AAMEN ESSAY WINNER #2: ADDISON HIGH
On July 24, 1990, the National Back Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States designated November as Black Catholic History Month to celebrate the long history and proud heritage of Black Catholics. It also marks a time to share in remembrance, the saints and souls of Africa and the African Diaspora. This month we celebrate and honor Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, the first Black priest in the United States.
Our St. Michael Catholic School middle grade students studied his life and wrote essays to share what they learned about his life and his fidelity to the Catholic faith. The AAMEN committee has selected, from each grade level (sixth, seventh, and eighth) the winning essays. Throughout the month of November, excerpts of the essays will be posted in the bulletin, and you can find the full essay at stmichaelcary.org/blog. We thank all the students who participated in this project and pray that they will answer the call of God in their own lives.
Seventh Grade – Addison High
Father Augustus Tolton transformed the Church forever. He grew up as a slave in Brush Creek, Missouri. He made his escape with his mother, Martha Jane Tolton, and 2 siblings, a younger sister named Anne and an older brother named Charles, in 1862 at age 8. They escaped to Illinois and started their new life there. His father was fighting in the Civil War for the Union but soon perished due to dysentery, leaving the family to fend for themselves. Augustus grew up to face larger-than-life challenges, but was born to succeed. This is his story with God.
After some time in Illinois and at college, he was accepted to study in Rome in Vatican City. He studied there for six years and, after ordination, was supposed to go be a priest and missionary in Africa. However, the day before he was to be ordained, the Cardinal prefect told Augustus that he would be able to go back to the United States. He ended up preaching to an all-Black congregation in the basement of St. Mary’s Church. He was only partially accepted by his peers due to the fact that he was a Black priest during the period of segregation in the United States. He was a great priest, but he was unable to achieve true prosperity due to segregation. This became his struggle until his passing.
His life story can be a true reminder that we must persevere to reach our dreams. His work is the reason that Black men and women can be priests and sisters. All humans have different points of view on religion and some of the best are from Black members of the Church. Father Augustus was always willing to give up anything and everything for his God and congregation. This confirms how much he loved God and how he overcame his obstacles in life: through faith and trust in God’s plan for him.
Father Tolton exhibited many virtues but the one that I think he exhibited most is faith. His trust in God was complete. Tolton put his life in God’s hands and never looked back. He was a true believer. I love that because it shows that he was a child of God by will, not force. He never bragged nor boasted about his relationship with Jesus and was always willing to share how he got there so others could follow. Father Augustus was a beacon of light in the darkness that was segregation and became a safe dwelling for all people. His death was unexpected and too soon for America to truly understand his final message: that when God calls to you, no matter who you are or what happens, go to Him and answer His call.
Father Augustus Tolton was an inspiration to me because he showed humility and self-control in a position of great power, authority, and responsibility. He could have let the power go to his head and started to teach the congregation that God’s will was something other than it is. He also could have cowered under the pressure and given up. But no, he didn’t. He chose God over the easy path. He was the prime example to humanity that trusting in God has its benefits and obstacles in life. He, like so few, knew the reward of eternal life was far greater than the obstacles that he would have to face in life. I know that more people should follow the example of Father Augustus Tolton and trust God by choice and for unselfish causes.