Providentially, on June 30, a statue finally arrived of a saint to whom I have been a devotee for a long time — Saint Martin de Porres (1579-1639), a Dominican Lay Brother from Lima, Peru. For a couple of years, I have been pondering to place a statue of this beloved saint in our “Saints Garden” between the Immaculate Conception Church and the rectory.
Why do I say “providentially”? Well, Martin is the patron saint of mixed-race people, public health workers and all those seeking racial harmony. What he lived through then, we are living now.
Being the illegitimate son of a freed slave of African-Native American descent and a Spanish nobleman, he experienced racism, poverty and limited opportunities. After the birth of his sister, his father abandoned the family. His mother, under difficult circumstances, did her best to raise Martin and his sister. She sent him to a primary school and placed him under a barber/surgeon to learn the medical arts. Despite great obstacles, Martin “grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (cf. LK 2:52). Under the loving guidance of the Holy Spirit, Martin grew in virtue and skill that would serve him and society: an ardent love for the Most Blessed Sacrament, a deep prayer life, fasting, abstaining from meat, and an active compassion for the poor and sick.
Because Peruvian law prohibited descendants of Africans and Native Americans becoming full members of religious orders, Martin became a donado with the Dominican community: a volunteer who performed menial tasks in the monastery in return for the privilege of wearing the habit and living with the religious community.
Martin was eventually accepted as a vowed member; yet, he still experienced racism by some of his religious brothers. Regardless, Martin grew in compassion, industriousness and managed well his multiple duties.
When an epidemic struck Lima, Martin courageously and patiently attended to the many sick friars. He begged for alms to care for the hungry, the orphaned, the sick, the poor and victims of crime. His love extended even to animals, and, for this reason, he is often pictured with them.
The challenges that Saint Martin faced are the very challenges that the church and society face today. Yet, Martin overcame. He not only overcame but, with Christian principals, persistence and love, he progressed from a servant boy to a Servant-Leader.
As our nation just celebrated Independence Day and is going through social unrest and a pandemic, I am proud to place a statue of this saint in our garden. He is an example to us as Catholics and citizens of how to build “a more perfect union” and church. Saint Martin teaches us robust stewardship in which personal virtues, skills and blessings become benefits for society. Saint Martin de Porres is a person to whom we can look to for unity, healing and reconciliation.
Father Matthew R. Weber is pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Bridgeton.
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