On November 3rd, World Mission Ministries' Director, Antoinette Mensah, took part in the St. Martin de Porres Feast Day Mass Celebration and Fellowship, hosted by the Alverno College International & Intercultural Center.
The liturgy celebrated the life of St. Martin de Porres. He is called an apostle of charity and social justice and father of the sick and the poor, and helper in hopeless cases. He is also known as the patron saint for race relations and barbers.
This was the first event of its kind at Alverno and was a gathering of cultures through the spoken language and food. (A photo taken at the event is featured here; Antoinette Mensah is standing at the far right of the photo).
Life of St. Martin de Porres
(source: The National Black Catholic Congress)
"On May 16, 1962, Pope John XXIII, in a ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, made Martin de Porres the first black American saint. Martin was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima, Peru, the illegitimate son of Don Juan de Porres of Burgos, a Spanish nobleman, and Ana Velasquez, a young freed Negro slave girl.
From early childhood Martin showed great piety, a deep love for all God's Creatures and a passionate devotion to Our Lady. At the age of 11 he took a job as a servant in the Dominican priory and performed the work with such devotion that he was called "the saint of the broom". He was promoted to the job of almoner and soon was begging more that $2,000 a week from the rich. All that was begged was given to the poor and sick of Lima in the form of food, clothing and medicine.
Martin was placed in charge of the Dominican's infirmary where he became known for his tender care of the sick and for his spectacular cures. In recognition of his fame and his deep devotion, his superiors dropped the stipulation that "no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our order" and Martin was vested in the full habit and took the solemn vows as a Dominican brother.
As a Dominican brother, he became more devout and more desirous to be of service. He established an orphanage and a children's hospital for the poor children of the slums. He set up a shelter for the stray cats and dogs and nursed them back to health.
Martin lived a life of self-imposed austerity. He never ate a meal, he fasted continuously and spent much time in prayer and meditation. He was venerated from the day of his death.
Many miraculous cures, including the raising of the dead, were attributed to Brother Martin. Today throughout South America, Central America and the islands of the Caribbean, people tell of the miraculous powers of St. Martin de Porres. St. Martin de Porres's feast day is November 3rd."
(Full Source Information: (source: http://www.nbccongress.org/black-catholics/african-saints-03.asp, The National Black Catholic Congress, "African Saints--St. Martin de Porres" page, and accessed November 3, 2014)