Black Catholic History Month: Pierre Toussaint

Venerable Pierre Toussiant
Philanthropist

Date of Birth: June 27, 1766
Date of Death: June 30, 1853

-A former slave from the French colony of Saint-Domingue. He was brought to New York City by his owners in 1787.

-Upon arrival in New York he was sent to apprentice with one of New York’s leading hairdressers.

-His owner, Jean Berard died in St. Domingue of pleurisy, and Pierre used
the money he made as a hairdresser to support Madame Berard.

-After being freed from slavery in 1807, Toussaint became a noted
philanthropist of the poor of the city. He used the money he made from being a hairdresser for the upper echelon to do his good works. He even paid for the freedom of his sister Rosalie and his wife to be, Juliette Noel.

-In 1811 he married Juliette and with her performed many charitable works in the city. Among them, they opened their home as an orphanage, employment bureau, and a refuge for travelers.

-Pierre attended Mass daily for 66 years at St. Peter’s Church in New York.

-Pierre contributed funds for the building of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on
Mulberry Street.

-Toussaint was also a benefactor of the first New York Catholic school for
Black children, St. Vincent de Paul on Canal Street.

-He died on June 30, 1853 at the age of 87.

-In the 1950s, the John Boyle O’Reilly Committee for Interracial Justice
began researching and publicizing his life story.

-Cardinal Cooke, authorized a canonization committee to study further his life story and based on their findings in 1991 his successor, Cardinal
O’Connor, began the official process for canonization.

-Toussaint’s body was exhumed from the Old St. Patrick’s cemetery for
examination was reinterred in the new Cathedral. He was the first layman buried in the crypt below the main altar of the Cathedral on Fifth Avenue.

-In 1996 he was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II.

Prayer

Lord God, source of love and compassion, we praise and honor You for the virtuous and charitable life of our brother in Christ, Venerable Pierre Toussaint.
 
Inspired by the example of our Lord Jesus, Pierre worshipped You with love and served Your people with generosity. He attended Mass daily and responded to the practical and spiritual needs of friends and strangers, of the rich and the poor, the sick and the homeless of the 19 ^th century, New York.
 
If it is your will, let the name of Venerable Pierre Toussaint be officially raised to the rank of Saint, so that the world may know this Haitian New Yorker who refused to hate of be selfish, but instead lived to the full commandments of heaven and the divine law of love—love for God and for neighbor.
 
By following his example and asking for his prayer, may we, too, be counted among the blessed in heaven.
 
We ask for this through Christ our Lord. Amen
 
For more information: http://bit.ly/2qLr3Rl