The first widely recognized black Roman Catholic priest in the United States.

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez will be the principal celebrate and homilist at a Mass honoring the heroic and virtuous life of the Venerable Father Augustus Tolton.

Saturday, June 26, 2021
10:00 a.m. 
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Music will be provided by the Philadelphia Catholic Mass Choir, a 60 member and multi-parish gospel choir.

A former slave who was raised Catholic, Father Tolton studied for the priesthood in Rome and was ordained in 1886. At the time, seminaries in the United States refused him entrance to their school because he was African American.

The title “venerable,” indicates he lived the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance at a heroic level. The next steps for Father Tolton would be beatification and canonization. 

The Mass honoring Venerable Father Tolton is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Black Catholics and Philadelphia Tolton Ambassadors, a Catholic group dedicated to promoting the cause of sainthood of Father Tolton. All are welcomed to attend.

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Editor’s Note: For more information on the Mass, please contact James Andrews, Director of the Archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics at (215) 587-3541.

 

 

Contact:

Jhoselyn Martinez
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747 (office)