On March 2, 2010, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago announced that a historical commission will be appointed to look into the life of Augustine Tolton, the first black priest in the United States. Augustine Tolton was informally known to his parishioners in Chicago as "Good Father Gus".
Augustine was born in Missouri on April 1, 1854. He was an April Fool's Day baby, but there was nothing foolish about this young man. Accounts of Augustine's life say that he escaped from his slave owners and arrived in the free State of Illinois with his brother Charley, and his mother via the Mississippi River.
Once he arrived with his family in Illinois, they started working at the Herris Tobacco Co. making cigars. Although he faced opposition because of his race, Augustine was allowed to attend parochial school by Father Peter McGirr. His academic achievements were notable; but, Augustine was not admitted to seminaries within the United States because he was black.
Arrangements were made for Augustine to study in Rome where he finished his education at Quincy University and at the Pontifical Urbiana University. He became fluent in Italian, and he studied Latin and Greek. Augustine Tolton showed a tireless dedication to his parish in Chicago. He died of heat stroke on July 9, 1897 at the age of 43.
Please read more information about Augustine Tolton here:
The first black priest and black president share similarities.
Do you think it's ironic that the first black priest and the first black president have ties to the city of Chicago? Do you think it's strictly coincidence that both the first black priest and president being inaugurated and up for canonization within a year of one another? Is canonizing Augustine Tolton an attempt by the Catholic Church to stay "up with the times"? Why did the Catholic Church wait to begin the canonization of Augustine Tolton now? Have you ever heard of him before?
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Comments (24)
I've heard of Tolton before, several years ago. I suppose it's possible that Cardinal George is opening the cause for Tolton's investigation for PR purposes, but that seems a bit out of character for a man who doesn't seem to mind taking unpopular positions, and it's fairly common for a saint to be canonized a hundred or two hundred years after their life.
That's a lot of questions!
Chicago is a big city, I don't see any connection that they both spent time in Chicago.
I hadn't heard of Father Tolton, but he sounds like a remarkable man. He would be a good example to us as a saint.
Did you know that Oprah isabout to retire? OMG!!! What are the chances that US citizens would elect a BLACK president in 2009, and the Catholic church would cannonize a BLACK saint in 2010, and a BLACK talk-show host would retire in 2011... all from CHICAGO???
Did you also know that Alberto Hurtado was canonized in October 2005 and *just six months later* Michelle Bachelet was elected the first woman president of Chile? Both Hurtado and Bachelet were born in Santiago, Chile! And both of them are WHITE! This can't just be a coincidence... I mean, have you even *heard* of Hurtado before? I thought I'd memorized each of the 10,000 saints and *I've* sure never heard of Hurtado...
I smell a serious conspiracy here. It's called "Whenever good things
happen to more than one black person in a short amount of time,
ignorant white people blame it on reverse-racism."
@jim_the_american@xanga - haha. i agree with the point you're making, but you didn't have to be snarky about it.
There are saints of every ethnic group; some take longer to be recongized than others...
I think it must be taken into consideration that the matter of investigating the life of a person for canonization takes a very long time, and church officials don't simply say, "Hey, let's look at this guy." I'm sure that the archdiocese has been looking into the matter for decades and the initial groundwork has recently come to enough of a point to where the real investigation can begin.
Is this a conspiracy too?
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/african_american_founder_of_new_orleans_religious_order_declared_venerable_by_pope/
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - As an African-American woman, the story of Augustine Tolton is particularly interesting because I had never heard of this man. I have gone to Catholic Schools for the better part of my education. This was never reviewed in my history or theology/religion classes. Have you ever even heard of him? If so, is it because you're from Chicago. It would be an absolute oversight on every Americans behalf not to take into account the racial tensions in this country as extending the lead time on cannonizing Augustine. We can agree there I think. There are African saints but there are not African-American saints. Like Harry Reid said, the United States was ready for a black president. Now they're ready for a black saint. Reid was right about some things I guess....
@ed408@xanga - He would I absolutely agree. I just think that he could have been up for consideration a century ago. Now that Barack Obama is in presidency, the role of black men in positions of power can grow slightly. I think this has partially to do with empowering the people of Chicago as having 2 of the first black men in high places. I also think that voting in Obama is an absolute marker towards better race relations in this country. In the 60's during the race riots, would Chicagoans or any other racist person be ready for Tolton as a saint? Absolutely not. Do you see where I'm going with this?
