‘A Place at the Table’ for Black saint candidates

by Macie Capote

By Macie Capote
Clarion Herald

The St. Louis IX Art Society and St. Joseph Abbey are collaborating to screen “A Place at the Table: African-Americans on the Path to Sainthood,” a film directed by David Michael Warren that shines a light on six African-American men and women on a path to become the first African-American saints.

Screening on Sept. 26 at Benet Hall of St. Joseph Abbey, the film introduces viewers to Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Venerable Henriette Delille, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Servant of God Julia Greeley and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman – whose causes for beatification are being considered by the Catholic Church.

Battle of New Orleans

“A Place at the Table,” initially released in 2022, was inspired by Warren’s wondering who Mother Henriette Delille was and why he had never heard of her.

“We say the prayer for the new Battle of New Orleans every Sunday in Mass in our archdiocese, and part of that prayer is ‘Mother Henriette Delille, pray for us,’” said Warren, who noted that Venerable Henriette lived and served right here in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. “I would venture to say that the vast majority of parishioners do not know who she is or what she’s done.”

Warren said the film aims to answer those questions and shed light on these stories that many people, including Catholics, are unaware of.

As he journeyed across the U.S. during a time of significant racial tension and the challenges of the pandemic and traced the steps of these six figures, it became clear to him that their stories were not just worth telling – they were needed.

“I felt like it was a really good time to highlight African Americans who had suffered, who had endured racism, but nonetheless fully exhibited their Catholic faith in times of suffering,” Warren said.

Being Black and Catholic

In his preliminary interviews, Warren had the opportunity to speak with several people in New Orleans, including Father Josh Johnson, a Baton Rouge priest, and Father Ajani Gibson, the pastor of St. Peter Claver Church in New Orleans. Both priests shared their personal experiences of growing up as Black Catholics, offering insight into the challenges they faced and the unique perspectives they developed along the way.

“I realized that their experience was very different than mine, and in their interviews, they shared that they didn't really have the experience of going to church and seeing depictions of people who looked like them,” Warren said. “Father Josh very memorably delivers a line in the documentary where he explains that he saw a depiction of white Jesus, white Mary, white disciples and white saints, and the only depiction of a dark-skinned figure in the entire chapel he was in, was the devil. He talks about just how off-putting that was and how perhaps the way we think of our saints may have an impact on who shows up and fills the pews every Sunday.”

These interactions gave Warren a deeper understanding of the importance of how Catholics depict their faith, he said.

In the film, Father Johnson referenced Revelation 7:9, which describes a vision of heaven filled with people from every tribe, nation and language before God’s throne. Warren said what stuck with him was when Father Johnson politely pointed out that if this diverse vision of heaven doesn’t align with what you envision, and you prefer to remain in a church and Bible study where everyone looks the same, then “maybe heaven isn’t for you.”

A story to tell

Warren said the process was particularly exciting because he knew next to nothing about any of these figures.

“That’s actually a good place for a filmmaker to start, because it means I’m going to be discovering things, and I’m going to be taking my viewers on that journey of discovery with me,” Warren said.

The production of the film came with its share of challenges. Warren had his hands full with planning travel routes, coordinating interviews and navigating obstacles such as filming during the pandemic. He also recalled being denied a few grants because he wasn’t a minority and was told he wasn’t the right person to tell this story.

Despite the setbacks, Warren knew he needed to continue.

“The thing is, no one was telling this story,” he said. “The whole idea is that there’s this vision of unity within Catholicism – that our faith transcends our race – so it really shouldn’t matter if the director is white.”

Jordan Haddad, president and co-founder of the St. Louis IX Art Society, believes the film challenges those who watch it to always be looking forward with the grace that God is working through the church to overcome this type of division in our culture and world.

“This film is a great witness and testimony to the universal call to holiness that God calls all people to, and to be a living witness to the love of God, the grace of God and the power of God to do unbelievable things in our lives and in the life of the church,” Haddad said. “Our church is so often wounded and broken because the church exists within the fractious nature of a fallen world. The church is not immune from the sins that plague us all. So I think that learning the stories of these six incredible men and women will help us to better realize and appreciate that and help us to confront the things that make us uncomfortable head-on but with a spirit of hope and a spirit of healing.”

The saint is a medicine

Haddad reflected on a quote from G.K. Chesterton: “The saint is a medicine because he is an antidote. Indeed, that is why the saint is often a martyr; he is mistaken for a poison because he is an antidote. He will generally be found restoring the world to sanity by exaggerating whatever the world neglects, which is by no means always the same element in every age. Yet each generation seeks its saint by instinct; and he is not what people want, but rather what the people need.”

“I think that perfectly captures these six men and women, who in their own day were certainly not received by all as they ought to have been,” Haddad said. “But what they are for us today is an antidote for something that plagues us, that can bring healing. And that’s true on a number of different levels. Because the saint, more than anything else, is always just a beacon of light for what God is capable of doing in our lives.”

The screening is free to attend, though a $20 donation is encouraged to support the St. Louis IX Art Society’s mission of promoting Catholic arts in south Louisiana. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with the screening starting at 6:30 p.m.

Following the film, Warren will lead a Q&A session, offering insights into the making of the documentary. Attendees will also get an exclusive sneak peek at Stella Maris Films’ upcoming documentary project.

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