born near Boston and serving in Brazil for most of his life could be the next African-American Catholic priest up for sainhood Another African-American could soon be on the road to sainthood in the Catholic Church, as the Our Lady of Angels Province of the Conventual Franciscans recently approved a motion to support the cause of Fr Martinho (Martin) Maria de Porres Ward The news was announced early this month, shortly after the province celebrated a Mass in Brazil to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of Ward’s death On June 22, 2022, the Provincial Custody of the Immaculate in Brazil celebrated a Mass to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the death of Friar Martinho de Porres (Matthias) WARD, OFM Conv in Andrelândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil:https://t.co/dsRZN2dlyj pic.twitter.com/XLAMtvVBlV Born Matthias DeWitte Ward to an interracial couple near Boston in 1918 he was the first African-American to become Conventual Franciscan in the United States and spent his ministry serving as a missionary in South America Ward converted to Catholicism in high school and entered the Salvatorian Fathers after graduation He later joined the Conventuals in 1945 and became a priest a decade later at a Mass in Albany Having reportedly been the first Black applicant to the US Conventuals Ward was accepted to the order with the assurance that certain ministries of theirs “might promise an open door” for an African-American priest he volunteered for the missions in Brazil,” the OLA province noted following their chapter meeting this year “He is most noted as being a very compassionate confessor who was always available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation Many people sought him out to hear their confession He was able to bring many people back to the Church and was able to deepen the faith of others.” Though his ministry took place overseas—not unlike that of many other early African-American priests—Ward was recognized during his life by his fellow Black priests stateside, including in the 1975 book “Black Catholic Men of God,” edited by the late Fr George Clements of Chicago and his more than four decades of priestly ministry also included stints as a chaplain he was named a “Citizen of Andrelândia,” an honor reserved for exemplary figures in the Brazilian region where he served Following his death of a heart attack on June 22 Ward’s grave there at São Francisco de Assis Seminary became a pilgrimage site leading to two reputed miracles as of this year The Conventual Franciscans themselves also maintain a strong support of his life and legacy, having sought approval from the Brazilian episcopate to seek his canonization. On June 24, 2020, Bishop José Eudes Campos do Nascimento of the Diocese of São João del Rei gave his blessing for efforts to begin The friars also maintain a webpage to share Ward's biography and collect notes on his life and intercession “All of the preliminary work has been done,” said Friar Douglas McMillan, OFM Conv., an African-American Conventual who recently relayed news of Ward’s cause to the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus “It will go to our Postulator General in Rome for review It is still in the early stage but has the full support of the friars of the province of origin.” A number of friars are involved in the official promotion of his cause, including Fr Julian Maria Zambanini in the United States and Friars Robson Malafaia Barcellos and Marcelo dos Santos Silva in Brazil and a group of friars and postulants posing with his portrait last month in Brazil (National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus/Our Lady of Angels Province of the Conventual Franciscans) Should the cause reach official status with the Vatican Ward would be declared a “Servant of God” and become the seventh African-American on the path to sainthood—and the first to have served overseas “Our confrere’s fame of sanctity has been growing,” said Friar Carlos Roberto de Oliveira Charles Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger, a seminarian with the Josephites, and a ThM student with the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) Tamika Royes on the work of reorienting the Church's memory and championing the legacy of the ancestors The anti-DEI president has revived plans for a National Garden of American Heroes which will celebrate African Americans among 250 honorees Looking for an in-person or virtual event celebrating Black Catholic History Month this November Peter's Basilica in Rome gathered hundreds of pilgrims from around the world The Black Catholic prelate gathered with his Italian faithful amid scheduled Masses with cardinals in town to elect a successor to Pope Francis Nate Tinner-Williams reviews Steven Soderbergh's latest which promotes marriage and fidelity while not skimping on complexity or cinema The Black Catholic prelate with the Josephites reflects on the legacy of the late pontiff and encourages prayer for the upcoming papal conclave Rana Irby takes on the new text covering the need for Catholic faith in action in the modern age.