From slave to priest: Augustus
Tolton one step closer to sainthood
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| Venerable Augustus Tolton |
Augustus Tolton is among the eight individuals whose heroic
virtues were confirmed by Pope Francis in a series of decrees promulgated by
the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
By Vatican News
The name of Augustus Tolton stands out among the list
of eight decrees of heroic virtue, partly because he is the
only American, but mostly because, when he was ordained in 1886, he was the
first Catholic priest in the United States publicly known to be black.
Born a slave
Augustus Tolton was born into a family of slaves in
Missouri, in 1854. He studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained at
the Basilica of St John Lateran in 1886 when he was 31 years of age. He
returned to the United States soon afterwards where he served the black
community, mostly in Chicago.
Good Father Gus
Known for his musical talents, which included a gift for
playing the accordion and a beautiful singing voice, “Good Father Gus”, as he
was nicknamed, quickly became famous for the eloquence of his sermons.
Contemporary local news articles refer to him specifically as being “a fluent
and graceful talker”.
Died of heatstroke
The year 1897 saw the city of Chicago experiencing an
exceptional heatwave. Fr Tolton was frequently given to bouts of illness and
fatigue. On 8 July, he collapsed and died of heatstroke. He was 43 years of
age.
His cause for canonization was opened by the Archdiocese of
Chicago in 2010. On 12 June 2019, Pope Francis officially confirmed his “heroic
virtue”, putting him on the path to eventual sainthood.
The Archdiocese of Chicago's official website for the
Cause for Sainthood for Father Augustus Tolton includes historical information
about his life, various videos that can be viewed on line, and other important
information about his life.
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