Servant of God Julia Greeley was a woman born into slavery, whose heroic dedication to Christian charity inspired the city of Denver. Julia Greeley is one of six Black Americans who are on the path towards officially being recognized as saints in the Roman Catholic Church, including Venerable Pierre Toussaint. Julia does not yet have an official feast day, so she is featured today in celebration of Black History Month.
Julia Greeley was born in captivity in Hannibal, Missouri. The dates given for her birth range from 1835 to 1855. She lost eyesight in one of her eyes when a slavedriver's whip cut her face across her eye. She was emancipated at the end of the Civil War in 1865. After being employed in St. Louis as a maid, Julia Greeley arrived in the city of Denver to work for a wealthy widow Mrs. Dickerson. Mrs. Dickerson was a former Washington D.C. socialite who married Colorado's first governor, William Gilpin. Julia began working with Mrs. Dickerson and her family in 1879 and was a kind and caring housekeeper for the family.
In 1880, Julia was received into the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Church in Denver. Quickly, Julia became a fixture of charity in the community. She worked for many different families in the community with love and maternal care. When not working, Julia begged and obtained mattresses, baby carriages, food, and other items for families who needed them. She delivered them at all hours of the day and night. No one who ever asked Julia Greeley for help was ever turned away. This munificence meant that Julia was swindled several times. But, with the wisdom of the saints, Julia knew it was more blessed to give than to receive, and she kept blessing herself and her community by giving.
Julia fasted frequently and received communion daily at Denver's Sacred Heart church. She loved to visit the many convents of religious sisters around Denver, and they had an open door policy for her. In 1901, Julia became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. Her imitation of Francis was beautifully evident in her love of giving to others.
On June 7, 1918, the feast of the Sacred Heart, Julia died in Denver. She had given away her burial plot to a man who was going to be buried in a pauper's grave. In repayment, Julia was buried in her Franciscan habit and laid in state in Sacred Heart Church. In 2017, Julia's body was exhumed and buried in Denver's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. She is the first person to be interred in the Cathedral, pictured to the right.
Servant of God Julia Greeley, who dedicated her life to loving others fully—pray for us!
Image of Servant of God Julia Greeley above (taken 1916) appears via the Julia Greeley Guild. Visit their website for more information on the canonization process.