Fundraising efforts are underway right now to establish The Shrine for Father Augustine Tolton at St. Boniface Church in Quincy, IL. The life of Quincy’s Venerable Father Augustine Tolton inspires and reminds us that God has a plan for every life. Born into slavery in Missouri, Father Tolton became the first publicly recognized Black priest in the United States and began his ministry in Quincy, living with deep faith, humility, and perseverance amid racism and prejudice. His life of heroic virtue continues to inspire the Church, and a shrine dedicated to him will offer a place to seek his intercession, honor his witness, and remember that we are all called to live holy, heroic Christian lives.
The Black Catholic Messenger notes:
The diocese will launch a fundraising campaign to transform the city’s now-closed St. Boniface Catholic Church—where Tolton once studied as a child and celebrated his first Mass in Illinois—into a shrine honoring the priest on the road to sainthood, who was ordained 140 years ago this week.
“This is an extraordinary moment not only for our area, but for the Catholic Church in our country,” said Bishop Thomas Paprocki.
“This shrine will place Quincy firmly on the spiritual map for pilgrims seeking inspiration, healing, and deeper faith.”
The proposed shrine at St. Boniface has reportedly been in the works for years, also dating back to 2019, though in recent years the diocese has opposed efforts to preserve the downtown church. It was first slated for closure in 2006, later hosting Masses sporadically until 2020. Advocates opposed the shuttering and first requested a city designation as a historic landmark in 2007, though the application was denied.
The building, designed by architect John Benya, has since continued to deteriorate, and a resubmitted landmark application was accepted in 2024, granting protections from major changes to the building. The diocese opposed both applications, noting a lack of funds for upkeep and stating that the church would possibly be demolished.
With the church now an official landmark, Bishop Paprocki has spoken quite differently of the 64-year-old mid-century modern-style edifice, whose roots date back to 1838.
“To restore St. Boniface as a shrine dedicated to Father Tolton means preserving sacred history while creating a living place of prayer, hope, and renewal — all tied to a holy priest whose life is an example of authentic discipleship of Christ,” said Paprocki, who at the announcement event will bless a plaque honoring the church’s new status.
The shrine will reportedly require upwards of $10 million in renovations and expansion, and fundraising is now underway with the help of a $25,000 matching gift from an anonymous donor. A website for the shrine is live, providing information on the process as well as Tolton’s sainthood cause.
Want to make a donation? Visit this site.
Want to learn more about his life? Check this out.
And to answer a question that may be on your mind:
It is common to see Father Tolton’s first name listed in a variety of ways—Augustine, Augustus, August, or Gus—but existing archival records do not provide a definitive answer as to which form is correct.
In general, Father Tolton signed documents as A. Tolton. However, there is one surviving letter that he signed August. Tolton; the period after August suggests that this was an abbreviated form of his name. His baptismal record lists his name as Augustine, while the 1870 United States Census records it as Augustus. Testimonial letters written to Rome on his behalf also use Augustus, and newspaper articles published during his lifetime commonly referred to him as both Augustine and Augustus. Among many of the faithful, he was known affectionately as Father Gus. His gravestone at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Quincy bears the name Augustine Tolton.
Because there was never a clear consensus regarding his first name, we may never know which version is definitively correct. Because his baptismal name and grave say Augustine, we use Augustine.
Since we now have a pope who is an Augustinian — a self-declared “son of Augustine” — I think that’s just fine, and I suspect the Holy Father would agree.
But wouldn’t it be cool to have a St. Gus?
