Martin de Porres, Friar
3 November -- Commemoration
If celebrated as a Lesser Festival,
Common of Religious, page 494
Born in Lima in Peru in 1579, Martin de Porres was the
illegitimate son of a Spanish knight and a black, Panamanian
freewoman. He joined the Third Order of the Dominicans when
he was fifteen years old and was later received as a lay
brother into the First Order, mainly because of his
reputation for caring for the poor and needy. As the friary
almoner, he was responsible for the daily distribution to
the poor and he had a particular care for the many African
slaves, whose lives were a dreadful indictment of the
Christian conquistadores. Martin became sought after for
spiritual counsel, unusual for a lay brother at that time.
His care for all God's creatures led many to love and revere
him and his own brothers chose him as their spiritual
leader. He died of a violent fever on this day in the year
1639 and, because of his care for all, regardless of class
or colour, is seen as the patron saint of race relations.