Former Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque examines the life of Henriette Delille, a creole gens de coleur in New Orleans who dedicated her life to helping the elderly and poor. Poems are inspired by and accompanied by the paintings of Louisiana artist Bill Gingles.

"Migraré begins with the foreign, the Other. a title in a "foreign language," language we used to call any language we did not speak. Today we might call that language a modern language not a foreign one. I wanted to confront the reader with the idea of "to move into" as the poems are entered into, and to thereby suggest the literal meaning of the word migraré in Italian, derived from Latin. I wanted to explore how divisive and fearsome the unknown is, to explore what it might mean to have to create a new identity for ourselves as we continually "move into" new spheres of being, to explore how decentering it might be to have to redraw maps, to move boundaries, to redefine home. I wanted the poems to suggest that the complexities of transformation affect not only what is moved into but also who is moving, the agency of moving and what is moved from. I wanted to begin with something as seemingly simple as rudimentary quantum physics and transfer the knowledge derived from that base study to nationalism, identity, individualism and community. Each of the poems is ekphrastic, each poem a meditation and a keying to an abstract expressionistic painting by Bill Gingles. Ekphrasis more often than not relies on realistic or imagistic art as the springboard for the poem that emerges from it. I wanted the erasure or near erasure of the usual and the expected to be at work in the creation of these meditative poems. I wanted the reader to feel the distance between the visuals of the painting and the nonlinear narratives created inside the poems"--

The Church in the United States is greatly blessed by the contributions of Black Catholics and the legacy of holiness of so many men and women of color. These men and women lived lives that are worthy of our study and emulation. In Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood, Michael R. Heinlein provides the first book to explore the lives of the six Black Catholics from the United States whose causes are under formal consideration by the Catholic Church for canonization. Including biographies and personal reflections from diverse contributors, this book shows how these six men and women provide a model of holiness for all Catholics and people of good will. Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Venerable Henriette Delille, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Servant of God Julia Greeley, and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman are sources of inspiration for us all. As we continue to pray for the advancement of their causes for canonization, all Catholics of every race can learn a great deal from these holy men and women. By their stories of faith and virtue, they show us how to respond to the call to holiness, bringing healing, reconciliation, and peace to our wounded nation and world. “It is my profound honor to add my voice in support of Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood. This book gives an insightful look at the Black Americans that are on the path to canonized sainthood in the Catholic Church. The book introduces readers to six Black Americans who dealt in their lifetimes with the human denigration and suffering that is manifested by America’s Original Sin of racism. Yet they not only persevered, but truly lived as Christian people, which so many Americans claim to be, but whose actions do not support that claim. These Black Americans sought to show love, compassion, and forgiveness to all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or station in life. All of the men and women you will meet in Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood — through their faith in God and by giving of themselves to God’s people, their sisters and brothers — did what Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman said: ‘we must return love, no matter what.’ These men and women show us the way forward.” Most Reverend Roy E. Campbell, Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, President of the National Black Catholic Congress “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is an inspiring look at six holy Black men and women who mirrored Christ in service to others. All of them persevered, despite the many rejections they encountered, giving Black Catholics today the inspiration to meet the obstacles of racial inequity with equal grace and love, and providing insight to all Catholics, regardless of race, into the effects of systemic racism and the many gifts and talents people of color bring to the Church. The accompanying reflections, written by Catholic laity and religious, provide deeper insight into the lives of the six candidates for Canonization, and how best we can learn from them and emulate their examples in our own lives.” The National Black Catholic Congress “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is a great expose on the lives and faith of some of our Black ancestors who responded with both prayer and action to overcome racism. Discovering through this book their life stories, their suffering, and their faith-filled response, one is inspired to seek the conversion of hearts with regard to racism through prayer and action so that we too can aspire to be saints by the manner in which we love one another.” Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre, Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood provides a glimpse into the power of God’s grace at work in the lives of men and women who were often treated with disdain. The Archdiocese of Denver has been blessed by the heroic, charitable witness of Julia Greeley on our streets, in our churches, and in our homes. This book extends that blessing to all who are seeking additional examples of courage, perseverance, and determination. As our country and Church work to address racism, may we turn to these holy men and women for their example and intercession.” Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver “Michael Heinlein performs a great service in bringing together engaging reflections on and portraits of Black Catholics who are on the road to sainthood. Their stories differ but they have at least one thing in common: They rose above the racism of their day to the heights of holiness. From their place in eternity, they challenge us to root out racism from our midst. This volume should prompt us to pray and work for the canonization of these worthy witnesses to the Lord’s truth and love.” Most Reverend William E. Lori Archdiocese of Baltimore “The last three Bishops of Rome have called Christ’s Church to a New Evangelization, a renewal of the mandate given at Pentecost: to carry on the mission of the Redeemer. Heinlein’s book offers us a glimpse of a central theme of our renewal — personal witness, the heart of it seen in the cloud of witness of these holy ones. These men and women of color lived their faith life and became living gospels of the Gift: the Passion of the Cross, seen in the evil of racism; the Liberation of the Resurrection, recognized in the courage of the prophets; and the songs of the Kingdom, heard and shared in the joy of the Spirit. They call us to witness.” Most Reverend David P. Talley, Bishop of Memphis “‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ was Nathaniel’s response in John’s gospel to Philip’s invitation to meet Jesus. Philip’s words in reply echo down the centuries: ‘Come and see’ (John 1:45–46). Within this book is a cohort of six awe-inspiring disciples who encountered the Lord and proved that, when grasped by Jesus Christ, God can raise up goodness from anywhere. As former slaves and descendants of chattel slavery, they bore fruit a hundred-fold in their time and place and bequeathed to the Church a lasting legacy. I invite all who yearn for racial justice and peace to come and see in this book six black women and men who show us the path to life in this world as they continue on the road to sainthood.” Most Reverend Joseph Kopacz, Bishop of Jackson “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood gives us an opportunity to become better acquainted with six black women and men from the United States and to be inspired by their lives of faith. As we strive for holiness, we are given the privilege to learn more about their journey to canonization and to participate in their process.” Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is essential reading for all Catholics, particularly at this time in our country’s history. There is a common thread in the stories of these six holy men and women: a strong faith, love for others, and personal sacrifice. I appreciate OSV raising awareness of the lives of these candidates for sainthood. It is my hope that reading about their lives and struggles will inspire not just devotion but others to follow in their footsteps. The world desperately needs models of holiness and virtue like the ones contained in this short volume. May their testimony of faith help us bring healing and reconciliation to a divided world and inspire us to respond to our own call to holiness.” Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, chairman USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church

