Saint Peter Claver was a true Jesuit who baptized and taught the faith to more than 300,000 slaves during his forty years in Colombia

 

Today Jorge Bergoglio with his heretical religious indifference would declare war against Saint Peter Claver.

Excerpts from the life of St. Peter Claver, S.J.:the apostle of the Negroes, 1893

Administering Baptism

When Peter Claver thought them (the slaves) sufficiently instructed, he appointed a day for the administration of baptism. He arranged them in tens, giving the same name to each ten that they might better remember it. He baptized the children first, then the men and boys, and lastly the women and girls. But before beginning the ceremony, he knelt down and prayed fervently for those poor souls redeemed by the blood of God, to whom he presented them all, conjuring Him to purify them. This being done he arose, his face inflamed like a seraph's, and approached those to be baptized, accompanied by an interpreter and a Christian Negro and Negress, to act as god-father and god-mother. The neophyte knelt down with his hands joined upon his breast, and the father showing him the baptismal water in a silver vase, said, "Behold this saving water, which in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, washes and purifies the soul, rendering it brilliant as the sun. Behold the fountain of grace which makes men, children of God, and gives them a right to the kingdom of His glory. To obtain this favor we must repent of our sins, renounce the devil and the maxims of the world. Will you not do this with all your heart? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Will you enter His Church and receive baptism?"

He repeated these words two or three times; and when the Negro had answered properly, he was immediately baptized. After this, in order to distinguish him from those not baptized, he put round his neck a medal bearing the names of Jesus and Mary. "Whilst thus employed, were he informed that any one of the sick was in danger, he hastened immediately to him. It is impossible to say how many souls he snatched from the devil by this prompt and timely succor; for many died instantly after baptism. On such occasions he immediately knelt down to thank God for deigning to employ him in the salvation of those unfortunates who without this grace would have been irretrievably lost.

When the ceremony of baptism was over, he made a pathetic exhortation to the newly-baptized, reminding them of the great benefit they had just received, and of the obligations they had contracted. He then exhorted them to observe faithfully the law of Jesus Christ, whose members they had become, and to die rather than violate it by a single sin; adding, that if unfortunately they should sin, they would find a salutary remedy, a secure and ever-open resource, in contrition and confession. After this he explained to them the way in which Christians should receive the sacrament of penance. To strike them the more forcibly, to give them a greater horror of sin, and to incite them more efficaciously to the practice of virtue, he drew a picture to them, on the one hand, of a lost soul, with the eternal punishments which God has prepared for sinners, and on the other a beautified soul, resplendent in glory; "Behold," he would say to them, "what you will one day be, if you are faithful in preserving the grace of baptism."

All these exercises finished with a fervent act of contrition and love of God. Taking the crucifix which he wore upon his breast, he held it up so that all might see it, and exclaimed, "Behold how our sins have treated our great God and loving Father. See to what a plight He is reduced by our exceeding malice and His boundless love for us! Yes, it is for us that He died upon this cross;--for us that He was plunged in this abyss of ignominy and suffering!" These words were accompanied with such deep sighs and bitter tears, that the poor savages replied with sobs and cries that would have moved the hardest hearts. Finding them in the dispositions he wished, he taught them to say and repeat often these beautiful words: "O Jesus Christ, only Son of God, Thou art my Father, my Mother, my Treasure, my only Good! I love Thee with all my heart, and I am grieved beyond measure that I have offended Thee: yes, I love Thee with all my strength and with all my soul." Then, at length, looking upon them as true children of God, purified in the blood of the Lamb, he tenderly embraced them all.

He showed a heart so affectionate, and a countenance so loving and full of joy, that these poor slaves, delighted with his goodness, and animated by that new spirit which baptism gives, knew not what return to make for so much love. In order to show their consolation and joy, they raised their eyes to heaven, clapped their hands, and threw themselves on their knees at his feet, that they might kiss at least the border of his cassock. Each one uttered redoubled shouts of gladness, and in his own language and manner overwhelmed the father with a thousand blessings. Wherever they met him afterward, they always showed the same demonstrations of love and respect, and prostrating themselves on the ground called him their master, their protector, their father; never thinking that they did enough to express their gratitude. This labor alone would have sufficed to occupy several missioners; yet to Father Claver it was not the labor of every year, but of every week, and almost of everyday. At the arrival of each fresh cargo of Negroes he was obliged to recommence the same exercises, with the same care and renewed trouble; so that he often had but short intervals to devote to other labors.

Litany of St. Peter Claver

Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, hear my prayer.
Jesus Christ, graciously hear my prayer.
God the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us God the Son, Redeemer of the world.
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, immaculate Mother of God,
Pray for us.

Saint Peter Claver, worthy son of Saint Ignatius,
Pray for the Negroes. *


St. Peter Claver, zealous disciple of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, *

St. Peter Claver, emulator of the apostle of the Indies and Japan, *

St. Peter Claver, Apostle of the Negroes, *

St. Peter Claver, who didst procure for the slaves the holy liberty of the children of God, *

St. Peter Claver, who didst sign thyself: Slave of the Negroes forever, *

St. Peter Claver, shining light of Cartagena and of America, *

St. Peter Claver, model of evangelical laborers, *

St. Peter Claver, tender father of the poor, the widows, and the orphans, *

St. Peter Claver, refuge of all the unfortunate, *

St. Peter Claver, who didst make and fulfill the heroic vow of consecrating thyself entirely to the service of slaves, *

O thou who didst make thyself all to all in order to gain all to Jesus Christ, *

O thou who wast superior to all the vicissitudes of life by thine unalterable confidence in God, *

O thou who in thine inexhaustible charity didst cure so many sicknesses and relieve so many miseries, *

O thou who didst despise the riches of the earth in order to embrace evangelical poverty, *

O thou who didst prefer to the honors of the world the ignominies of the Cross, *

O thou who didst always seek to be forgotten and to be accounted for nothing among men, *

O thou who didst glory in knowing nothing else but Jesus Crucified, *

O thou who didst incessantly reduce thy body to servitude by the most rigorous austerities, *

Prodigy of innocence and of mortification, *

Living example of humility and of abnegation, *

Model of obedience and submission, *

Courageous and intrepid apostle in the midst of obstacles and contradictions, *

Martyr by the privations, and sufferings which thou didst endure for the salvation of souls, *

Fervent adorer of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, *

Contemplator and faithful imitator of Jesus suffering, *

O thou for whom the name and remembrance of Mary was ever a source of graces in all thy labors, *

St. Peter Claver, honor and ornament of the Society of Jesus, *

St. Peter Claver, illustrious by the numerous miracles thou didst work, *

St. Peter Claver, charitable and zealous protector of all those who invoke thee, *



Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Graciously hear the intercession of Thy servant in behalf of the poor Negroes.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.

Let us pray:

O God, Who in order that wretched slaves might come to the knowledge of Thy Name, didst endow St. Peter Claver, Thy confessor, with wonderful self-denial and eminent charity: grant that, by virtue of his example, many souls may be inspired with compassion for the poor Negroes and may courageously devote themselves to their conversion. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen

St. Peter Claver: Pray for us, 

O God, Who calling to the knowledge of Thy Name the Negro tribes sold into slavery, didst, in order that he might be a help to them, imbue blessed Peter with marvelous patience and charity: giving ear to his prayers, vouchsafe unto us to seek only the things which are of Jesus Christ, and thereby to love our neighbor in deed and in truth. Through the same Christ our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. R. Amen.