Mother Mary Lange

Did you know that the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore is the first and older religious congregation for women of color in the United States?

Haitian immigrant & educator, Mother Mary Lange, and three companions founded this order in 1829 when Maryland was still a slave state. Under great risk, these sisters dedicated themselves to serving orphans and educating black children. Also around that time, Mother Lange founded Baltimore’s historic St. Francis Academy. It continues to thrive today as a co-ed high school that educates mainly inner-city African American and Hispanic youth. Mother Lange’s candidacy for sainthood began in 1990.

Mother Mary Lange, pray for us.