Austin, Texas

Our Lady of Austin,
Texas Black Madonna

In the courtyard of Holy Cross Catholic Church, 1610 E 11th St, Austin, TX 78702, bronze, sculpted early 21st century by Jim Thomas

The Black Madonna of Austin, photo: Raylene Abbott

 Holy Cross is a predominantly Black parish with strong, activist roots in the local history of African American. A historical marker testifies to this and a social justice group continues the tradition: “The Social Justice Ministry focuses on the church's role in undoing institutional and systemic racism.  It does not focus on blaming or calling out individuals, but rather raises awareness about how the deep and historic roots of racism in this country affect us all, even well-meaning people of goodwill.  In this regard, the ministry hosts monthly Courageous Conversations which are open to the community.”

 The parish welcomes all races and cultures and offers a monthly mass in the Igbo language of Southern Nigeria. Even so, the Black Madonna is nowhere mentioned or depicted on their website. Only the artist Jim Thomas’s website article confirms that she was indeed commissioned as a Black Madonna, which caused him to research and learn to appreciate that historical phenomenon.  

Raylene Abbott pointed this Madonna out to me and sent the following story:

 Following the Bread Crumbs

 I recently visited Austin, Texas and I was able to visit one of the few original Black Madonnas of the USA. When one is on a pilgrimage to visit a Madonna shrine, I find that there are many symbolic clues along the way. I had visited Austin three years before when a friend I had met took me to Jacob's Well outside of Austin in the Hill Country, where I found many ley-lines in the area. So when I was asked to come to Austin again by my friend Joseph, I was surprised that he lived not far from Jacob's Well. The next morning Joseph was driving me into Austin to meet up with Kimble who was going to take me to visit the Black Madonna Shrine at the Holy Cross Church. While driving into Austin we passed by a river that had the scars of massive destruction along its banks. I asked Joseph what had happened, and he told me of a massive flood a few years ago that uprooted many of the trees and flooded many of the homes. All along the river were the skeletons of dead trees that had been destroyed by the flooding. Joseph went on to explain that they had been fracking in the area and he felt this was the cause for Nature to strike back. I remember this area is rich with ley lines, which in ancient times would be the Holy of the Holies. Yet modern times companies do not consider such matters. They feel that what they do to the Living Earth does not have any consequences. They have lost the ability to see. What we do to the Earth affects all of us. Joseph dropped me off to meet my friend Kimble who originally brought me to Jacob's Well . Kimble was kind enough to bring me to the Black Madonna shrine. Along the way to the church a good friend called me.  She said she had a dream about me that night. In her dream, I was laying on the ground and the Madonna was weeping tears over my body. Just a minute later, we pulled up to Holy Cross Church which is situated smack dab in the Austin Grotto.  

The Black Madonna can be found in the backyard courtyard.  She has the features and the strength of all the African American Mamas that came down through generations and overcame all the obstacles of slavery.  

The Black Virgin is a many layered archetype. She represents our collective unconscious and the wounds we all bear from the separation of Matter and Spirit. She bears the scars of humanity that separates our collective unconscious from the Sacred Earth and cultural differences.  She is the voice in the wilderness asking us to collectively awaken before we destroy this precious planet we all share. This Black Madonna showed me her open wounds on the river bank that day. She urges us all to awaken and to be accountable for our actions not just for the fleeting moment, but for generations to come. The Black Madonna of America is speaking loudly like thunder saying ‘Awaken my children’ for those whose ears have the ears to hear.