Blessing of the "Saintly Six" Banners - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - November 3, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Blessing of the "Saintly Six" Banners

First Sunday of Black Catholic History Month

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Venerable Henriette Delille

1813 - 1862

Free woman of color - Co-founded the Sisters of the Holy Family - Cause for canonization opened in 1988 - 1st US native born African American to have cause opened - Declared "Venerable" in 2010.

Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton

1854 - 1897

1st recognized African American to be ordained a priest - Cause for canonization opened in 2011 - Declared "Venerable" in 2019.

"Servant of God" Julia Greeley

18(35-55) - 1918

Former slave - Charitable works and assisted poor families - Secular Franciscan - Daily communicant and devotion to Sacred Heart of Jesus - Cause for canonization opened in 2016.

"Servant of God" Thea Bowman

1937 - 1990

Became a Catholic at age nine - She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration - Worked to break down racial and cultural barriers - Sainthood cause was endorsed by U.S. Bishops in November 2018.

Venerable Pierre Toussaint

1766 - 1853

Former slave . Became a philanthropist - Established first Catholic New York orphanage - Cause for canonization opened in 1968 - Declared "Venerable" in 1997.

Venerable Mother Mary Lange

1794 - 1882

 Co-Founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first US religious order for women of color - Educated youths and provided homes for orphans - Cause for canonization opened in 1991.

~ Information copied from a parish handout about the "Saintly Six."