At the end of this month, Camden’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception will host a live presentation of “Tolton: From Slave to Priest,” centered on the life and witness of Father Augustus Tolton, the first African-American ordained to the priesthood in the United States and one of six African-Americans currently on the road to sainthood.
The event will begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 and is sponsored by the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales, the Cathedral Parish and the Diocese of Camden’s Black Catholic Ministry Commission.
Organized by Saint Luke Productions and packed with music and drama, the live performance of perseverance and faith will bring professional acting, lighting, sound and sets to the cathedral to tell Father Tolton’s story.
Born a slave in Missouri in the 19th century, he and his family escaped to the free state of Illinois. He desired to be a priest, but encountering racial prejudice and finding no U.S. seminary would take him, he instead set off for priestly studies in Rome. At the age of 31, he was ordained a priest April 24, 1886, in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Expecting to serve in an African mission, he instead was directed to return to the United States to serve the Black community; his first Mass in the United States was celebrated in New York City.
Father Tolton “shows us a path to holiness,” said Father John Fisher, OSFS, rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, adding that “in the midst of setbacks and prejudices, God’s grace can still conquer [all] and inspire us to create a more healthy, vibrant, welcoming Church.”
For more than three decades, Saint Luke Productions has brought professional theatrical, DVD and feature film dramas on the life of Christ and saints to more than one million people throughout the English-speaking world. Jim Coleman, who has appeared in national commercials and in roles such as Roger Parker in the hit Nickelodeon show “My Brother and Me,” is set to portray the title character.
“Father Tolton’s story needs to be told,” Coleman says. “As a Black man, this very important part of history is something that I want the world to hear about. I truly feel blessed to be the one to share Father Augustus Tolton with all who will listen.”
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is located at 642 Market St., Camden. There will be secure parking, and admission is a free-will offering. The event is suitable for those ages 10 and older.
For more information, visit www.ToltonDrama.com.
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