Oblate Sisters celebrate 10th anniversary of transfer of Mother Lange’s remains

ARBUTUS – It’s been 10 years since the remains of Mother Mary Lange were transferred from New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore to the Our Lady of Mount Providence Convent Chapel of the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Arbutus.

The sisters, who were founded by Mother Lange to serve the Black community, celebrated the milestone with a special June 3 Mass at the convent. 

Approximately 50 sisters and supporters gathered for Mass. Capuchin Franciscan Father Paul Zaborowski, pastor of St. Ambrose in West Baltimore, was the celebrant.

“This is a commemoration of 10 years of her coming home to us,” said Sister Rita Michelle Proctor, the Oblates’ superior general. “Having her here with us gives us more of a sense of her presence. She is here in spirit regardless, but we love that she is here with the sisters that she founded.”

According to a Catholic Review article from 2013, the transfer of Mother Mary Lange’s remains was prompted by her cause for canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church. It is a tradition for the Catholic Church to make the relics of a person with a cause for canonization more accessible to the public for increased devotion and pilgrimage.

In 1991, Cardinal William H. Keeler, then archbishop of Baltimore, opened a formal investigation of Mother Lange’s life. In 2004, a positio – documents describing Mother Lange’s life – was sent to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine for the Causes of Saints.

According to Sister Rita Michelle, both the theological and historical parts of Mother Lange’s positio have been approved. It is awaiting final judgment by the bishops and cardinals of the dicastery and then will be sent to Pope Francis. Once Mother Lange receives the title of “venerable,” the next step requires an affirmed miracle, and she will receive the title of “blessed.” After a second affirmed miracle, she will be recognized as a saint.

Mother Lange’s remains are kept in the sarcophagus in the oratory in the chapel. People are free to go into the chapel and pray and sign the book with their intentions. They can also speak to any of the sisters. While there are no set hours to visit, the switchboard is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to let in visitors.

During the pandemic, the chapel at the motherhouse was closed to visitors. Now that it has reopened, Sister Rita Michelle has begun to see more people come to pray and visit.

“Once we receive word that Mother Lange is venerable, we will expect to see more people come,” she said.

At the time of the transfer of Mother Lange’s remains, Sister Rita Michelle, now in her second term as superior general, attended the event as principal of Cardinal Shehan School in Baltimore.

“It was a beautiful ceremony,” she said. “It was awe-inspiring and spirit lifting. It’s unbelievable (that) it’s been 10 years already. Having Mother Lange in the motherhouse brings us great joy. As we get closer to her sainthood process, the more joyful we will become. We look forward to celebrating her on her path to canonization. Only God knows the timing.”

Sister Rita Michelle noted that her religious community is 194 years old. 

“She started this right here in Baltimore, and Maryland was a slave-holding state,” she said. “We need to celebrate a woman of color who formed a religious order under those circumstances at the time. It’s amazing.”

In addition to founding the Oblate Sisters of Providence along with Sulpician Father Nicholas Joubert, Mother Lange, who was a refugee from Santiago, Cuba, possibly of Haitian heritage, also started St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the oldest continuously operating Black Catholic school in the United States, now in its 195th year. She died in 1882 at the school.

Sister Elsa Marie Lopez-Aguero, 89, an Oblate Sister who was born in Cuba and came to the United States in 1961, attended the 10th anniversary Mass and reflected on the life of Mother Mary Lange.

“It is important to recognize Mother Lange because of the work she did and the timeframe that she did it in,” said Sister Elsa Marie. “She was brave to be in the middle of the Civil War and racism, and she was brave to open a school for Black slaves and free Blacks. We are hoping that this is the year that she will be canonized.”

Read more and watch a video of the 2013 transfer: 

Mother Lange’s relics moved to motherhouse as sainthood cause advances 

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