Americans on their way to Sainthood

Would you be surprised to learn that one American on the way to sainthood helped

build one of the most recognizable churches in the United States? Can you guess the

church? A former Milwaukee Archbishop now presides there. It’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral,

the church of Timothy Cardinal Dolan! And who is this African American on the way to

sainthood who helped to build it? Venerable Pierre Toussaint.

Pierre Toussaint was born in 1776 in Haiti, where he was enslaved. He was brought to

New York as a slave, as an apprentice to a popular hairdresser. He gained his freedom

when his master died and became one of the first free Black entrepreneurs in New

York.

Pierre Toussaint did not physically help build the Cathedral, but he did raise funds for it,

and he is the only lay person to be buried within the Cathedral. He did much more than

just donate for the Cathedral, he and his wife also took in people from the street,

sheltering orphans and refugees and founding an orphanage. He attended Mass daily

and didn’t hesitate to pray with and nurse those suffering from yellow fever. He died in

1853. You can see more about his life and cause for canonization here.

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’s, as he

presents, “Things Your History Teacher Never Taught You”. For more information and

to register (encouraged but not required), click here.