The Church has a treasure trove of holy witnesses in the Saints that we call upon for their intercession and example. When we are looking for inspiration it is not uncommon to seek out Saints whose lives have similar marks as our own. Teachers, mothers, missionaries. Check, check, check.
Less frequently do we consider place of origin. Which is why I was so incredibly grateful for Meg Hunter-Kilmer’s book, Saints Around the World. Too often, I have considered Saint books for Confirmation students only to find a homogeneous-looking group of holy men and women, while the reality of the cloud of witnesses is tremendously diverse. It is to our detriment when we lack a holistic depiction of the Mystical Body who has gone before us.
With this in mind, and in honor of Black History Month, below is a list of nine Black Saints and their stories. While this inspiring list is only a glimpse at the story our Church has to tell through the Saints, their stories are unique, exciting, and worth knowing. In particular, many overcame obstacles due to prejudice and injustice, despite the authenticity of their calling.
Nine Saints to Meet in Honor of Black History Month
Saint Josephine Bahkita
Ironically the name “Bahkita” in Arabic means “lucky.” It was given to Saint Josephine after her many abductions caused her to forget her own name. She took the name Josephine upon joining the Conossians in Italy, a group of religious women with whom Bahkita stayed while her owners moved to Sudan. When Bahkita expressed intent to join the Conossian Sisters, her owners were not in favor. However, the court ruled that because Sudan had outlawed slavery before Bahkita's birth, and the Italians did not recognize slavery, by law Bahkita had actually never legally been a slave. In other words, she was free to speak for herself and to join the Conossian order.
Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman
Thea Bowman was raised Protestant, but at the age of nine, she asked to become Catholic. She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1953 and joined in 1956 as the first black member of the community. Sister Thea was a speaker, educator, liturgist, and founding member of the National Black Sisters Conference, which supported Black women in predominantly white religious communities.
Saint Moses the Strong
Before his conversion, Saint Moses was a dangerous man who led a life of violence and crime. Known for his temper and strength, he began to ask questions about God, or at least questions of those who knew God. It is unclear what led him to the Paromeos Monastery; however, while studying there, he was so captivated by his kind and hospitable hosts’ love of God that Moses asked to join their community.
While his conversion from his former ways of life took a very long time, this once fierce fighter experienced mercy firsthand. Later, he was ordained, and he eventually became an abbot. Saint Moses was martyred because of his decision not to retaliate when the monastery was attacked, proving he had finally learned that God’s mercy was stronger than vengeance.
Servant of God Julia Greeley
Julia Greeley lived in Colorado during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A former slave from Missouri, she moved to Colorado to serve the state’s first governor and his family. Upon completion of her service, she found miscellaneous jobs around the city. She is remembered for her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, her red wagon in which she brought goods to the poor, and her service as a “one person St. Vincent de Paul Society.” She experienced racism even in her charity from those who did not want assistance from an African-American woman, so with humility, she brought aid to those individuals by cover of darkness so as not to embarrass them.
Saint Monica + Saint Augustine
It is difficult to imagine the sphere of influence of these two Saints. Saint Monica prayed fervently for her wayward son’s conversion, which led to Saint Augustine having one of the most profound influences in Church history. Although often depicted as caucasian in religious artwork, it is believed that both Saints Monica and Augustine were Black, or Amazigh (Berber) people, who lived in Tagaste, Northern Africa.
Saint Martin de Porres
Saint Martin was the son of a freed African slave and a Spanish nobleman who did not acknowledge him. His identity of mixed races was a source of much discrimination, even amongst religious. His entrance into the Dominicans was first as a volunteer and then as a servant before becoming a brother. He served in the kitchen and is remembered for his ability to heal, bi-locate, and speak to animals. Saint Martin continues to be an inspiration in the way he treated others despite the way he was treated.
Saint Charles Lwanga
Saint Charles Lwanga was born in Uganda in 1860. At the time, Catholicism was new to Uganda and was received favorably by Uganda’s King, Mutesa. However, that changed after his death. His successor, King Mwanga, was hostile toward the Church’s presence and the people’s desire for Christianity. Further, Mwanga was a pedophile and known to prey upon the pages in his service.
When King Mwanga ordered the murder of a visiting Anglican Bishop, Joseph Mukasa (a Catholic who served as the king’s chief page) renounced his actions loudly. He was quickly beheaded, leaving Charles Lwanga as the king’s chief page and the primary defense of the other pages against the king’s advances. As tensions increased between the king and the faithful in his court, it became clear to Charles and the other pages that their lives were in danger. Once King Mwanga realized that some of the pages were preparing for Baptism, he had all of the pages questioned and the Christians were separated from the others. Given the opportunity to renounce or claim their faith, the fifteen young men declared their faith in God “until death.” In total, twenty-two young men were martyred, burned alive.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton
Father Augustus Tolton was the first black priest to serve openly in the United States. His lifetime (1854–1897) represents one of the most segregated and violent periods in American history. He and his family escaped slavery in the South and relocated to Illinois. Despite his intellect and vocation, Venerable Augustus was turned away from every American seminary. Along the way, he educated others who were excluded from religious education due to segregation, and he benefited from local religious who recognized his giftedness and call with nowhere to go. Eventually, he completed his education and ordination in Rome and was assigned to his home state of Illinois to serve as a missionary to the Black community that had been under-resourced since the emancipation.
As we celebrate Black History Month, let us familiarize ourselves with the entire breadth of the Mystical Body. What a gift to the world these men and women represent! What a pleasure it is to know them as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Katie Cassady is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a wife and mom to three little girls in Denver, CO. Steeped in theological reflection, beekeeping and motherhood, she is appreciative of any and all wisdom she can glean from those living intentional lives of faith. Find out more about her here. Read all of Katie's posts here.
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