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From
uCatholic:
After arriving in Quincy, Illinois, Martha, Augustus, and Charley
began working at the Herris Tobacco Company where they made cigars.
After Charley’s death at a young age, Augustine met Father Peter McGirr,
an Irish Immigrant priest, from Fintona, County Tyrone who gave him the
opportunity to attend St. Peter’s parochial school during the winter
months when the factory was closed.
The priest’s decision was controversial in the parish. Although
abolitionists were active in the town, many of Father McGirr’s
parishioners objected to a black student at their children’s school.
McGirr held fast and allowed Tolton to study there. Later Tolton
continued studies directly with some priests.
Despite McGirr’s support, Tolton was rejected by every American
seminary to which he applied. Impressed by his personal qualities,
McGirr continued to help him and enabled Tolton’s study in Rome. Tolton
graduated from St. Francis Solanus College (now Quincy University) and
attended the Pontifical Urbaniana University, where he became fluent in
Italian as well as studying Latin and Greek.
Father Tolton was ordained on April 24, 1886 in Saint John Lateran by
Cardinal Giovanni Parocchi, and celebrated his first Mass in Saint
Peter’s Basilica. Expecting to serve in an African mission, he had been
studying its regional cultures and languages, but after his ordination,
instead was told that he would be needed in America to minister to the
communities of African-American Catholics there.
He was assigned to his home diocese in Illinois as pastor of the
Church of Saint Joseph in Quincy. Under Tolton’s leadership, the church
grew to capacity and included white parishioners. This angered a Quincy
clergy leader, who urged Tolton to minister only to black members or
leave. In 1889 Tolton requested reassignment to Chicago, accompanied by
his mother, sister and 19 of his Quincy parishioners. (Read more.)
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