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Linda Lysakowski recounts a recent trip to the birthplace of and commemorative sites honoring the nation’s first openly Black Catholic priest.

In mid-September, 13 pilgrims from St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and Nativity of Mary Church in Independence traveled on a pilgrimage to honor Venerable Augustus Tolton and pray for his canonization. Tolton was the first openly African-American priest in the United States. For those who are unaware of Fr Tolton, a little background is in order.

In the 19th century, Missouri was a slave-holding state that encouraged Southern enslavers to migrate there with the African Americans they held in bondage. In the Monroe County census of 1860, there were 11,722 whites and 3,063 slaves. White owners who were Catholic often baptized those they enslaved into the Catholic faith. John Augustus Tolton was baptized “Augustine” in St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Brush Creek, Ralls County.

by Bishop Joseph N. Perry  | OSV News

In recent months, renewed attention has been given to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 — a landmark piece of legislation that helped secure the right to vote for Black Americans, particularly in the South, where discriminatory practices persisted even after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Supreme Court recently heard a case that will have wide implications for how the Voting Rights Act is enforced. The court has the power to preserve the kinds of protections our faith motivates us to defend and must do so.

by Gina Christian – OSV News

(OSV News) — Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo surgery Nov. 13, the Archdiocese of Washington announced Nov. 5.

In a statement, the archdiocese said the 71-year-old cardinal has “well-differentiated liposarcoma, which is a non-aggressive cancer that tends not to metastasize.”

Each November, the Church in the United States pauses to reflect with gratitude on the deep and enduring legacy of black Catholics whose faith, leadership, and witness have shaped the life of the Church and our nation. Their stories remind us that the Gospel takes root and flourishes in every culture, bearing fruit in works of love, justice, and mercy.

From the heroic witness of Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Venerable Henriette Delille, Servant of God Julia Greeley, and countless others, we see how the light of Christ shines through perseverance, courage, and trust in God’s providence. The lives of holy men and women show that faith conquers fear, that love heals division, and that hope endures even in the face of injustice.

As we celebrate this sacred heritage, we are called to strive by God’s grace for ever greater holiness and virtue-to advance justice, to build communion, and to seek reconciliation within our parishes, schools, and communities.

By Richard Szczepanowski | Catholic Standard

Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, archbishop of Washington, will celebrate a Nov. 15 Mass at 4:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bowie, Maryland to commemorate Black Catholic History Month.

The Mass, which will be concelebrated by Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr., is the culmination of an afternoon-long program titled “On Holy Ground: Pilgrimage of Remembrance.”