• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Mother Mary Lange is shown in a stained glass image at the Oblate Sisters of Providence motherhouse in Arbutus. (CR file)

Mother Mary Lange’s cause for sainthood moves forward, Archbishop Lori says

December 5, 2019
By Tim Swift
Filed Under: Ad Limina 2019, Archbishop's Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Saints, Vatican, Video, World News

Vatican officials are moving ahead with the cause for sainthood for Mother Mary Lange, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said Thursday in Rome.

If canonized, Mother Lange, the founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, would be become the first black American saint. Mother Lange immigrated to Baltimore in the early 19th century and opened a school for black children in her small Fells Point home.

Eventually, Mother Lange founded the Oblate Sisters – the first religious order for women of African descent in the U.S. – and would operate what would later become St. Frances Academy. Lange and the Oblate sisters provided Catholic education to black children in Baltimore despite the prevailing racism of the time.

Archbishop Lori is in Rome this week with fellow bishops from the surrounding region for the “ad limina” meetings, where bishops present detailed reports on their dioceses to Pope Francis and other Vatican officials. While meeting with Vatican officials, Archbishop Lori received an update on Mother Mary Lange’s cause for sainthood, which began in 1991.

A video report from Archbishop Lori follows. Story continues below.

YouTube video

“I’m happy to say her cause is moving along,” Archbishop Lori said. “The position paper on her life of heroic virtue is nearly complete, and I think we should be all praying very hard that Mother Mary Lange’s cause will advance and that one day she will be canonized a saint.”

Xaverian Brother Reginald Cruz has recently completed writing his “positio,” a document arguing for Mother Lange’s sainthood. Once published, the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints will evaluate the document, and if approved the “positio” will be forwarded to the pope, who could grant Mother Lange the title of “venerable.” After the approval of the “positio,” church scholars will then have to document two confirmed miracles attributed to her intercession.

Archbishop Lori called Mother Lange “a person who was in every way a pioneer” who “stood head and shoulders above the racism of her era.”

The Archdiocese of Baltimore plans to open a new school named for Mother Lange in September 2021. The school – the first new Catholic K-8 school in the city in 60 years – will serve about 500 students from across Baltimore.

For more coverage of the bishops’ meeting with the pope in Rome, click here.

Email Tim Swift at tswift@catholicreview.org

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Tim Swift

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • New interim Hispanic, Urban delegates ready to serve Archdiocese of Baltimore

  • Catholic school academic honorees return to lead alma maters at Bishop Walsh, Archbishop Curley

  • Father Patrick Carrion offers blessing before Preakness

  • New pope’s Black, Creole roots illuminate rich multiracial history of U.S.

  • Peruvian priest in Baltimore crossed paths with Pope Leo

| Latest Local News |

Deacon Thomas O’Donnell of Catonsville experiences power of papal transition in Rome

Radio Interview: Grow in your relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dinners build camaraderie for parishioners in Western Maryland

Pope’s inauguration Mass is sign of unity for whole church, Archbishop Lori says

Western Maryland parishes hit by devastating floodwaters

| Latest World News |

CRS rallies advocates, lawmakers against proposed long-term cuts to foreign aid

Broglio: As successor of Peter, pope confirms us ‘in faith,’ calls us ‘back to the Gospel’

USCIRF praises Pope Leo XIV for continuing Vatican’s international religious freedom work

Pope names new chancellor of institute for marriage, family sciences

Trump names three U.S. bishops, priest to religious liberty commission advisory board

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Deacon Thomas O’Donnell of Catonsville experiences power of papal transition in Rome
  • CRS rallies advocates, lawmakers against proposed long-term cuts to foreign aid
  • Broglio: As successor of Peter, pope confirms us ‘in faith,’ calls us ‘back to the Gospel’
  • USCIRF praises Pope Leo XIV for continuing Vatican’s international religious freedom work
  • Pope names new chancellor of institute for marriage, family sciences
  • Thérèse of Lisieux: 100 Years of Light
  • Trump names three U.S. bishops, priest to religious liberty commission advisory board
  • Movie Review: ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’
  • Pope reaffirms commitment to ecumenical, interreligious dialogue

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED