Today’s Readings – Saint Peter Claver

Peter Claver was born in Verdu, in Catalonia (Spain) in 1580 and educated at Barcelona University. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1602 at Tarragona. While still in his studies he was sent to the Jesuit college in Palma de Mallorca (Majorca). Here he met Alphonsus Rodriguez, a Jesuit Brother who was the doorkeeper of the college (and who was later canonised as a saint). In conversations with Alphonsus, Peter was fired with a desire to do missionary work in the New World then being colonised by Spain and Portugal. He did his theological studies at Barcelona and then was sent to Cartagena (now in Colombia) in 1610. Six years later, he was ordained priest in 1616.

At this time Cartagena was one of the main clearing houses of a flourishing, but shameful trading of Africans from Angola … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Wednesday of Week 23 of Ordinary Time - First Reading

Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:25-31

Today’s reading comes from a longer passage in which Paul deals with various questions about marriage and celibacy which had been put to him by the Christians of Corinth.

In the full passage (the whole of chapter 7), Paul makes three main poi … Continue