Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church is a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

church in

Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

administered by the Josephites. The

Knights of Peter Claver The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary is an international Catholic fraternal service order. Founded in 1909 by the Josephites and parishioners from Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Mobile, Alabama, it is the largest and o ...

, the largest and oldest Black Catholic organization in the United States, was founded by congregants and priests from the parish in 1909. Its clergy and congregation later took an active role in the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

History

Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church was founded as a mission in 1899 by the

Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart The Society of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart ( la, Societas Sodalium Sancti Joseph a Sacra Corde) abbreviated SSJ, also known as the Josephites is a society of apostolic Life of Pontifical Right for men ( priests and brothers) headquartered ...

to serve Mobile's Creoles of African descent. The first Josephite priests were Rev. Joseph St. Laurent and Rev. Louis Pastorlli. By 1901, a small school was established that continues into the present as the Most Pure Heart of Mary School. The school was first taught by the

laity In religious organizations, the laity () consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or a lay brother. In both religious and wider secular usage, a layperson ...

, until five Sisters of St. Francis arrived from Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania in October 1902 to take over. The church building was completed in 1908 and dedicated as Most Pure Heart of Mary in honor of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

. During the

civil and political rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...

era in the United States, priests and nuns from the parish participated in

boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict som ...

s and

demonstrations Demonstration may refer to: * Demonstration (acting), part of the Brechtian approach to acting * Demonstration (military), an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought * Demonstration (political), a political rally or prote ...

in support of the African American community. Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church served as a public meeting place for the Neighborhood Organized Workers organization. Neighborhood Organized Workers (NOW) was established in Mobile in July 1966 with a mission focused on achieving equality for the African American community. The church is listed on the African American Heritage Trail of Mobile.

References

{{coord, 30.69598, -88.05301, region:US_type:landmark, display=title Roman Catholic churches in Mobile, Alabama Neoclassical architecture in Alabama Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile African American Heritage Trail of Mobile American Creole 1899 establishments in Alabama Roman Catholic churches completed in 1908 Religious organizations established in 1899 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States African-American history of Alabama African-American Roman Catholic churches Josephite churches in the United States Knights of Peter Claver & Ladies Auxiliary Neoclassical church buildings in the United States