Saint Peter Claver was born into a farming family in the Spanish region of Catalonia in 1581. St. Peter became a Jesuit at the age of 20, and while finishing his novitiate on the island of Majorca, he was inspired by St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, the holy doorkeeper of the Jesuit college there, to devote his life to missionary work in America. In 1610, he arrived at Cartagena in Central America, was ordained a priest, and for the next 44 years made that port city his headquarters for missionary work among the African slaves. Peter was probably the first white man to take any friendly interest in these unfortunates. Accompanied by a small band of interpreters, he would get on board, lovingly minister to the sick and the dying, and hand out fruit and refreshing drinks to fear-struck slaves who had only been permitted on deck as the ship cast anchor. Undeterred by the antagonism of the callous merchants and the misgivings of his own superiors, Peter calmly went about instructing the slaves in the Christian faith. At a solemn baptismal ceremony in the large town square, he would present each slave with a medal of Jesus and Mary. In all, it has been estimated that he administered the Sacrament to over 300,000 people. He did not stop there. Between the monthly arrivals of slave ships, which continued in spite of repeated papal censures, Peter journeyed inland from village to village and held missions for his converts, solemnized their marriages, and baptized their babies. Peter Claver died on September 8, 1654. He was canonized at the same time as his friend St. Alphonsus Rodriguez in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII and declared the special Patron of all Catholic missions in 1896.
St. Peter Claver, you gave us an example by showing us the love of God, the light of Christ, and the strength of the Holy Spirit. Pray that we open our eyes to those enslaved in various ways around us and extend a helping hand to them.
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