By Esperanza Gallon

As we continue learning about the Saintly Seven, we are enlightened and encouraged by their examples. Venerable Augustus Tolton’s extraordinary life gives hope to the faithful amid serious societal trials.

Fr. Tolton’s life is a “rags-to-riches” story, albeit not in the classic way. While born into slavery and without financial wealth, he was rich in spirit—which enabled him to face and overcome many obstacles rooted in racism. His great faith uplifted all who were open to receiving God’s love. Though he never accumulated financial wealth, he died a spiritually wealthy man, leaving a powerful legacy of service and faith that is still felt today.

Encouraged by his mother from a young age, he demonstrated a caring spirit and often prayed for his community. His appetite for God and studiousness at a young age attracted the attention of his mentors, who guided him on the path to become America’s first Black diocesan priest.

Fr. Tolton served his community with his whole heart; despite harsh experiences from members of the Church and surrounding community. He was a trailblazer, not only opening the door for black priests who came after him, but also providing a guide for all of us on how to live out our faith in the face of hostility.

Background

Martha Jane Tolton and Peter Paul Tolton were enslaved when they met on neighboring plantations. On April 1, 1854, in Brush Creek, Missouri, Martha gave birth to a bright-eyed boy named Augustine John Tolton, also called Augustus. Born into slavery, he was baptized into the Catholic faith and encouraged by his mother, who was also a “cradle Catholic.”

In 1862, Martha Jane escaped with Augustus, then about eight years old, and his two siblings to Quincy, Illinois, where they could live as free people. Although the family’s slavery status changed, mistreatment persisted. When Augustus enrolled in St. Boniface School, he was forced to leave only a month later due to threats from both parish members and staff. Several years later, he enrolled in St. Peter’s Catholic School and was successfully supported by Irish priest Fr. Peter McGirr to finish his schooling.

Many observed that young Augustus had a grace for serving his community. He was often found in prayer between work and school, and as a teenager, he taught religion classes to black children in Quincy. Graduating from St. Peter’s in 1872 at the age of 18, he prepared for seminary and college.

From Slave to priest

In 1878, Augustus started at St. Francis College (Quincy University today) and excelled so much beyond his peers that he received separate instruction. Due to racism, however, when he attempted to enroll in seminary, none would accept him.

With Fr. McGirr’s support, he went to Rome and was accepted into the Collegium Urbanum de Propaganda Fide seminary, returning to the United States in 1886— on assignment as the first Black diocesan priest. He was told he would not succeed as a black priest, and Cardinal Giovanni Simeoni in Rome, who supported Fr. Tolton, said, “America has been called the most enlightened nation; we’ll see if it deserves that honor. If America has never seen a black priest, it has to see one now!”

Likely gaining a new appreciation for the Scripture that states Jesus could not perform many miracles in his hometown (cf. Mt 13:58), the newly ordained Fr. Tolton endured persistent racism to such an extent when assigned first to his home parish in Quincy that he was eventually reassigned in Chicago. At his new assignment, he founded St. Monica Church, the first African American Catholic parish in Chicago. He continued to experience racism but remained faithful to the Gospel. Fr. Tolton served at St. Monica and traveled to other parishes sharing the Good News until his death from heatstroke in 1897, at the age of 43.

His journey to recognized sainthood began in 2010 when it was announced that his cause for canonization could commence. In 2019, the Cardinals assigned to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints voted that he had lived a life of service to God, which promoted him to the status of Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton. He was acknowledged to have maintained the virtues of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance throughout his lifetime. The work continues, researching and documenting miracles attributed to prayer through Fr. Tolton’s intercession. This is the next step toward declared sainthood

Esperanza Gallon is a member of the archdiocese Anti-Racism Task Force and a parishioner at St. Clare Church, part of the Our Lady of Divine Providence Family of Parishes.