Thea Bowman


Thea Bowman

BornBertha Elizabeth Bowman
(1937-12-29)December 29, 1937
Yazoo City, Mississippi, United States
DiedMarch 30, 1990(1990-03-30) (aged 52)
Canton, Mississippi, United States

Mary Thea Bowman, FSPA (born Bertha Elizabeth Bowman; December 29, 1937 – March 30, 1990) was a Black Catholic religious sister, teacher, musician, liturgist and scholar who made major contributions to the ministry of the Catholic Church toward African Americans.

She became an evangelist among her people, assisted in the production of an African-American Catholic hymnal, and was a popular speaker on faith and spirituality in her final years, in addition to recording music. She also helped found the National Black Sisters' Conference to provide support for African-American women in Catholic religious life. She died of cancer in 1990.

In 2018, the Diocese of Jackson opened her cause for sainthood and she was designated a Servant of God.