Peter Claver
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Saint Peter Claver (in Spanish: Pedro Claver) (1581 — 8 September 1654) was a Jesuit who, due to his remarkable life and work, become the patron saint of slaves, of Colombia and of African Americans.
| Saint Pedro Claver | |
|---|---|
| Image:StPeterClaver.jpg | |
| Titles (see Hierarchy definition above) | |
| Born | 1580 in Catalonia, Spain, |
| Died | 1654 in Cartagena, Colombia |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 16 July, 1850 |
| Canonized | 15 January, 1888 |
| Feast | September 9th |
| Patronage | Slaves, Colombia and African Americans. |
| 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.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -Prayer of Peter Claver</small> | |
Contents |
Early life
Born in Catalonia, Spain, Claver joined the Jesuits after studies in Barcelona. During philosophy studies in Majorca in 1605, he lived in the same community as another Jesuit, Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez, who never ceased encouraging him to follow his desire to offer himself for missionary work in the Americas. In 1610, Peter landed at Cartagena in New Granada (later to become part of Colombia), where for forty-four years he worked as the Apostle of the transported African slaves.
Slavery in New Granada
see also Atlantic Slave Trade and Middle Passage
The Spanish settlers in the Americas had a perceived need for laborers: both to cultivate the lands which they had conquered and to work the gold mines. European diseases decimated the indigenous peoples, and the Spanish replaced them as a default labour force with slaves brought from Africa. The coasts of Guinea, the Congo, and Angola became a market for slave-dealers. Due to its position on the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena became a chief slave-mart of the New World. A thousand slaves landed there each month. One could purchase a kidnapped African for two écus and sell him for two hundred écus, a 10,000% profit, which made the trade profitable even though half of the 'cargo' often died.
Claver's character and work
Although his detractors often accused Pedro Claver of lacking intelligence, boldness and self-confidence, he became a compassionate leader who lived out the commitment he added to his vows: that he was Peter Claver, forever a servant to the blacks. He insisted on seeing the slaves taken from Africa as his brothers in Christ and demanded that his fellow-Christians treat them as equals.
As new slaves arrived, Claver ran out to meet them, carrying food and clothes to the living and removing the bodies of those who had died. He cared for the weakest first and took the sick to a nearby hospital he had built. Using natives as interpreters, he then began sharing the Gospel with all who would hear. Having won their good will, he instructed and baptized them into the Faith. Claver truly dedicated his life to the service of these people, humbly caring for the lepers and those suffering from smallpox, cleaning their sores and consoling them when other were disgusted by their diseases. He and the slaves he ministered to would prepare great banquets to celebrate holy days; inviting and ministering to the lepers, slaves, and beggers.
The apostle was accused of indiscreet zeal, and of having profaned the Sacraments by giving them to "creatures" deemed to scarcely possessed a soul. Indeed, many found the sense of dignity Claver was giving the slaves was a dangerous thing to do. Yet Claver continued his work until his death in 1654.
Fame spreads and sainthood beckons
He became the prophet and miracle worker of Cartagena, and all were convinced that often God would not have spared the city save for him. During his life he baptized and instructed in the Faith more than 300,000 of the Africans brought to the Americas. He was beatified 16 July, 1850, by Pope Pius IX, and canonized 15 January, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII. His feast is celebrated on 9 September. On 7 July, 1896, he was proclaimed the special patron of all the Catholic missions among the negroes; "negroes" being an acceptable term in 1896. Alphonsus Rodriguez was canonized on the same day as Peter Claver.
Publications and References
- P. B. G. Fleuriot, Saint Pierre Claver, Apôtre des nègres, (revised edition, Paris, 1888)
- F. Höver, Der heiliger Peter Claver, Apostel der Neger und Carthagenas, (Dülmen, 1888)
- Justo L. González, The Story of Christianity Volume 1.