Over 400 years ago, a saint was born in the Catalan region of Spain. This saint, Peter Claver, would be known as the “slave to the slaves.” 
Saint Peter Claver obtained this name by dedicating his life to helping slaves in Cartagena, or present-day Colombia.
According to Deacon Chris Mariano, a member of campus ministry, “He truly devoted himself to the service and ministry of the slaves that were being traded from the African continent. He would minister to them as they would arrive in the Western Hemisphere in the Caribbean and would give them care through medicines and food.”
During the 40 years that Claver spent in the “New World,” he converted and baptized over 300,000 slaves. Much of this accomplishment he owes to the help of his holy friend, Alphonsus Rodriguez.
Rodriguez, according to an article by Vatican News, was an “elderly, uneducated lay brother who was the porter at the Jesuit college,” and though he was not considered smart, “a life of suffering had taught him to listen to God.”
In Claver’s early years, he knew he would serve God but was unsure how. Meeting Rodriguez revealed his true calling. After Rodriguez convinced Claver to travel to the “New World,” his real work began.
During the early 1600s, Cartagena was a center of the slave trade that brought nearly 10,000 new slaves to the region every year. There, Claver dedicated the rest of his life to protecting and helping them.
Saint Peter Claver preached, converted, baptized, and fed a large number of the slave population whilst working to change people’s attitudes towards slavery. His work continued up until the day he eventually died in 1654.
Now, during Black History Month, Catholics reflect on how God’s message inspires advocacy. Claver’s teachings urge people to speak for the voiceless.
“We can apply these teachings to our daily lives by serving whoever might be in want or need of extra support, whether it’s on a physical or emotional level,” said Bobby Gutierrez ’25. “We can also treat one another with kindness and respect, whether we are in a work, school, athletic, or other setting.”
