LAKE CHARLES — Several clergy and parishioners from the dioceses of Lake Charles and Lafayette were among those honored during the Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Founders Hall. The special event was sponsored by the Tolton Ambassadors & Associates – Louisiana.
The Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry, J.C.L., D.D., Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago, was guest speaker for the program, beginning with Mass in the church. Bishop Perry is Postulator for the Canonization of the Cause of Venerable Tolton (1854-1897).
The purpose of the prayer breakfast was to support the canonization of Venerable Tolton, the first recognized Black Roman Catholic Priest in the United States, whose cause for sainthood was introduced in 2011. On June 11, 2019, Pope Francis advanced Father Tolton to the title “Venerable.”
A documentary on the “Life and Letters of Father Augustus Tolton” premiered, and several Tolton Awards were presented during the prayer breakfast.
Tolton persevered against all odds to become a priest, and his life of devotion and service to Catholics of all races during challenging times in America is exemplary.
“Being canonized a saint is not the Oscars, it is not the BET Awards, the Global Awards, or Life Achievement Awards. It is a specific kind of acknowledgment, perhaps the highest that there is, an endorsement of someone who lived the Lord’s Gospel with heroic seriousness,” Bishop Perry said in his remarks. “The Church is willing to present that person’s life as something we can imitate, a model for the Christian life.”
Bishop Perry continued, “I ask you to add Tolton’s cause to your list of prayers, things that you pray for every day, as we wait for God to answer them.”
TOLTON AWARDS
Awards at the gala were presented in five categories:
- Postulator’s Award
- Anne Tolton Pettis Award
- Peter Paul and Martha Jane Award
- Father Peter McGirr Award
- Tolton Award
- Tolton Pioneer Award
Deacon Harold Nixon, who serves Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles, was honored with the Postulator’s Award for a life given to liturgical ministry as a servant leader.
The Anne Tolton Pettis Award was presented to Paula Jordan, a parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church in Opelousas. This honor recognizes a life devoted to the Eucharist as a servant leader. The award is named after Father Augustus Tolton’s sister, Anne, who was a dedicated supporter of her brother’s priestly ministry.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam and Denise Hebert, parishioners of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Lake Charles, were recognized with the Peter Paul and Martha Jane Award, named for Father Tolton’s parents, honoring the bond of marriage lived out as servant leaders.
The Father Peter McGirr Award was presented to Rev. Joby Mathew, HGN, Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Lake Charles. The award honors a life example of pastoral care as a servant leader.
Rev. Donald Bernard, Pastor of St. Edward Catholic Church in New Iberia, was honored with the Tolton Award for a life of priestly ministry as a servant leader.
A sixth and unprecedented award — The Tolton Pioneer Award — was presented as a surprise to Altha M. Jordan-Green who serves as the Convener of the Tolton Ambassadors & Associates – Louisiana, working tirelessly for the Tolton Cause. She began her journey with her brother, Rev. Canon A. Gerard Jordan, in 2019. Nationally, Altha serves as The Major Tolton Ambassador General. She is also serving on the Board of Directors for the Tolton Spirituality Center, based in Chicago, Illinois. Altha is a parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lake Charles, where Rev. Rommel Tolentino serves as Pastor.
TOLTON SCHOLARSHIP
Also presented at the prayer breakfast was the Reverend Canon A. Gerard Jordan Scholarship in the amount of $500 given to Tela Philpott of Lake Charles. She attends the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The scholarship was established by the Jordan Family and Tolton Ambassadors of Louisiana in October 2023.
Canon Jordan, who died in 2022, was an advocate for young mothers who sought to further their education for a better life. He was educated by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament while attending Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School and graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School in 1985. Canon Jordan was founder of the Tolton Spirituality Center.
TOLTON ESSAY WINNERS
Tolton Ambassadors & Associates – Louisiana recently held the fourth annual Venerable Father Augustus Tolton Essay Contest. A total of 44 students participated from various schools in Louisiana.
The contest offered young writers in three divisions — Elementary, Middle, and High School — an opportunity to explore the inspiring life of Venerable Tolton and reflect on his enduring legacy.
- The Elementary Division: Grades 4-5 reflected on Father Tolton’s Christian journey and described in great detail how his devotion to Christ enabled him to live a spiritual life in spite of the adversities he faced.
The first-place winner is Luke Kennedy, a fifth-grade student at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School in Lake Charles. He was awarded a $100 scholarship.
- The Middle School Division: Grades 6-8 reflected on Father Tolton’s spiritual life and how his love for the Church inspired him to see Christ in others, rather than their race.
The first-place winner is Ross Olivier, a sixth-grade student at Daspit Elementary School in New Iberia. He was awarded a $150 scholarship.
- The High School Division: Grades 9-12 reflected on the Christian values exhibited by Father Tolton’s life of Virtue and how these related to personal struggles to overcome the challenges one faces in living a devoted Christian life.
The first-place winner is Kamryn Carter, a junior at Westgate High School in New Iberia. She was awarded a $250 scholarship.
All 44 entries received a $10.00 Chic-Fil-A gift card. All essays were anonymously read by the following judges: Mrs. Sharon Samuel, Mrs. Willa Bushnell, Sister Maria Howell, Ms. Jacque Mathews, Ms. Patricia King, Ms. Roslyn Simien, Mrs. Cameo Green, Mrs. Karen Reynolds, Mrs. Patricia England, Mrs. Mellissa Allison, and Ms. Christine Collins.
Special guests for the Mass and prayer breakfast were The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop for the Diocese of Lake Charles; The Honorable Marshall Simien, Mayor for the City of Lake Charles; and Reverend Monsignor Daniel A. Torres, Vicar General for the Diocese of Lake Charles.
The chairman for the Tolton Prayer Breakfast was Alberto Maxwell, and David Bellow served as co-chairman.
