The Shrine of the tomb of the Unknown Slave

By Fr. Bill Mason, OMI

The missionary Oblates have been staffing the parish of St. Augustine church in New Orleans for the past decade.  St. Augustine, founded in 1841, is the oldest Black Catholic church in the country.

Some twenty years ago, one of the former pastors, Sr. Jerome LaDoux, SVD, created a shrine on the side of the church and entitled it “The tomb of the Unknown Slave”.  Similar in thinking and meaning to the tomb of the unknown soldier, this shrine commemorates the many slaves, African and native American, whose deaths were never given any proper recognition or fitting burial.  The shrine is located in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans, the first neighborhood for free people of color in the city.

We the members of today want to start a devotion of remembrance and healing.  Since it is a tomb we will be remembering any and all of our ancesters, on whose shoulders we stand and have received many benefits.  Since also it is the tomb of the unknown slave, we will also pray for healing, both civic and personal.  

If you would like to participate in this devotion all you need to do is send in names to be remembered in intercessory prayer to St. Augustine church, 1210 Gov. Nicholls St. New Orleans, LA 70116.  Our inauguration of this devotion will be Saturday, Nov. 16th.  May our deceased family members and friends intercede with our God to heal the many divisions that exist in our civic society.