The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is hosting a two-day screening event for “Tolton Speaks,” the biopic about Fr. Augustus Tolton's journey to priesthood to commemorate Black Catholic History Month.

The two-day event features a private workshop for lay ministers on Nov. 11 and a free viewing of “Tolton Speaks” that will be open to the public at 7 p.m. at the Cardinals' Great Hall, Diocesan Pastoral Center. A special reviewing is reserved for the Diocese’s Catholic high school students who will engage in a post-screening discussion on the second day.

The November screenings are a follow-up to the a live theater production about Tolton’s life that the Diocese hosted in April, “Tolton: From Slave To Priest.”

“It was so well received here by our community. It was so dynamic,” said screening event organizer Dr. Thomas Octave, Secretary for Formation and Director of Lay Ministry for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

“We showed it to school-age students, the public, Catholic universities here in town…there's been a real awareness of Tolton here,” he added.

For the “Tolton: From Slave To Priest” production, Duquesne University’s Department of Catholic Studies provided posters. The Diocese received a third-class relic of Tolton, and attendees were given holy cards from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The Diocese also promoted a series of webinars earlier this year from the Tolton Spirituality Center in Chicago, where Octave visited in May.

The documentary is commissioned by the Tolton Spirituality Center to share Tolton’s story, which is part of the organization’s mission.

“His story is so compelling for our time and for all Catholics to be praying to a blessed, to be praying for his canonization and cause,” Octave said.

Tolton, who was born into slavery, is the first recognized African-American Catholic priest. He founded the first black Catholic parish in Chicago. In June 2019, Pope Francis recognized Tolton lived a life of heroic virtue granting Tolton the title of venerable.

The national screening tour launched during June in Chicago. Previous stops include in Dallas, Indianapolis and Oakland, California. A screening was held in October at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois.

About 250 people attended the October event, which included a post-screening discussion with retired Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry, who is the postulator for Tolton's cause for canonization. Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Naperville hosted the event.

The response from attendees was “very positive,” said Michael Lewandowski, Director of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church.

“The beauty and diversity of the Catholic Church is that it’s for all people. I think Fr. Tolton exemplified that despite the adversity and racism he suffered from," Lewandowski said.

“As Bishop Perry said, [Tolton] could have become bitter and walked away from the Church, but he didn't. He persevered because of the faith and his love for God in the sacraments,” he added.

Lewandowski hopes more people will see the film and become better acquainted with Tolton’s story.

“We have some American saints, but we don't have many, and hopefully in the near future, he can be the first African American saint,” he said.

Octave said he is grateful to Bishop Perry and the Tolton Spirituality Center for their commitment to “continue to tell the story of the Good News of [Tolton’s] blessed life and how it calls all of us to live our baptismal identity in Christ."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For questions and more information about the Pittsburgh screenings, please contact Dr. Thomas Octave at 412-456-3015 or toctave@diopitt.org.