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Baltimore archbishop says Mother Lange’s sainthood cause moving forward

Tim Swift | Catholic News Service

A painting depicts Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first Catholic order of African American nuns, who work largely in the Baltimore area. CATHOLIC REVIEW | CNS

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BALTIMORE — Vatican officials are moving ahead with the cause for
sainthood for Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori
announced recently.

If canonized, Mother Lange, the founder of the Oblate Sisters of
Providence, would become the first black American saint. Mother Lange
immigrated to Baltimore in the early 19th century and opened a school for black
children in her small home in Baltimore’s Fells Point section.

Eventually, Mother Lange founded the Oblate Sisters — the first
religious order for women of African descent in the U.S. — and would operate
what would later become St. Frances Academy. Mother Lange and the Oblate
sisters provided Catholic education to black children in Baltimore despite the
prevailing racism of the time.

Archbishop Lori was in Rome with fellow bishops from Region IV —
the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands,
West Virginia and the Archdiocese for the Military Services — for the “ad
limina” visit. During their time in Rome, the bishops present detailed
reports on their dioceses to Pope Francis and other Vatican officials.

While meeting with Vatican officials, Archbishop Lori received an
update on Mother Mary Lange’s cause for sainthood, which began in 1991.

 “I’m happy to say her cause is moving along,”
Archbishop Lori said. “The position paper on her life of heroic virtue is
nearly complete, and I think we should be all praying very hard that Mother
Mary Lange’s cause will advance and that one day she will be canonized a saint.”

Xaverian Brother Reginald Cruz recently completed writing
his official position paper, or “positio,” on her life and
holiness. Once published, the Congregation for Saints’ Causes will evaluate the
document, and if approved, the “positio” will be forwarded to the
pope, who could grant Mother Lange the title of “Venerable,”
declaring her heroic virtues.

 After the approval of the “positio,” church scholars
will then have to document two confirmed miracles attributed to her
intercession. In general, one such miracle is needed for beatification, and a
second miracle is needed for canonization.

 Archbishop Lori called Mother Lange “a person who was in
every way a pioneer” who “stood head and shoulders above the racism
of her era.”

The Archdiocese of Baltimore plans to open a new school named for
Mother Lange in September 2021. The school — the first new Catholic K-8 school
in the city in 60 years — will serve about 500 students from across Baltimore.

Swift is the social media
coordinator for the Catholic Review and the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The
Review is the news outlet of the archdiocese.

 

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