Servum Servorum

Today we celebrate St. Peter Claver, S.J.

I suppose I've heard of him before, but never about his ministry to the Slaves. I find it curious that he was canonized by Leo XIII of Rerum Novarum fame. Once, I was told that the Church never spoke out against the great evil of slavery and the slave trade. To the contrary I found abundant evidence of the Church being continually outspoken, from the the time of the Roman Empire to the period of Triangular Trade-- and even in support of the Civil Rights movement in the most recent past.

Leo XIII (who should be made Venerable in my opinion) wrote some of the most substantial condemnations of the slave trade. Not surprisingly he found ballast for his condemnations in the devoted work of our heroic Saint.