St. Peter Claver

St. Peter Claver was born in Spain in 1581. He became a Jesuit at age 20 and was ordained a priest. Under the influence of St. Alphonsus Rodriquez, he became a missionary in the Americas. He ministered to slaves as they arrived in Colombia and is said to have converted about 300,000. For 40 years, the saint also pushed for humane treatment of plantation slaves. He did in 1654. St. Peter Claver is patron saint of African-Americans, Colombia and African missions.