Saint Peter Claver (1580–1654) was a Spanish Jesuit priest who spent over forty years in Cartagena, in present-day Colombia, ministering to enslaved Africans arriving on slave ships. Declaring himself 'the slave of the slaves forever,' he met the ships with food, medicine, and catechesis, and is said to have baptized many thousands. He died in Cartagena in 1654 and was canonized in 1888.
Peter Claver shows that Christian love means going to those whom society treats as least, and serving them with concrete care rather than words alone. His tireless, humble service amid suffering and neglect challenges us to see the dignity of every person and to defend those who are exploited today.
Lord Jesus, who gave Saint Peter Claver a heart to serve the enslaved and forgotten, grant us the same love for the least of our brothers and sisters, that we may serve you in them. Amen.