SAINT OF THE DAY · SEPTEMBER 9

Who was Saint Peter Claver?

Saintly Editorial 2 min read
In short

Saint Peter Claver: A priest who became servant to the forgotten. Lived 1581 to 1654. Spain and Cartagena, Colombia. Jesuit priest and missionary. Patron of missions and race relations. Apostle among enslaved Africans. Saintly remembers this saint on September 9.

  • Lived 1581 to 1654
  • Spain and Cartagena, Colombia
  • Jesuit priest and missionary
  • Patron of missions and race relations
  • Apostle among enslaved Africans

Who was Saint Peter Claver?

Peter Claver was born on a farm near Verdú in Catalonia. His family lived simply. He studied at the University of Barcelona and entered the Jesuits at twenty. The Jesuits were a Catholic religious order devoted to mission and education. Peter seemed quiet and unsure of himself. Then he met a doorkeeper who changed everything.

At the Jesuit college in Majorca, Peter often spoke with Alphonsus Rodriguez, an older brother who served as doorkeeper. Rodriguez listened deeply and urged him to serve people across the ocean. He told Peter that God had prepared a mission for him in the Americas. Peter carried those words quietly. Soon, he asked to go.

Peter left Spain in 1610 and reached Cartagena, a busy port in New Granada, now Colombia. Ships brought enslaved Africans into the city for sale. Peter completed his studies and became a priest in 1616. He learned from Alfonso de Sandoval, a missionary who served the enslaved. Peter then made a solemn promise.

Whenever a ship arrived, Peter went out in a small boat. He carried bread, fruit, medicine, and clothing. He entered the dark holds and crowded sheds where the sick were kept. He touched wounds and spoke gently through interpreters. Peter said, “We must speak to them with our hands before our lips.”

Many people opposed Peter’s work. Merchants called him reckless. Some churchmen questioned whether the enslaved could receive the sacraments. Wealthy women avoided churches where Peter gathered them. He continued teaching, baptizing, hearing confessions, and defending families. He also visited plantations and demanded justice from owners. The criticism did not stop.

Peter built a network of interpreters because the newcomers spoke many languages. He taught with pictures when words failed. He showed Christ suffering on the cross and explained that every person was loved by God. He instructed each person patiently, even when the lesson had to begin with making the sign of the cross. This was his daily work.

In 1650, Peter caught the plague while serving others. He survived, but his body never recovered. For four years he remained weak in the infirmary, often neglected by those around him. On September 6, he received Communion and told a friend, “I am going to die.” He died two days later. Cartagena then remembered whom it had nearly forgotten.

What can we learn from Saint Peter Claver today?

  • Bring food or medicine today to someone whose needs are easy to overlook.
  • Speak one person’s name and story before discussing their problem or social position.
  • Defend a neglected person today with the same courage Peter showed before powerful owners.

Saint Peter Claver served people whom society treated as property. He met them first with food, touch, medicine, and protection. Then he taught them the Gospel and defended their dignity. His life still exposes every form of contempt and calls Christians to recognize Christ in those most easily ignored.

When is the feast day of Saint Peter Claver?

Saintly remembers Saint Peter Claver on September 9, when the story above is the saint of the day in the app. Read how the Church declares someone a saint, or how to choose a patron saint.

Sources

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