SAINT PETER CLAVER (1654 A.D.); SAINT GORGONIUS (303 A.D.)

SAINT PETER CLAVER
Confessor

SAINT GORGONIUS
Martyr

SIMPLE / WHITE
Cartagena, in Columbia, was the central slave mart of Spanish America. Transported on filthy ships like animals, the hapless Africans were forgotten men. A young Spanish Jesuit named Peter Claver appeared providentially in Cartagena in 1610, and until his death in 1654, he cared with the tenderness of Christ for the wracked bodies and tortured souls of the slaves. During his long apostolate he baptized some three hundred thousand Negro children of God. The Church has designated him the special patron of all Catholic missioners working among the Negroes.

INTROIT Ps. 106:9-10
For he hath satisfied the empty soul, and hath filled the hungry soul with good things. Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in want and in iron.
Ps. 106:8. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him, and his wonderful works to the children of men.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, in order to bring the enslaved Blacks the knowledge of Your holy name, You gave blessed Peter the strength to help them through a wondrous love and patience. May we all seek the things that belong to Jesus and in doing so love our neighbors in truth and in deed through the intercession of Your saint.

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
During the early years of the fourth century, Gorgonius, with the help of his ally Dorotheus, both Christian freedmen in the palace of Diocletian at Nicomedia, had managed to convert almost the whole imperial household. When they saw another servant, Peter, tortured for having borne witness to Jesus, they protested to the Emperor. Diocletian promptly condemned them to severe tortures, and then to death by strangulation.

O Lord, may the intercession of saint Gorgonius fill us with joy and may his holy feast be the occasion of happiness for us. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Isaias 58:6-9, 10
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy healing shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noonday. 

GRADUAL Ps. 71:12-14
He shall deliver the poor from the mighty, and the needy that had no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and he shall save the souls of the poor. He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity, and their names shall be honorable in his sight.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 9:33, 35
Arise, O Lord God, let Thy hand be exalted; for get not the poor. To Thee is the poor man left; Thou wilt be a helper to the orphan. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 10:29-37
At that time, a certain lawyer desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?" Jesus made answer and said, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, which both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion, and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said, 'Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee.' Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbour unto him that fell among the robbers?" And he said, "He that shewed mercy on him." And Jesus said unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise."


OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Job 29:12-13, 15-16
Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out; and the fatherless, that had no helper. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow. I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame. I was a father of the poor.

SECRET 
O Lord, may the Victim of love which we offer here in sacrifice obtain mercy for us; and may the prayers and merits of blessed Peter help us toward salvation by making us more patient and charitable.

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Be pleased, O Lord, by the offering which we, Your servants, make to You through the intercession of the blessed martyr Gorgonius. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ezech. 34:15-16
I will feed my sheep; and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost; and that which was driven away, I will bring again; and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak. 

POSTCOMMUNION 
Increase in us the effects of Your life-giving love, O Lord, so that after being refreshed by the Food of Heaven we may come to the reward of everlasting life through the intercession of blessed Peter.

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Let the everlasting sweetness of the Sacrifice fill Your household and bring it to new life, O Lord, so that through Your martyr Gorgonius we may always be refreshed by the fragrance of Christ, Your Son; who lives and rules with You . . .