A Lecture and Examination Presented By
Rev. Thomas R. Ulshafer, P.S.S., Society of St. Sulpice Province of the United States

In 1791, at the invitation of Bishop John Carroll, members of the Priests of St. Sulpice (known as the Sulpicians) arrived in Baltimore from Paris, France, to establish the first Roman Catholic Seminary in the young United States. They were also fleeing the turmoil and persecution of their Society brought about by the French Revolution. They began ministering to the black Catholic community (principally Haitian refugees), and made the seminary’s Chapelle Basse (Lower Chapel) a space for them to gather for worship. At the same time, the Sulpicians were part of the post-colonial culture, and used enslaved labor within the seminary, both as domestic workers and field hands.

Father Ulshafer has extensively researched the Sulpicians’ historical connection to slavery. He will present the implications of this connection for the Sulpicians’ early survival and success in the United States.

Free Admission. Seating is Limited. Please RSVP at (410) 728-6464 or info@stmaryspacast.org. Parking available on-site or across the street