Day 1: Novena to St. Peter Claver

On Wednesday, September 9th, St. Mary of Redford will be celebrating the feast of St. Peter Claver in a special way by offering our daily Mass for an end to sins based on race. Claver was a Jesuit who left Spain and spent his life caring for slaves. Over the next few days, look out for posts providing Catholic perspectives on the current issues of race in our country. In the meantime, we invite you to join in this novena (a nine day prayer) to St. Peter Claver.

Lord, for love of you St. Peter Claver became the faithful servant of slaves. Through his prayer help us to see the true dignity of the human family, all children of one father and to spend ourselves for their salvation. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-peter-claver/

Day 2: Novena to St. Peter Claver

As we pray for an end to sins based on race, check out these three interviews with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Jordan Pacheco, and Muji Kaiser. In these interviews, all three reflect on their experience as black Catholics in the United States, and give thoughtful insights into the current discussion surrounding race in this country. https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/08/19/three-black-catholics-reflect-on-faith-race-and-the-prevailing-narrative/

Those who attend our 5 PM Mass will also appreciate Jordan Pacheco's video on the Eucharist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=222&v=gJwjqfxRbFs&feature=emb_title I suspect those who attend the 11 AM will find inspiration in it too.

Day 3: Novena to St. Peter Claver

Sr. Antona Ebo FSM and Sr. Barbaro Moore CSJ speak in a 2014 interview about their experience as black Catholics nuns in the Selma March of 1965. As to the way forward, Sr. Barbara says at the end, "Be kind, be compassionate, be loving, that's what we need. We don't need people who agree on everything, but we need people who will treat each other with dignity and respect." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDfMqo1kC_8&list=PLZVEUZ7wfCwXISz4eMggPMVoiltewX-hp

Sr. Ebo's conversion story, including other details of her life, are inspiring. Read about them here: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/antona-ebo-fsm-brave-sister-of-selma/

Day 4: Novena to St. Peter Claver

How do I make sense of all this? How do I respond to it? Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, a well known Catholic speaker and a former police officer, outlines what he believes a Catholic response to racism should look like: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/06/29/a-catholic-response-to-racism/

Day 5: Novena to St. Peter Claver

Msgr. Charles Pope is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington and pastor of a predominantly African American parish in Washington, D.C. In this interview, he offers his thoughts as a pastor on recent tragedies in this country and how his parish has responded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKM_nxTok_8

http://blog.adw.org/2016/07/thoughts-recent-tragedies-racial-tensions/

Day 6: Novena to St. Peter Claver

Today is the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa who cared for the least of our society. Let's ask her prayers too as we continue to pray for an end to sins based on race. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1979/teresa/documentary/

Day 7: Novena to St. Peter Claver

As a son of sharecroppers, Deacon Larry Oney knows the pain of racial prejudice personally. His story of how God's grace entered into that is powerful. Here he speaks with Raymond Arroyo about the growing chasm between the races that has been revealed in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and how faith can help bridge the gap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHV6Wam-eHs See also Deacon Oney's video as he speaks from his heart in the wake of the interview: https://youtu.be/X5WbGjyw_XM

An article on Deacon Oney's conversion story can be found here: https://clarionherald.org/news/amazing-grace-how-god-turned-hatred-into-love

Day 8: Novena to St. Peter Claver

These two friars may look like our Friars of the Holy Spirit, but they actually belong to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal based in New York. Br. Pierre Toussaint (who took his religious name after the famous venerable and former slave) speaks with Br. Mark-Mary about what Catholics can do to overcome racism today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6uyz2vBSgg Let us continue to pray for an end to sins based on race in this country.

Day 9: Novena to St. Peter Claver

Evangelists Deacon Larry Oney, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Hector Molina come together for a candid discussion of current racial tension in this country. Their words are a source of hope and encouragement firmly grounded in the Gospel. It is an hour long discussion, but well worth the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUql3xByOd4

The Feast Day

Happy feast of St. Peter Claver to everyone and thank you to all who prayed with us during this novena for an end to sins based on race. Here's an article by Fr. John Hardon on the patron saint of ministry to African Americans.

"Now something about Peter Claver's missionary apostolate. It was by all odds, one of the most unique in the Church's missionary history. Claver recognized that these people are not to be just baptized; before being baptized they must first be instructed. Claver spoke only Spanish; the negroes spoke no Spanish so he trained seven interpreters and at least one of these interpreters, spoke four African dialects. In other words, Claver went through a lot of trouble to make sure that before being baptized, they would be duly instructed. Because, with almost no exception, the negroes were illiterate, he brought on board ship with him, sacred pictures of Christ, of Our Lady, of scenes from the Gospel. He would especially bring a supply of crucifixes. His hardest task was to restore some self-respect to these people who had been treated so inhumanly for so long. His principle effort (this is Peter Claver's) was to try to show to these naked slaves that they were still loved." - Servant of God, Fr. John Hardon

http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Saints/Saints_020.htm