@jim_the_american@xanga - Your sarcasm is so overwhelming that I don't even understand your comment. Can you rephrase?
@EBailey - I only heard about this potential saint via an article I read last week. But very few saints are widely known when their cause begins; usually it starts when several people who loved them in life continue to ask for their intercession after death, and miracles begin to happen.
Also, and I don't know my history super well to say that this is a water-tight claim, but it seems to me that the possibility of African-American saints has only really been opened wide in the wake of the Civil War, which more or less (in many ways and places less unfortunately) allowed African-Americans to leave slavery and enter into situations where they could actually practice a religion, and it doesn't seem to me (though I do not truly know) that a great many African-Americans took to Catholicism. So given the relatively short amount of time that has passed since the Civil War (permitting a greater degree of religious freedom to African-Americans throughout the United States), and given the comparatively lower numbers of them practicing Catholicism (as opposed to various forms of Baptist, for example), it doesn't surprise me at all that only in these recent times the causes of two African-Americans have begun. In fact, you might look at the very small number of American saints at all (not counting martyrs!!), and in particular the fact that there is, for example, only one Native American, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, who died in the late 1600s!
The Church in the United States is still very young, so unless there is a huge persecution of the Church here (God save us!), it may be a long time yet before the lives of saintly people come to public knowledge. Also, given the culture we Catholics find ourselves in today, those who try to live saintly lives by the grace of God certainly have the odds stacked against them! So be patient, and also, too, realize that the saints we hear about are merely the ones we do, actually
hearabout; the majority of saints are only known in the beautiful quiet of heaven.
@EBailey and @rusty0505@xanga - Let me rephrase: I don't think that St Tolton's canonization has anything at all to do with President Obama's election despite the fact that they are both black and both from Chicago. Likewise, there is nothing surprising about the fact that President Bachelet was elected around the same time that St Hurtado was canonized despite the fact that they are both white and both from Santiago.
Although the author of this blog didn't say so explicitly, I suspect that the author is implying that the "common thread" shared by Obama and Tolton was that neither man deserves his title and that each was awarded his title due solely to his race. (Hence the lack of conspiracy theory surrounding the Chileans.)
However, there is something more to be said about this situation. Over the last 150 years in America and Western Europe, there has been a dramatic shift in the role and perception of blacks. Therefore, it is to be expected that a lot of "firsts" for blacks should be happening within a short amount of time (on the order of, say, 10 years or so). This doesn't reflect a rush to look "PC" by (a) electing incompetent presidents, or by (b) canonizing unqualified saints just because they are black. Instead, it reflects the fact that there are a lot of excellent candidates for presidency and sainthood who have been ignored because they are black.
Until now.
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - Read this article that I'm linking. Maybe you'll see my point more. Chicago was an incredibly racially tense city. It was nowhere ready for this. Now that we have a black presidenty they are:
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1032.html
@jim_the_american@xanga - http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1032.html
This article will demonstrate my point. There are facts and history here instead of idle theory and speculation.
@EBailey - Oh I understand this; actually, I remember studying it in high school and in college. Also I've met several of my Jesuit brothers who are working in those poor areas of the city, and the injustices that still occur are really inexcusable. Part of the reason, though, that the Church seeks to bring the lives of holy people out into public knowledge is so that the poor and suffering see that there is hope and that they have a powerful friend in prayer.
In my previous comment, I hope that it didn't seem as though I was saying that after the Civil War, everything was fine; I know that even in the northern states, racial tensions, segregation and the like continued for decades after, and there is still too much going on today. Here in St. Louis where I am studying there are still issues of poverty and injustice that fall along the same racial lines as they have for too long. The Jesuits in St. Louis have been one of the few groups that has been ministering to and working with African-Americans in the city for a very long time. I am actually very happy that the process for the canonization for two African-Americans has begun; I am sure there are many more examples of holiness to be found among them, and I hope that we come to know about them soon!
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - As am I! You didn't seem like you were supporting the Civil War. I just want to be clear that people are understanding my point. In your opinion, would the church have canonized an African-American saint during such racially tense times? Wouldn't that compromise their position of authority or their stewardship of church attenders which would eventually affect how much is coming into the collection plate? Race is still a problem in the United States. The even bigger problem though is people who turn a blind eyed to it and act as if it has completely faded away. I feel sorry for the people living in such ignorance. I am so glad to have met and discussed this topic with you.
