St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican of mixed heritage born out of wedlock and considered the patron saint of racial reconciliation, will be invoked Nov. 6 on a pilgrimage from Ascension to the Basilica of St. Mary.
Organized on behalf of the parishes by Will Peterson, founder and president of California-based Modern Catholic Pilgrim, the pilgrimage will include a stop at the former site of St. Martin de Porres parish in north Minneapolis. That parish, which served the Black community in the area, was closed in 1957 after its neighborhood was razed for Interstate 94 and people did not move back, Peterson said.
Will Peterson
A walking pilgrimage can help people break away from their own lives to offer their prayers for others, and perhaps return to their own homes changed, in this instance promoting solidarity and less division during a very divisive time, Peterson told “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley in a program to debut at 9 p.m. Oct. 22 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Peterson quoted Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s comments that he feels the Holy Spirit is prompting the local Church to turn to the Lord, who unites people as brothers and sisters.
Asked about St. Martin De Porres, Peterson said the saint was discriminated against for his darker skin and for being Catholic. He sought to join the Dominicans as a fully professed brother but at first was turned down because of his race, Peterson said.
So, he joined as a lay helper, and in the course of his service to others, was ultimately able to profess solemn vows with the Dominicans there, Peterson said.
He was acknowledged in his own time as a saint with his generosity and service to the poor. He was a barber and a surgeon, Peterson said.
The 6.5-mile walk will begin with a 9:30 a.m. pancake breakfast and 10:30 a.m. prayer service at Ascension. It will close with prayer and a lunch at the Basilica, Peterson said. The University of St. Thomas, Modern Catholic Pilgrim and the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota also are sponsors of the event.
People can sign up for the walk and the optional meals at the events page at mary.org.
To hear more about the benefits of a walking pilgrimage and about the life of St. Martin de Porres, listen to the “Practicing Catholic” interview with Peterson, which also airs at 9 p.m. Oct. 23 and 2 p.m. Oct. 24.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews about 2,400 pumpkins for sale on the front lawn of Our Lady of Peace School in south Minneapolis, and a podcast titled “Dead Friend Saints” that tells stories of saints and saints-in-in-the-making.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at:
soundcloud.com/PracticingCatholic
tinyurl.com/PracticingCatholic (Spotify)
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