Saint Peter Claver Saint of the day for 9 September

(June 26, 1581 - September 8, 1654)

The story of San Pietro Claver
Originally from Spain, the young Jesuit Peter Claver left his homeland forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed in Cartagena, a rich port city bordered by the Caribbean. He was ordained there in 1615.

At that time the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years and Cartagena was its main center. Ten thousand slaves poured into the port each year after crossing the Atlantic from West Africa in such hideous and inhumane conditions that it is estimated that a third of the passengers died in transit. Although the practice of the slave trade was condemned by Pope Paul III and subsequently labeled "supreme evil" by Pope Pius IX, it has continued to thrive.

Peter Claver's predecessor, the Jesuit Father Alfonso de Sandoval, had devoted himself to the service of slaves for 40 years before Claver arrived to continue his work, declaring himself "a slave to blacks forever".

As soon as a slave ship entered the harbor, Peter Claver moved into his haunted hold to assist abused and exhausted passengers. After the slaves were taken off the ship like chained animals and locked up in nearby courtyards to be watched by the crowd, Claver dived among them with medicine, food, bread, brandy, lemons and tobacco. With the help of interpreters he gave basic instructions and assured his brothers and sisters of their human dignity and love of God. During the 40 years of his ministry, Claver taught and baptized some 300.000 slaves.

P. Claver's apostolate extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the Cartagena apostle. He preached in the town square, gave missions to sailors and traders, as well as country missions, during which he avoided, whenever possible, the hospitality of planters and owners and instead lodged in the slave quarters.

After four years of illness, which forced the saint to remain inactive and largely neglected, Claver died on September 8, 1654. The city magistrates, who had previously frowned at his concern for marginalized blacks, ordered that was buried at public expense and with great pomp.

Peter Claver was canonized in 1888 and Pope Leo XIII declared him the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves.

Reflection
The power and power of the Holy Spirit are manifested in Peter Claver's amazing decisions and courageous actions. The decision to leave his homeland and never return reveals a gigantic act of will that is difficult to imagine. Peter's determination to serve the most abused, rejected and humble people forever is extraordinarily heroic. When we measure our life against that of such a man, we become aware of our barely used potential and our need to open up more to the bewildering power of the Spirit of Jesus.