The Slave of the Slaves

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Peter Claver, a Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary who has become known as the “Slave of the Slaves.” He was born in 1580 and came from a rather prosperous family in Spain. He joined the Jesuits at the age of 20 and became acquainted with a Jesuit brother who was a pious mystic named Alphonsus Rodriguez, who has also been canonized a saint. This brother believed that Peter Claver would do great things for the Lord, and he suggested that Peter go to the New World to serve as a missionary. At first Peter was hesitant to leave Spain but eventually discerned that this was the Lord’s will for him. He arrived in Cartageña, Colombia where he completed his theological studies and was ordained a priest in 1615.

It was during his studies that he was exposed to the brutal treatment and harsh conditions of the African slaves who had been brought over on ships. Unfortunately, even after the slave trade had been condemned by Pope Paul III, the practice continued unabated. At his final profession, it is said that Peter Claver signed in his own blood that he would dedicate himself to being a “Slave to the Slaves.” For the next 40 years until his death, he served the African slaves as they were brought over to South America. The conditions upon their arrival were so bad that usually a third of the Africans would die during the treacherous journey. Yet, Peter Claver would be there to greet the slaves. While he was indeed concerned with their salvation, he did not begin with preaching repentance and conversion. In fact, he says in one of his letters that he and the others who ministered to the slaves did what they could to help the slaves. They treated them with mercy by providing them with warmth, food, clothing, and whatever medical treatment that was within their power to provide. Peter Claver himself says in his letter, “This was how we spoke to them, not with words but with our hands and our actions. And in fact, convinced as they were that they had been brought here to be eaten, any other language would have proved utterly useless.” It is only after Peter Claverhad established a bond of love and trust between him and the slaves that he proceeded to give them instruction in the faith and prepare them for baptism. By the end of his life, he had prepared over 300,000 slaves for Baptism.

For someone like St. Peter Claver, it would have been difficult to talk with or even look at the slave owners and traders after seeing how they subjected the slaves to such cruel treatment. Yet, Peter made a point of speaking to the owners and traders as well and exhorted them to treat the Africans with dignity and respect, to see them not as property to be sold or traded but as fellow human beings with immortal souls. Whenever one of the slave owners would invite Peter to stay with them at their house, he would always decline. He preferred to stay with his flock, the slaves, and live in the same poor conditions in which they were forced to live.

This remarkable saint is a testament to the constant teaching of the Church on the infinite dignity of every human person from conception to natural death, a teaching that has been made explicit by multiple popes including Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. While there have been many societal advancements in the equal treatment of all human beings, there is still much work that needs to be done to bring an end to any lingering unjust institutions and ensure justice for all. St. Peter Claver stands as a model for those who wish to effectively communicate God’s love to the world. He stood for the dignity of all people, especially those who were among the most marginalized groups of people. In doing so, he shows how Christians are called to love all the brothers and sisters of Our Lord, especially the least among them, and how our preaching of the Gospel must always be accompanied by works of charity. Other people should be able to see the face of Christ manifested through our works of charity so that our words of preaching do not remain mere words, but that they truly become flesh by our actions.

By Fr. Matthew Mary