Join in the Celebration of Black History and Heritage as We Honor Black Catholic Pioneers |
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Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
(photo is public domain)
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Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
Based on an excerpt from article, Meet 3 Catholic heroes who championed bridge-building by Joseph Malham in U.S. Catholic | |
Daniel Williams began his apprenticeship as a shoemaker at age 11 but was drawn to medicine. He graduated from the Chicago Medical College in 1883, a time when very few Black physicians practiced, especially on white patients. Williams founded Provident Hospital, the first Black-run hospital in the U.S., which served all races and established a training program for Black doctors and nurses.
In 1893, he performed the first successful open-heart surgery, though his achievement was largely overlooked due to racial prejudice. A baptized Catholic, Williams passed away in 1931, leaving money to St. Elizabeth’s Church in Chicago. He believed that healing physical wounds could contribute to healing societal ones, a vision that resonates with ongoing struggles for equality today.
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Servant of God Julia Greeley
(photo is public domain)
Read more about Julia Greeley and her Cause for Canonization by clicking the button below.
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Denver's 'Angel of Charity', Servant of God Julia Greeley | |
Julia Greeley, known as Denver’s Angel of Charity, was born into slavery near Hannibal, Missouri, between 1833 and 1848. After being freed by the Emancipation Act in 1865, she worked for white families in Missouri and the Denver area. With her earnings, she assisted poor families, often begging for additional supplies and doing her charitable work discreetly at night.
Julia joined the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver in 1880 and became a devoted supporter, actively promoting the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was a daily communicant with a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1901.
Upon her death in 1918, hundreds paid their respects at her funeral, and she was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. In 2016, the request for her canonization was granted after nearly a century of advocacy.
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Fr. Joseph Nearon, SSS
Based on the article found in the February 2022 Archives of Manhattan College
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Years before Brown vs. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act, Father Joseph Nearon ’50 became a key advocate for integration in the U.S. Born in Yonkers, New York, Nearon was awarded a scholarship by the National Federation of Catholic College Students (NFCCS) in 1946, which allowed him to attend Manhattan College.
As an undergraduate, he actively participated in various social justice organizations, including the Interracial Justice Society. In 1948, Nearon was instrumental in advocating for the integration of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) tournament, leading to its first inclusion of a Black player after a successful boycott.
After graduating in 1950, Nearon pursued the priesthood and eventually taught at St. Joseph Seminary and later at John Carroll University, becoming the first Black member of the Catholic Theological Society of America. He contributed significantly to Black Catholic advocacy and education, including co-founding the Institute of Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans.
Nearon passed away in 1984, leaving a legacy of integration and advocacy that continues to resonate today. As Bishop James Lyke noted at his funeral, he was a pioneering voice in Black Catholic Studies, shaping the future for many.
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Fr. Joseph Nearon
(photo courtesy of Xavier University of Louisiana)
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Saint Josephine Bakhita
(Photo public domain)
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Saint Josephine Bakhita
Based on biographical information from the Encyclopedia Britannica, written by Melissa Petruzzello
St. Josephine Bakhita (c. 1869 - February 8, 1947) was a Sudanese-born Roman Catholic saint and the patron saint of Sudan and victims of human trafficking. Born in Olgossa, Darfur, she was kidnapped as a child by Arab slave traders in 1877 and endured years of brutal enslavement, during which she was sold multiple times and suffered severe mistreatment.
In 1883, she was sold to an Italian consul, Callisto Legnani, who treated her more kindly and took her to Italy. There, she was placed under the care of the Canossian Sisters in Venice, where she was baptized on January 9, 1890. Josephine refused to return to her previous owners, and the court declared her free.
She joined the Canossian Sisters, taking her final vows in 1896 and serving in a convent in Schio. Known for her warmth and kindness, she provided comfort during World War II and faced sickness with Christian hope. She passed away peacefully, reportedly calling out for freedom from her past chains. Beatified in 1992 and canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II, her feast day is celebrated on February 8.
| Saturday, February 8 is the Feast Day of St. Josephine Bakhita | |
"When a person loves another dearly, he desires strongly to be close to the other: therefore, why be afraid to die?"
St. Josephine Bakhita
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2
is the National Day of Prayer for the African American and African Family
As we eagerly anticipate the 36th celebration of the National Day of Prayer for the African American and African Family, we are reminded of the profound importance of community and shared values in our lives.
In this spirit, we are pleased to announce the release of the updated prayer pamphlet for 2025, a vital resource designed to enrich your observance of heritage and faith. This pamphlet contains an inspiring reflection written by Therese Wilson Favors, and the original Prayer for the African American and African Family written by Fr. Jim Goode, OFM, who in 1989 founded this National Day of Prayer.
We encourage you to download copies of this resource for your family, and share it with others in your community, fostering an uplifting experience that strengthens the spirit of togetherness among families and friends.
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Are we as excited for Jesus as we are for the superbowl?
Father Stephen Thorne, a priest with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, asked these students that very timely question!
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