Beginning in 1812, this fictional biography follows the life of Henriette Delille, a free woman of color who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family. This examination recounts her spiritual journey and struggle to break free from French Quarter society, despite her family’s protests. Instead, she chose to focus on the needs of the less fortunate, teaching such principles as chastity and obedience, until her death in 1862. Today the Catholic Church is considering the Venerable Henriette Delille for sainthood, making her the first African American in North America to receive such an honor. Her story provides a glimpse of what life was like in the French Quarter during the nineteenth century and offers enlightenment on voodoo traditions and the plaçage system.

Born in the racist ante-bellum South, Henriette DeLille felt a lifelong calling to serve the poor but could not enter a holy order because she was an octoroon, part African American.

Nineteenth-century New Orleans was a diverse city. The French-speaking Catholic Creoles, whether black, white, or racially mixed -- so different from the city's English-speaking residents -- inspired intense curiosity and speculation. But none of the city's inhabitants evoked as much wonder as did the Sisters of the Holy Family, whose mission was to evangelize slaves and free people of color and to care for the poor, sick, and elderly. These women, whose community still thrives, are portrayed in an account written between 1896 and 1898 by one of their sisters, Mary Bernard Deggs, who shortly before her death made it her mission to record the remarkable historical journey the women had taken to serve those of their race. Although Deggs did not officially join the Sisters of the Holy Family until 1873, she was a student at the sisters' early school on Bayou Road and thus would have known, as a child, Henriette Delille, the founder and first mother superior of the Sisters of the Holy Family, and the otherwomen who joined her. This account captures, in a most graphic way, the founding of theSisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans in 1842 and the difficult years that followed. It was not until 1852 that the foundresses were able totake their first official vows and exchange their blue percale gowns forblack ones (and it was 1873 before they were permitted to wear a formalreligious habit). Shortly before Delille's death in 1862, Union forcesseized the city, and Delille's successor, Juliette Gaudin, faced direeconomic circumstances. The war and postwar years economically devastatedNew Orleans and its population. Freed slaves poured into the city,unintentionally adding themselves to the already overwhelming mission ofthe sisters. Those were the poorest and most uncertain years the sisterswere to face. We know very little about Sister Mary Bernard Deggs herself, but her history of the early years of the Sisters of the Holy Family, written more than a century ago and reproduced here in edited form, makes it clear that today's community of women -- their dedication to the poor, to education, to the care of the elderly and orphaned -- comes from a long and complex tradition that grew in response to the social needs of "theirpeople."