America’s first black priest is getting a shrine

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, Might 01, 2026

Father Augustine Tolton, America’s first publicly acknowledged black priest, who’s simply two miracles in need of being declared a saint by the pope, is ready to get his personal shrine on the location of the shuttered St. Boniface Church in Quincy, Illinois, the place he provided his first public mass.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield introduced plans for the shrine to Tolton, who escaped slavery to stay a lifetime of religion, simply outdoors St. Boniface Church, positioned at 641 Maine Road, on Wednesday.

Whereas St. Boniface Church has been closed since 2020, the Diocese of Springfield mentioned the church will probably be restored and reopened to the general public.

“This is an extraordinary moment not only for our area, but for the Catholic Church in our country,” Paprocki mentioned in an announcement. “To restore St. Boniface as a shrine dedicated to Father Tolton means preserving sacred history while creating a living place of prayer, hope, and renewal — all tied to a holy priest whose life is an example of authentic discipleship of Christ. This shrine will place Quincy firmly on the spiritual map for pilgrims seeking inspiration, healing, and deeper faith.”

Tolton was born into slavery in 1854. In 1862, when he was simply 8, he escaped together with his mom and siblings throughout the Mississippi River to Illinois. They finally settled in Quincy, the place he attended St. Peter’s Catholic College and heard the decision to change into a priest.

Since no American seminary would settle for a black man on the time, Tolton went to Rome, the place he studied and was ordained a priest. He was later despatched again to Quincy to minister and obtained “a hero’s welcome,” the Diocese of Springfield mentioned.

He rapidly grew to become identified for his preaching and singing and was transferred to Chicago. He later died of heatstroke on July 9, 1897, at age 43. He’s presently buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Quincy.

In June 2019, Tolton’s posthumous march towards sainthood started when Pope Francis declared him “Venerable,” that means he’s formally acknowledged as dwelling a lifetime of heroic advantage by the Catholic Church.

The push to canonize Tolton was formally opened by the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2010, and all that’s wanted now for him to be declared a saint are two miracles within the four-step course of.

One documented miracle attributed to Tolton’s intercession would make him “Blessed,” whereas a second would result in sainthood.

“Father Tolton’s own struggles pose a shining example of how to grapple with disappointment, protracted disappointments that constrain our lives, as well as how to endure when endurance may appear illogical,” Bishop Joseph Perry, the retired auxiliary bishop of Chicago, who’s main the trigger for Tolton’s canonization, mentioned in an announcement.

“In the end, his faith, hope, and love were found intact.”

Efforts at the moment are underway to boost an estimated $5 million to renovate St. Boniface Church, together with an extra $5 million to $7 million to increase the campus and set up an endowment to look after the shrine in perpetuity.

“This shrine will only be possible through the generosity of the faithful,” mentioned Father Steven Arisman, who’s main the fundraising effort because the chairman of the Committee for the Shrine for Father Augustine Tolton. “I encourage Catholics everywhere to prayerfully consider supporting this project. By helping build this shrine, you are helping preserve Father Tolton’s legacy and offering future generations a place where hearts can be lifted to God and lives transformed by grace.”

“Father Tolton overcame the odds of slavery, prejudice, and racism to become a humble priest and someone after whom we should model our lives,” Paprocki added. “He carried his crosses in life quietly and heroically. What a source of great pride to have the nation’s first black priest and someone who is on his way to sainthood live and minister in our diocese, in Quincy. His life truly shows that all of us — no matter how ordinary we think we are — can do extraordinary things and live a heroic Christian life.”