Our Saviour Church to host “Tolton: From Slave to Priest” tonight

By Gary Scott on November 8, 2017 at 12:24pm

A local church is hosting a theater production this evening centered on one of the more interesting subjects from west central Illinois.

Our Saviour Catholic Church is hosting the production “Tolton: From Slave to Priest,” which tells the story of Reverend Augustus Tolton, the first African American priest in the Catholic Church.

Father Tom Meyer of Our Saviour’s Church joined WLDS’ AM Conversation yesterday to discuss the production. Meyer says that tonight’s event is the second such show in Illinois.

” We are wanting to get the story out about Father Augustus Tolton, and so there’s a production company out of Oregon and they’ve put together this one-person drama based on the life of Father Augustus Tolton. This production is moving around the country and it just started a few weeks ago in Chicago and their second week they’re coming here to central Illinois. So we’ll be the second stop here in Illinois for this production called ‘Tolton: From Slave to Priest,'” says Meyer.

Father Meyer talks about Reverend Augustus Tolton’s story, and how he eventually made his way to west central Illinois.

“He was originally born a slave in what would have been eastern Missouri, and as a young person, his family escaped slavery near Hannibal, Missouri, came to Quincy, and he was raised as a Catholic in Quincy and received a Catholic education. But then (Tolton) did serve in our diocese for his first three years of priesthood in Quincy, then served another nine years up in Chicago. But yes, he is one of our very own,” Meyer explains.

 

There is no admission for the show and the entire public is welcome to attend. Tonight’s show begins at 7 o’clock at the OSS church proper.