no evidence of outburst in him in face of what he endured. But I was hoping to hear something about his cause for Sainthood. WebTop Augustus Tolton Quotes I've always tried to do the smartest and best thing. What Tolton experienced in that time of social ambivalence is stuff we read about in history books or view in certain documentaries. Father Augustus Tolton, you whose life demonstrated the fruit of the Holy Spirits gifts of fortitude and perseverance, Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts and special offers PLUS a St. Joseph digital poster. We may not be Many others thought so: Following the required six years of study, Augustus was ordained a priest with his class Easter Vigil 24 April 1886 at St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome. The title venerable recognizes that he lived a life of heroic virtue. His beatification we hope will provide renewed impetus within the African American Catholic community in the United States; as one of our own being raised to mention at the altar will send a spiritual recharge to the hope of African American Catholics that we need at this time and have needed for quite some time. Through his experiences of racial negation by a society that would separate black and white by force of the law and lawless custom, Tolton found the love of God, found his own vocation and ultimately has received his reward from God as a figure of Christian faith in action, indiscriminate love of neighbor and pastoral charity despite the bigotry that was thrown at him. The next day Father Tolton said his first Mass, with thousands left standing outside since there was no more room in the church. Augustus and his mother both worked at the Harris Cigar Factory. At the end of the evening, when dinner had finished, the visitor observed how the younger priest took a set of Rosary beads hanging from a nail on a wall nearby and, with his mother beside him, knelt on the stone floor to recite that ancient prayer just as they always had done, not least when they had arrived frightened and anxious having fled slavery those years previously. Father Augustus Tolton, you whose life demonstrated the fruit of the Holy Spirits gifts of fortitude and perseverance, pray for my strength and perseverance as I cry out for Gods mercy for (state your intention here). Pray Father Augustus Tolton that God will hear my cry and answer me according to His will. Amen! In the case of Augustus Tolton it is the long period of black slavery in this country and the nations Civil War foisting a resolution to uncompensated black servitude and the tumultuous period of Reconstruction of a nation torn to shreds over this issue. This same year, the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 21, granting citizenship to any person born or naturalized in the United States. f$d (qAD@B ?CFV3vn`e6yDXSR!rR$49PA>']"\jph%R,)aX2 |l++E}wM~Jhe. hb```b``^ @167}beP,`~ F McGirr. The slaveholders, the Elliots, had all their slaves The word no was spat in Toltons face more often than not because of his skin color. 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. I am a Ethiopian American diocesan priest by the grace of God and prayers of our Lady. Augustus was born into slavery. He could smile to the world while suffering; his gentle spirit essentially emanating from an inner disposition of goodness. God bless your grandson, Mrs. Henderson! The Parish Priest was an Irishman, Brian McGirr, and he was having none of it. He was called some pretty nasty names. Bishop Baltes was willing to have him and the diocese would cover his seminary expenses. He receives special instruction because he was far advanced than other students. After many years he was eventually accepted at a Pontifical university in Rome. Before anything else, however, the nearest Catholic Church, St. Peters, was identified and the family started to worship there. 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. If the United States has never before seen a black priest, it must see one now. After some time in Chicago he led the establishment of an ethnically black Catholic parish, St. Monicas, which still survives to this day as St. Elizabeths. He also found time to help start a Catholic school for Blacks. Gus was delighted; for, with all his heart, he wanted to be a priest; it was a sense that had been growing for some years. 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