Mother Henriette Díaz DeLille
The Catholic Church officially recognizes as saints those whose lives imitated Christ’s. The saints intercede for us and serve as examples on the path to Heaven. While the Church has not yet declared these five holy men and women to be saints, they have been declared “venerable,” and you should know about their lives.
Venerable Father Al Schwartz
Al Schwartz was born on September 18, 1930 in Washington D.C. Al grew up during the Great Depression. His father struggled to make a living, and their family of 11 felt the pains of great poverty. Al studied theology at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. After his ordination, his first assignment sent him to South Korea.
As soon as he arrived, Fr. Al saw the needs of the people and started a non-profit to raise funds. Recognizing that he could not fulfill God’s call alone, he founded the Sisters of Mary. With their help, Fr. Al built Boystowns and Girlstowns where impoverished children lived, received an education, and encountered Christ.
He expanded his mission outside of South Korea to the Philippines. It was there that Fr. Al received his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Fr. Al always prayed to be united with the suffering Christ, so he gladly accepted this terminal illness. Even when confined to a wheelchair, he refused to stop his work and continued to celebrate Mass. Fr. Al passed away on March 16, 1992 at a Girlstown in the Philippines. The Sisters of Mary have continued his work, opening more Girlstowns and Boystowns around the world.
Pope Francis declared Fr. Al Schwartz venerable on January 22, 2015. Find his beatification prayer here.
Venerable Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange
Elizabeth Lange’s parents were Cuban immigrants from modern-day Haiti. Elizabeth’s father had a solid financial and social standing, which allowed her to receive a good education. As a young adult, she emigrated to the United States in search of security and a better life. Providence led her to Baltimore, Maryland where a group of fellow Cuban refugees had settled.
Elizabeth quickly realized the need for education among the refugee children. However, living in Baltimore before the Emancipation Proclamation meant that the education of slaves was illegal, and she was a woman of color. Elizabeth did not let this impediment stop her mission. She opened a school for black children in her own home using her own money. As time went on, finances started to become an issue. Elizabeth connected with Fr. James Hector Joubert, S.S., who provided direction and financial assistance, and encouraged Elizabeth to start an order.
On July 2, 1829, Elizabeth and three other women pronounced promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Theirs was the first African American women’s religious order in the United States.
Elizabeth took on the name Mother Mary and served as superior general for nine years. The Sisters served the sick during two cholera epidemics and helped take care of the housekeeping tasks around St. Mary’s seminary. Mother Mary gave everything she had until she had nothing except for the Lord and then she still gave. She trusted in Providence through many setbacks – the death of her greatest supporter, Fr. Joubert, being abandoned by some of her closest friends and coworkers, acts of racism, and poverty. Mother Mary continued to serve until the Lord called her home on February 3, 1882.
Pope Francis declared Mother Mary Elizabeth venerable on June 22, 2023. Find her beatification prayer here.
Mother Henriette Díaz DeLille
Henriette DeLille was born in New Orleans, Louisiana as a free woman of color, although she was a descendant of slaves. Her mother had a common-law marriage with Henriette’s father, a wealthy white man, as opposed to a civil or religious marriage; since interracial marriages were illegal at the time.
Although she was raised Catholic, it was not until the age of 24 that Henriette had a religious encounter. She wrote in French on the inside cover of a book about the Eucharist: “I believe in God. I hope in God. I love. I want to live and die for God.”
Henriette refused to call herself white, even though her skin was light enough. She called herself a free person of color. This caused her family to sever ties with Henriette. After her mother was declared incompetent, Henriette received control of her possessions. She took care of her mother’s needs and then sold her remaining properties, using the money to start her own religious order because established orders would not accept women of color.
The Sisters of the Holy Family began teaching religion to slaves, but quickly expanded their ministry to housing and educating orphans and opening a house to care for the elderly. One of her institutions is regarded as America’s first Catholic home for the elderly. The Sisters also cared for the sick during two yellow fever epidemics.
Henriette served as mother superior of the order until her death at the age of 50. She is remembered for her love, her service to others, and her trailblazing rejection of racism. Pope Benedict XVI declared her venerable on March 27, 2010. Find her beatification prayer here.
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton
Augustus Tolton was born into slavery. His parents, Peter Paul and Martha Jane, were baptized Catholic by their owners and given permission to marry. When the Civil War began, Augustus’ father escaped slavery through the underground railroad to join the Union army, then died in battle. Soon after, Martha Jane escaped slavery with her children, making it to Quincy, Illinois where they settled.
Augustus’ mother encouraged him to go to school, where he faced discrimination in the classrooms. Once he made the decision to join the priesthood, seminaries rejected him on the basis of race. With the help of mentors, Augustus attended seminary in Rome and for the first time experienced the loving community of a church that accepted him.
As an ordained priest six years later, Fr. Augustus returned to a parish back home in Quincy, Illinois. He became the first African American priest in the United States. He later accepted reassignment to the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he was given jurisdiction over all the black Catholics in the archdiocese. He began construction on a new Chicago parish, St. Monica’s, and despite his growing popularity, devoted his time to his impoverished parishioners. His life converted many souls to the Lord as he worked to serve the poor and overcome racial injustices. He suddenly died of heat stroke at age 43 while on a retreat.
Pope Francis declared him venerable on June 11, 2019. Find his beatification prayer here.
Venerable Pierre Toussaint
Pierre was born as a slave in Saint Domingue, modern-day Haiti, on a sugar plantation. However, Pierre did not work in the fields. He worked in a house, where he received an education. When the Revolution broke out Pierre’s owners Jacque and Marie moved to New York, bringing their slaves with them.
Jacque had Pierre work as an apprentice with the best hairdresser in New York. Pierre quickly became very skilled at his trade and was allowed to keep some of the allowance he earned. He made enough money to buy other slaves their freedom, including his sister and his future wife. However, Pierre did not buy his own freedom. After a few years, Jacque returned to Haiti to attend to some business and died before he could return. Pierre took care of the widowed Marie until she passed away. At her death, she granted Pierre his freedom.
Pierre married Juliette, a former slave whom he had freed, and bought a house in Manhattan. He took care of his sister until her death and then adopted his niece, Euphemia, so she was not left orphaned. He taught her French, music, and how to write. She passed away at the age of 14 from tuberculosis.
Together, Juliette and Pierre worked to serve the immigrant community in New York. They provided housing and employment services, and even created a credit union for freed slaves. They also opened their home to orphans, educating them and providing them an opportunity to learn trades.
Pierre passed away at age 87, having devoted his life to caring for and providing for others. His remains are buried in the crypt under the altar in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Pope St. John Paul II declared Pierre Toussiant Venerable in December of 1996. Find his beatification prayer here.
