Prayers Inspired by the Saints

As we stop to reflect on our call to act on behalf of justice, take a moment to listen to the story of St. Martin de Porres, who was a man of great charity caring for the sick, abandoned and enslaved. Born in Lima, Peru, the son of a free Black woman and a Spanish nobleman, Martin de Porres was never recognized by his father. At the age of 12, he trained as

a barber, a role resembling that of a doctor — setting bones, dressing wounds and prescribing herbs. When he chose to volunteer at a Dominican monastery as a lay helper, he was given tasks that others despised. Some community members called for his dismissal because he was Black. Others recognized his talents and encouraged him to become a priest. As a brother, he was given charge of the monastery’s infirmary. He acted with justice for the poor and abandoned by feeding those in need with leftover food and welcoming the homeless to stay in the monastery in any available space.