St. Peter Claver
Jesuit Priest and Apostle to the Enslaved
Feast Day: September 9
Biography
St. Peter Claver (1580–1654) was born in Verdú, in Catalonia, Spain. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1602. While studying on the island of Majorca, he was encouraged by the humble Jesuit brother St. Alphonsus Rodríguez to go as a missionary to the Americas. In 1610 he arrived in Cartagena, in present-day Colombia, one of the main ports of the Atlantic slave trade, and he was ordained a priest there in 1616. Working with Fr. Alonso de Sandoval, he dedicated himself to the thousands of enslaved Africans brought there each year. When a slave ship arrived, he went aboard and into the holds with food, water, medicine, and interpreters. He nursed the sick, comforted the dying, taught the faith through pictures and interpreters, and baptized many; one estimate puts the number he baptized at about 300,000. At his final vows in 1622, he signed himself 'Peter Claver, slave of the Africans forever.' He also visited hospitals and prisons and followed up on those he had baptized. Struck by illness in 1650, he spent his last years weak and often neglected. He died on September 8, 1654. Pope Leo XIII canonized him in 1888. The United States celebrates his memorial on September 9.
Patronages
Symbols
Prayer
St. Peter Claver, you saw Christ in those whom the world treated as property and served them with tireless love. Pray for all victims of slavery, trafficking, and racism. Help me to recognize the dignity of every person, to stand beside those who suffer, and to love in deeds and not only in words. Amen.
Asking for Intercession
Catholics ask saints to pray with us and for us, as we ask friends on earth. St. Peter Claver, who lives in God's presence, intercedes before His throne. Speak from your heart: “St. Peter Claver, please pray for me…” You may also pray the prayer above or include this intention in your Rosary.