Pope Francis advances sainthood cause for Black religious sister

Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange is one step closer to sainthood after Pope Francis declared her venerable in a decree on Thursday morning. Lange is a Black religious sister who founded the first African American congregation in America, right here in Baltimore, in 1829. The advancement of her cause from a servant of God to a venerable was announced by the Vatican. "She was a virtuous woman. She was a courageous woman. She founded a religious community for women of color before the Civil War in a slave state," Sister Marcia Hall said.