PIERRE TOUSSAINT:
PATRON SAINT OF HAIR DRESSERS
The title of my thoughts for today is,
“Pierre Toussaint: Patron Saint of Hair Dressers.”
I noticed in Give Us This Day for
today - a piece on Pierre Toussaint whose anniversary of death is today, June
30th, 1853 – at the age of
87.
He was born June 27, 1766 in Haiti.
I noticed a bit on current stuff that could trigger reflections
for today. For example here’s three: 1) Black lives matter; 2) while in New York
City Pierre moved around town helping a lot of people dealing with a cholera
pandemic and a quarantine; and 3) a lot of folks have been crying for hair
dressers and barbers because of their establishments being closed with the
corona virus.
So instead of the First Martyrs of Rome, I decided to do some
homiletic thoughts about Pierre Toussaint and end with a short prayer for Hair
Dressers [or barbers] that I also wrote
last night.
I noticed in the literature a push for
Pierre’s canonization – around 1990 - when John Paul II and John J. O’Connor
and Rome and others showed interest. Since
1996 he’s a Venerable. However, It
seems that interest has slowed down. I say that noticing the last dates and
articles about him being a few years ago right now.
Kevin might be interested to hear that
Rome has 15 volumes of letters by and to him.
His life is interesting. He was born a slave in Haiti – to the John
Berard Family – rich plantation folks. When the natives got restless – the
Blacks in Haiti were some of the first to revolt – John Berard took Pierre and
his family and a few slaves to New York City.
Pierre was about 21 at the time.
John Berard keeps Pierre as a slave till
he’s about 45 and Berard is dying.
He apprenticed him to a hair dresser and
Pierre became one of the top hairdressers of women in New York City – making
about $1,000 per customer per year. With that money he supported the Berard
family. He was a specialist – the best –
in those big high hair pieces for high class women in New York City. One of his rich customer’s husband
supplied the pistols for the famous Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. Conjecture is that Hamilton didn't aim directly at Burr - because his son was killed in a duel a few years earlier [1801].
Pierre's wife Juliette
When he got his freedom he married a
younger Haitian woman buying her freedom. They adopted a girl – but I didn’t
spot if they had children of their own.
Details to add: he was Catholic and went
to daily mass for 66 years.
He had orphan black kids in his home and started an orphanage for
white kids.
He helped the poor – blacks and whites.
He helped raise money for the old St.
Patrick’s on Mott street.
He started credit unions – an employment
agency – and helped emigrants.
He was buried in the cemetery there at old St. Patrick's –
but in 1990 his body was moved to St. Patrick’s Cathedral – where he is buried
- a lay men buried with bishops.
HAIR
DRESSER’S PRAYER
Lord, may this person bring You joy today.
May I help make
her look her best today.
May her brain
under this hair be a sanctuary
May her ears hope
only for good news, no gossip.
May her eyes see
only the nice in others.
May her mouth be
kind or be silent.
May her thoughts
be of You, O God as well as
the best for all those she meets today.
Amen.
