St. Louis: A Sister of Selma Dies

Sister Antona Ebo. Source: Franciscan Media.

"[A friend told me:] 'Now, you know you don't know the Deep South. Go down there, stay with your group, and keep your mouth shut.' .... Well, I couldn't imagine that."

Source: 2014 interview with Mike Bush

St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri. November 2017.

Shortly after I moved to Ferguson, Sister Antona Ebo died.

I heard about Sister Ebo's death at my first meeting of the Ferguson Readings on Race Book Club.

I didn't know who she was, but I soon learned she was famous.


2014 interview with Mike Bush, a KSDK news anchor below: 

I take issue with the reporter's statement: "They weren't activists; they were nuns." So many nuns are and have been activists. I recall today the nuns slaughtered in El Salvador. I follow the Global Sisters Report for inspiration from activist sisters, and as a counter-weight against the dark side of Catholicism: its reactionary, anti-woman side.

But anyhoo.

Article about Sister Ebo in the St. Anthony Messenger: Antona Ebo, FSM: Brave Sister of Selma

Sister Antona Ebo's rosary. St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri. November 2017.

 "If we don't get involved when we know that it's happening, and we know that injustice is happening, then we are failing also." Sister Ebo in the 2014 KSDK interview

Sister Ebo had things to say about Ferguson, almost 50 years after her walk in Selma. From The Passionists: 

Sister Ebo’s advocacy did not stop at Selma. Throughout her life she continued to advocate for social justice issues, particularly to end the injustice of racism, and even at age 90 she led a prayer vigil for peace [at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church] after the events in Ferguson.  In an interview with the Missouri History Museum she said, “The one thing that I didn’t want to do was to become a sweet little old nun that was passing out holy cards and telling people, ‘I’ll pray for you.’”

St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri. November 2017.

I attended Sister Ebo's funeral at the St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church. One of my maternal aunts attended high school here back in the 1940s.

Sister Antona Ebo's funeral. St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri. November 2017.

I invite you to pause for a few minutes to share in this passing of history, which took the form of a tiny, but not quiet, woman.

Below is the procession of clergy, as they accompany Sister Ebo's casket to the altar:

A praise song:

And a couple more segments here and here (the latter I include for my mom, as Ave Maria is so dear to her for both weddings and funerals).

And a slide show: