Caring for refugees in the manner of St Peter Claver

In Aotearoa today there are many refugees from Colombia who have escaped from the persecutions due to centuries of civil war. Many come from the city of Cartagena. Five hundred years ago, Cartagena was a slave-trading hub where every year 10,000 slaves from West Africa poured into the port packed on ships in such terrible conditions that it is estimated that a third died on the journey. Today we celebrate the feast of St Peter Claver who arrived in Cartagena from Spain as a jesuit student in 1610. He studied theology there for 6 years before being ordained. During that time he was deeply disturbed by the treatment of the slaves and dedicated the rest of his life to serving them. When a ship arrived he would enter the filthy holds to attend to the sick and terrified Africans. For 40 years he accompanied them on their arrival and then on the plantations where they worked. As a result of his work, conditions of the slaves gradually improved. He died worn out in 1654 and was declared a saint in 1888. In 1985, the Colombian Congress declared the 9th of September the national day of Human Rights in his honour. Next Saturday, I will have the privilege of making another visit to a community of Colombian refugees from Cartagena, many of whom are descendents of those who were brought to Colombia as slaves. Like Peter Claver, may we all be aware and welcoming to the many refugees and migrants in our countries.