St. Peter Claver: A Builder of the City

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Today, the Church in America celebrates the memorial of St. Peter Claver, who is lesser-known than some of the gigantic figures throughout Church history.  Despite his lack of conspicuity, he happens to be one of the greatest examples of charity that the Church in the New World has ever known.  His life of service epitomizes Christ's call to build the Kingdom through benevolent actions.

One quote from the saint serves as a window into his entire philosophy of life:

"Then we sat, or rather knelt, beside them and bathed their faces and bodies with wine.  We made every effort to encourage them with friendly gestures and displayed in their presence the emotions which somehow naturally tend to hearten the sick."

That he stated this about the African slaves to whom he ministered makes a reader think "wow!"  There are few examples that this historian can recollect of such treatment of African slaves by people of European descent.  (Appropriately enough, all of the notable examples are provided by Catholic missionaries.)  It is true, then, that St. Peter Claver applied no standards of race or social class to his ministry; he took seriously Christ's call to serve "the least of these."

Click here and here to read more details about St. Peter Claver's life.

St. Peter Claver, pray for us, that we might serve all of God's people without reservation as you did.

God bless! 

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