@jim_the_american@xanga - I am the author of this article. I am not implying that he doesn't deserve being canonized at all. I'm glad that you clarified what you thought that I was saying. Of course Tolton deserves his title. I am an African-American female and I'm a bit more sensitive to race relations. I am more aware of these racial trends I have to be. The history of Chicago is not peachy keen. Chicago has an intense history of racism. Hence, the Catholic Church of Chicago would not have canonized him before during the racists sixties and seventies of America. It just wouldn't happen. If the Catholic Church canonized him, the church would potentially risk resistance from parishioners who would be reluctant to donate funds to the church. Do you see what I'm saying? Now that we have a black president and now that we are experiencing a racial shift in this country, it is okay to canonize Tolton. People are more open to the idea. Now that Obama has been elected to the Presidency and blacks aren't completely marginalized, we can witness a black saint being canonized. I think that canonizing Tolton who ironically also has ties to Chicago makes a direct link between the Catholic Church and their progressivenes with the Shift in American social and political scene.
Please see this article and realize that we do not live in a color blind society. Racism is still alive and well even with a black president. Only now, it's more okay to recognize the work and effort of blacks. Think of how many blacks and Latinos even who will go unrecognized because of the racist nature of our country.
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1032.html
About Santiago, most Chileans are white because of the ruler before Pinochet. He was very serious about ethnic cleansing and he killed most non-white Chileans and gays. There is but a small population of blacks in Chile to the north but they stay to themselves as per my Chilean friends.
@EBailey - Oh yes, race is still an enormous problem, though it doesn't receive a lot of attention; the injustices are very "backstage." But there a lot of people doing their best to help, including many religious orders in the Church, and hopefully their work will help raise awareness of what is going on. The issues surrounding education, housing, health care access are real problems, but you never hear about it in the news.
Regarding your question about canonizing a saint during those past times: it is hard to say. I don't think that the Church would have held itself back for fear of upsetting racist parishioners, I think the main issue would have been fear of upsetting anti-Catholic people. The KKK, for example, did not only target African-Americans, but also Catholics. Catholics were the target of violence and injustice in varying degrees until during and after the Second World War, when they became more widely accepted; JFK, for many Catholics at the time, was a sign of that acceptance. There is a church in Pennsylvania I heard about this weekend, for example, that spent so much money trying to repair its stained-glass windows from people throwing bricks through them, that they bricked the windows almost all the way to the top. In fact, I think it was here at College Church (St. Louis University) that a Jesuit famously preached against segregation in the 50s.
So I suppose I would say that I still see the effects of history and time at play here, as opposed to the Church taking advantage of the current circumstance of an African-American president and trying to cash in on PR. The Church never rushes things, not only because it realizes the responsibility it must exercise regarding its influence, but also because the impact of any decision it makes could affect the Church worldwide, which includes over a billion people today. So while it does take a stand against injustices when it sees them (Pope Pius XII in the time of Hitler, for example), it also acts very prudently (again, Pius XII, whose prudence to many even today is interpreted as anti-Semitism at the worse, or simple in-action at best, though he is credited by many for saving hundreds of thousands of lives). I'm glad I ran into you, too, here on Xanga!
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - Part of the reason the Catholic Church was targeted by the KKK was because some Catholic Churches were frequent stops on the Underground Railroad.
p
@Pashe@xanga - that's fascinating. Parishoners of the Catholic Church opened their homes to the UR or the Church building itself did? Because at that point, they would have been breaking the law. Can you provide a link or source for this info? I would love to know more! Thanks for sharing!
@EBailey -
St. Mary's ChurchRockville, Md.
Built in 1817, St, Mary's Church at 520 Veirs Mill Road is the oldest
church still in use in Rockville. Although the Catholic Church
sanctioned slaveholding among its members, agents of the Underground
Railroad operated here, and in 1854 helped young fugitive Ann Maria
Weems] escape.
I got that from here.
Holy Angels Catholic church another stop on the railroad.
There is a book on this somewhere that goes into way more detail than I know but I don't remember the title.
p
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