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Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

A painting depicts Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first Catholic order of African-American nuns, who work largely in the Baltimore area. (CR file)

Mother Lange canonization cause takes step forward


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Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Racial Justice, Saints

The canonization cause of Mother Mary Lange, founder of the world’s first sustained women’s religious community for Black women, has taken a step forward.

Sister Rita Michelle Proctor, superior general of the Baltimore-based Oblate Sisters of Providence, said her religious community received a Feb. 27 email from the Holy See informing the sisters that the positio – the documentation on the life of Mother Lange, which includes both the theological and historical record of her life – has been approved by the Vatican.

Sister Rita Michelle made the announcement March 5 at her religious community’s motherhouse in Arbutus during the annual conferral of the Mother Lange Awards honoring local Catholics active in the Black Catholic community.

More than 300 gathered for the annual conferral of the Mother Lange Awards honoring local Catholics active in the Black Catholic community. (Matthew Liptak/Special to the Catholic Review)

More than 300 people broke into applause and cheers at the news.

“I don’t want you to go and say Sister Rita Michelle has just gone and proclaimed Mother Lange a saint,” Sister Rita Michelle said, noting that the sisters have long considered their religious community’s founder a saint in their hearts. Mother Lange established St. Frances Academy in Baltimore in 1828 to educate Black children in an era of slavery.

Mother Lange’s positio will go to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for review, Sister Rita Michelle said.

“Once they have concluded the review, it will be sent to Pope Francis, and he will declare Mother Mary Lange Venerable,” she said.

Archbishop William E. Lori said he was excited to hear the news.

“With each step forward, more people learn about the life and legacy of our beloved Mother Lange,” he said. “She unlocked educational opportunities for children in Baltimore and beyond during her lifetime – and that impact continues today. The Oblate Sisters have worked very hard to help bring about this key development. Along with so many others, we are delighted.”

The uplifting news was just one highlight of the annual awards ceremony, meant to honor the good works of dozens of parishioners from traditionally Black parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The program for the ceremony also included singing performances, opening remarks and a prayer by Auxiliary Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., a historic portrayal and presentation of Mother Mary Lange by Catholic storyteller Janice Curtis Greene, as well as formal public recognition for award recipients.

“God spoke to me and told me that I could make a difference,” said Greene, speaking in character as Lange. “And I wanted to be a powerful woman of God – something I had hoped for and prayed for my entire life.”

Those who have been powerful in their own parishes were also honored with applause as they were introduced later. The span of their ministries was extensive. Just one example were award recipients from the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Baltimore.

Sister Rita Michelle spakes at her religious community’s motherhouse in Arbutus during the annual conferral of the Mother Lange Awards honoring local Catholics active in the Black Catholic community. (Matthew Liptak/Special to the Catholic Review)

Parishioner Donte Williams reflected on the changes in his life since he joined Immaculate Conception.

“I came to Immaculate Conception Church by way of the recovery ministry,” he told those gathered. “Sixteen years ago … I was out there for a minute. At the time I didn’t have anything. It (Immaculate Conception) gave me an opportunity to find love, and my beautiful wife and my beautiful church family. I’m really appreciative of this award, and the church, and everyone that’s involved.”

One married couple from New All Saints Church, Hilton and Margaret Friend, had been at their parish for 53 years. Hilton Friend’s service included years on the parish finance committee as secretary. His wife has been a pastoral visitor, including to the Baltimore City Jail, for 36 years. She also wrote grants that garnered $15,000 for an area food pantry.

As they stood to be recognized, the Friends’ were presented as quiet individuals who go about their ministry faithfully, quietly and humbly.

In his remarks, Bishop Lewandowski recalled the service of fellow Redemptorist Father Thaddeus Anwander, who is considered by the Sisters of Providence to be the second founder of their order.

Faced with the order’s dissolution in its early days, Father Anwander went to the archbishop of Baltimore to plead their case. When the archbishop told him no one in Baltimore wanted “colored” Sisters, he persisted anyway – prostrating himself before his superior.

“At that point, (Archbishop Samuel) Eccelston was ashamed, because a priest got on his knees and begged to be a servant of the women he was intending to dismiss – holy women, women in the service of God’s people in the Church,” Bishop Lewandowski said.

The bishop concluded his remarks by leading the audience in a simple prayer to Divine Providence.

“Providence did. Providence can. And Providence will,” he prayed. “Let that be our prayer today.”

Recipients of Mother Lange Awards

The following parishioners were honored with awards. Leadership awards are indicated with “L,” service awards with “S” and youth awards with “Y” and the Father James Joubert Honor with “FJ.”

St Ambrose, Park Heights:  Zee Harris (S), Shelley Augins-Tyler (S), Chinenye Azike (S)

St. Bernardine, Baltimore: Deborah B. Gardner (L), Renard I. Gardner Sr. (S), Olivia Smith (Y)

Blessed Sacrament, Baltimore: Nadine Finigan-Carr (S)

St. Cecilia, Baltimore: Leslie Imes (L), Yvonne Leonard (S), Janae Boone (Y)

Immaculate Conception, Baltimore: Linda Taylor Porter (L), Dante Johnson (S), Stephanie Graham (Y)

New All Saints, Liberty Heights: Gladys Rice (L), Hilton and Margaret Friend (S), Chizitara Epke (Y)

St. Edward, Baltimore: Calvin Emmanuel Woodland (L), Muriel Ernestine Dais Rice (S), Elijah B. Greene (Y), Ann Gertrude Craig (FJ)

St. Francis Xavier, Baltimore: Regine Laforest-Sharif (L), Gwen Williams (S), Bryana Hardison (Y)

St. Gregory the Great, Baltimore: Darren Bullock (L), Helen Odeh (S), Tonya Peters (FJ) 

St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans/St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge: Janelle Baum (L), Christopher Roberson (S), Yvette Lynch (S), Milton A. Dugger Jr. (FJ), Linda Taylor Porter (L), Dante Johnson (S), Stephanie Graham (Y)

St. Peter Claver/St. Pius V, Baltimore: Michelene Desroches (L), Anthony Middleton (S), Immanuel and Isaiah Knight (Y)

St. Wenceslaus, Baltimore: Margaret Nmezi (S), Sarah Fung (Y), Lucielle Fitzgerald (FJ)

This story was updated March 8.

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