St. Lawrence O'Toole To Present "Tolton: From Slave to Priest"

The Kwanzaa Committee of St. Lawrence O' Toole Catholic Church is presenting the play, Tolton: From Slave to Priest, on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. at the church's Sullivan Center, 4101 Saint Lawrence Avenue, Matteson, IL.

The play, created under the auspices of St. Luke Productions, is a one-person drama starring Jim Coleman (Roger Parker from Nickelodeon’s My Brother and Me) under the direction of Leonardo Defillippis.

The production runs 75 minutes, and is suitable for ages 10 and up.

The play is a compelling presentation based on the life of Fr. Augustus Tolton, the first African-American priest. The compelling true story of courage, forgiveness, and reconciliation resonates deeply with modern American audiences.

Tolton was born a slave on a Missouri farm in 1854, and his mother risked everything to reach freedom in Illinois with her three small children. After settling in the town of Quincy, Illinois, the family continued to experience hardships and prejudice. In spite of this, he persevered in his sincere desire to become a Catholic priest.

After being rejected by every seminary in the United States, Tolton continued his quest and finally was ordained in Rome. Upon his return to Illinois, he worked tirelessly to serve people of all races, especially the former slaves who had flocked to Chicago.

Fr. Tolton saw the Catholic Church as the antidote to the discrimination and rejection that he experienced in his own life.

"It was the priests of the Church who taught me to pray and to forgive my persecutors," he said. "We should welcome all people into the Church, not send them away."

At the young age of 43, Fr. Tolton died after collapsing from heat exhaustion in Chicago. His cause for sainthood is now moving forward, as more and more people recognize the humble devotion, compassion, and courage of this extraordinary man.

Bishop Joseph Perry of Chicago who is presenting the case for the Fr. Tolton's beatification and canonization calls the play "a production that will inspire a new era of peace, hope, and forgiveness in America."

Pre-purchased admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for attendees 17 and under and are available through the St. Lawrence O'Toole Parish Office at (708) 748-6090 ext. 100. Tickets purchased at the door will cost $20 and $15, respectively. Tickets are also available online at https://slotoole.churchgiving.com/