MEMORIAL: SEPTEMBER 9
Peter Calver was born in Spain and became a Jesuit which was a new missionary order at the time. As a young Jesuit, he was shipped off to the Caribbean and would never see his homeland again. The Caribbean was the center of the slave trade, and Peter went immediately to serve the thousands of Africans who came through the slave trade each year.
As soon as ships docked, he climbed into the putrid conditions with medicine and relief to the soon-to-be slaves. He did what no one else was willing to do: treat them as human beings. He often referred to himself as a slave to the Africans. While he tended to the needs of the Africans, he would preach the gospel. It is estimated that in 40 years of ministry, St. Peter baptized over 300,000 Africans.
