Were you aware that there are seven African American candidates for canonization? The lives of these holy men and women span the nearly the entire existence of the United States as an independent nation—from Pierre Toussaint, born in 1766, through Thea Bowman, who died in 1990. It will be a truly thrilling day when we celebrate the canonization of the first African American saint!
To grow awareness of the lives of the Saintly Seven over the coming months, the Archdiocesan Anti-Racism Task Force is organizing seven sessions throughout the Archdiocese to talk about their lives, their causes for canonization, and the experience of Black Catholics in this nation. The sessions will be in-person and live-streamed so that everyone can join in the conversation and reflection. In conjunction with the presentations, each candidate will be featured in the Catholic Telegraph as well. The series will conclude in November, Black Catholic History Month—reminding us that a single month is not sufficient to honor the contributions that Black Catholics have made to our Church and our nation since before its founding.