Mass to honor six Black sainthood candidates

For the second consecutive year, St. Ann in East Baltimore will host a special All Saints Day Mass Nov. 1 that will offer prayers for the canonization causes of six Black Americans.

Bishop John Ricard, superior general of the Baltimore-based Josephites and a former auxiliary bishop of Baltimore, will offer the 7 p.m. Mass. St. Ann is under the pastoral care of the Josephites as part of a pastorate that also includes St. Francis Xavier and St. Wenceslaus in East Baltimore.

Mother Mary Lange, who has the title “Servant of God,” is among those being considered for canonization. She is the founder of the Baltimore-based Oblate Sisters of Providence, the world’s first religious community for Black women. 

Others under consideration are Sister Thea Bowman, the first African American member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, and Julia Greeley, known as the city of Denver’s “Angel of Charity” – both have the title Servant of God – as well as Mother Henriette Delille, founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Father Augustus Tolton and Pierre Toussaint. The latter three have the title “Venerable.”

The Masses at St. Ann in support of canonization have been organized by a national campaign made up of members the pastorate and members of St. Ann’s social justice committee.

Last year, they collected signatures for a letter sent to Pope Francis urging him to expedite canonization. 

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