On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States designated November as Black Catholic History Month to celebrate the history and heritage of black Catholics. November is significant because two important black saints are commemorated within the month: St. Martin de Porres’ feast day (Nov. 3) and St. Augustine’s birthday (Nov. 13). While Sister Thea Bowman may be the most well-known, there are a number of other black women in the Americas who are on the path toward sainthood. Here are a few of their stories:
Henriette Delille was born in 1812 in New Orleans, Louisiana, as a free woman of color. When she was 24, she experienced a religious conversion and proclaimed: “I believe in God. I hope in God. I love. I want to live and die for God.” Henriette co-founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1842 — 20 years before the Civil War and before it was legal for this type of organization to exist. In 1847, the Society of the Holy Family was founded to support the sisters financially. The sisters responded to the need of treatment for the enslaved, elderly and sick, as well as care and education for the poor. Archbishop Philip M. Hannan began the canonization process for Henriette DeLille in 1988. Henriette was declared Venerable (the first step toward sainthood) by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.