From All Souls Day: Candle for Fr. Cyprian Davis, OSB

I’ve been in seminary for 6.5 years, and each of those years (besides last year when I was doing my pastoral year of service in my diocese) I have laid a candle on this grave during our All Souls candlelight procession to the monks’ cemetery here at Saint Meinrad.

This is the grave of Fr. Cyprian Davis, OSB. I did a post on him way back in 2018 for a visit I made to the Black Catholic history hallway the school has in which he is featured. He was the first Black monk professed (simple vows, 1951) and ordained (1956) at Meinrad. He was active in the Civil Rights Movement and went on to become the top scholar on Black Catholic history. He joined religious life and the priesthood during a time when African American men and women were still prevented and rejected from formation by many religious institutes and dioceses.

Thus, I have always seen his legacy as a huge reason I, as a Black seminarian, can be where I am today. So I have always found his grave, paid my respects, and prayed for his soul right up to my very last year here.

Thank you, Fr. Cyprian.

May God continue to rest you, and may your legacy live on.

And what a great way to begin Black Catholic History Month.