AAMEN ESSAY WINNER: Maria F.
The African Ancestry Ministry and Evangelization Network (AAMEN) invites you to join us in celebration of National Black Catholic History Month (NBCHM). In 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus designated November as NBCHM, entrusting the archives to Notre Dame University’s Theodore Hesburgh Library. These historical documents preserve the stories of African American Catholic priests, sisters, brothers, deacons, seminarians, and lay people. November is also a sacred time when the Church remembers all saints and souls, including the holy men and women of Africa and the African diaspora.
To honor NBCHM, the St. Michael Chapter of AAMEN partnered with St. Michael School to introduce Middle School students to the inspiring life of Servant of God Julia Greeley, known as Denver’s Angel of Charity. Born into slavery and later freed, Julia dedicated her life to serving the poor and spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her humble acts of love and generosity continue to inspire people of faith today as her cause for canonization advances in the Church.
Eighth Grade – Maria F.
True holiness is frequently not in grand gestures, but in quiet, hidden deeds of love. Some are remembered for miracles or for heroic sacrifices, but some, like Julia Greeley, show us that sanctity can be lived through ordinary choices grounded in faith. Julia Greeley, born a slave in Missouri between 1833 and 1848, experienced a difficult childhood from which she emerged with scars and abuse that cost her an eye. After the Civil War, she gained her freedom and later made the West her home, with Denver becoming her new residence. Although she herself lived in poverty, Julia was referred to as “Denver’s Angel of Charity” due to her charitable work with others. She embraced her vocation to serve the poor, found strength in being close to God, and testified to a holiness that reasons for canonization.
The life of Julia shows us that vocation is greater than career or social standing, but is answering God’s call to serve and to love. Born into servitude and working as a domestic, Julia never knew ease, status, or wealth. Instead of worrying about her own suffering, however, she gave her life to serve others. She spent her meager earnings on clothes, food, or coal for households no better off than hers. Out of respect for their dignity, Julia made her gifts at night so no one would be ashamed to accept her generosity due to her skin color. Her vocation was charity living itself out in humble self-sacrifice and generosity. Embracing this calling, Julia reminds us that God gives everyone a vocation no matter where they come from, and that holiness is present when we live to serve others.
Julia’s ability to serve others with such passion was made possible by her spirituality and closeness to God. Her devotion was strongest to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, symbolizing Christ’s love and mercy. She distributed pamphlets on the Sacred Heart to neighbors, firemen, and anyone willing to listen, showing how faith led her to evangelize as well as to serve. Julia became a member of the Secular Franciscan Order, devoting herself to living a life of humility, simplicity, and trust in God. Her spirituality was active, not merely personal, and it guided her vocation of service and made her a living witness to the love of God. Therefore, Julia illustrates that true spirituality leads us to God and overflows into loving others.
Based on her heroic charity, great spirituality, and love for God, Julia Greeley is a model of holiness and a strong candidate for sainthood. She lived out the Beatitudes as a poor-in-spirit, merciful, and pure-of-heart woman. When she died in 1918, individuals from all walks of life came to pay tribute to her, proof of the impact of her simple life. In 2016, the Catholic Church officially opened her cause for canonization, conferring the title Servant of God upon her. Canonization would recognize that Julia lived a life of heroic virtue and would make her an example to all Christians. Declaring her to be a saint would also remind others that holiness can be attained by living in ordinary ways through charity, prayer, and faith in God.
The life of Julia Greeley testifies to the power of vocation and spirituality to draw us closer to God and transform the world around us. She embraced her vocation of service with humility and charity, nourished her spirituality with prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart, and practiced a holiness that inspires the Church today. Born into slavery and poverty, Julia demonstrated that sainthood is not the result of wealth or power but of faithfulness and love. Her legacy challenges us to pursue our own vocation with courage and the conviction that closeness with God is found in prayer and service, and she remains an example of sanctity in our lives.
Works Cited
“Saint of the Month: Servant of God Julia Greeley.” St Ignatius Church, 2 June 2025,
https://stignatiusmobile.org/news/saint-of-the-month-servant-of-god-julia-greeley
Accessed 17 September 2025.
“Servant of God Julia Greeley | Black and Indian Mission.” Black and Indian Mission Office,
https://blackandindianmission.org/servant-god-julia-greeley
Accessed 17 September 2025.
Spencer, Carol. “The First African American Coloradoan To Be Nominated for Sainthood.”
Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives, 21 September 2021,
https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/african-american-research-library/first-african-american-coloradoan-be-nominated-sainthood
Accessed 17 September 2025.
Wroble, Susan. “Julia Greeley.” Colorado Encyclopedia,
https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/julia-greeley
Accessed 17 September 2025.
(“Saint of the Month: Servant of God Julia Greeley”)