St. Peter Claver,Priest

Life
St. Peter Claver was born at Verdu, Catalonia, Spain, in 1580, of impoverished parents descended from ancient and distinguished families. He studied at the Jesuit college of Barcelona, entered the Jesuit novitiate at Tarragona in 1602 and took his final vows on August 8th, 1604. While studyingphilosophy at Majorca, the young religious was influenced bySt. Alphonsus Rodriguez to go to the Indies and save “millions of perishing souls.”
In 1610, he landed at Cartagena (modern Colombia), the principle slave market of the New World, where a thousandslaves were landed every month. After his ordination in 1616, he dedicated himself by special vow to the service of the Negro slaves-a work that was to last for thirty-three years. He labored unceasingly for the salvation of the Africanslaves and the abolition of the Negro slave trade, and the love he lavished on them was something that transcended the natural order.
Boarding the slave ships as they entered the harbor, he would hurry to the revolting inferno of the hold, and offer whatever poor refreshments he could afford; he would care for the sick and dying, and instruct the slaves through Negro catechists before administering the Sacraments. Through his efforts three hundred thousand souls entered the Church. Furthermore, he did not lose sight of his converts when they left the ships, but followed them to the plantations to which they were sent, encouraged them to live as Christians, and prevailed on their masters to treat them humanely. He died in 1654. He is the Patron Saint of Negro Missions.(http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=94)
Feast day :September 09

Reflection
By virtue of our baptism, we, Christians, are missionary. We are called to help other people in one way or another especially in their spiritual needs. Let us not be afraid of going to mission even though it is not easy, for God is with us. Let us go out of our comfort zone like what St. Peter Claver did when helping the Negro people. To be a missionary does not necessarily to be in foreign lands, but we can be a missionary in our homeland, family, school, and community. Thus, each one of us must help each other especially the poor, abandoned and neglected, for the sake of God and of his Church.

Prayer
God of mercy and love
you offer all peoples
the dignity of sharing in your life.
By the example and prayers of Saint Peter Claver,
strengthen us to overcome all racial hatreds
and to love each other as brothers and sisters.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Sem. Ritzchild John “littlechild” Cariaga