Americans on the way to Sainthood

Julia Greeley

Do you have a devotion to the Eucharist or to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, or both? Servant of God Julia Greeley was born into slavery in Hannibal, Missouri sometime between 1833 and 1848. Freed by Missouri's Emancipation Act in 1865, Julia subsequently earned her keep by serving white families in several states, though mostly in the Denver area. Julia entered the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver in 1880 and was an outstanding supporter of all the parish. The Jesuits who ran the parish considered her the most enthusiastic promoter of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus they had ever seen. A daily receiver of Holy Communion, Julia had a rich devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin and continued her prayers while working. She joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1901 and was active in it till her death in 1918. Julia's remains have been transferred to Denver's Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on June 7, 2017, as part of the process for her Canonization. 

For more information on Servant of God Greeley's cause, check out this website. 

If you would like to learn about other African Americans with amazing and inspiring stories, join our friend Derek Mosley on September 24 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anthony on the Lake, as he presents, “Things Your History Teacher Never Taught You”. For more information and to register (encouraged but not required), click here.