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Martin de Porres: A Saint for Our Time

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I enjoyed this book tremendously. The style is inviting, the illustrations are beautiful, and the stories about Martin's life are wonderful. I especially like the connections that Joan Monahan draws between Martin's values and the issues we face today. Born four hundred years ago of mixed race to a single mother, Martin knew how it felt to be rejected. He is a model of social justice, concern for the environment, and respect for animals. Whether you're already familiar with St. Martin de Porres or not, you will learn much that is new and inspiring in this well-researched and highly readable biography.

Born illegitimate in Lima, Peru to a single mother and outright rejected in life ... Martin de Porres turned the pain of rejection and social ostracism into a life dedicated to social justice. This is a beautiful life history and one which reflects how despite all the cards one is dealt .... it was the choice to turn to God and work on his behalf that raised a rejected boy into a Saint. I agree with the other reviewer who called Martin de Porres the Catholic Gandhi. More Catholics need to know the example of just what can happen when one who would be mostly likely turn to anger and vengance ... instead channeled their intimate pain into a cause as a pencil in the hand of God.

From Wikipedia:

St. Martín de Porres (December 9, 1579--November 3, 1639) was a Dominican friar who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized on May 6, 1962 by Pope John XXIII.

He was born in Lima, Peru, the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a young freed slave woman, possibly Afro-Peruvian, born in Panama. He grew up in poverty, and at the age of 11 was taken in by the Dominicans as a servant. As his duties grew he was promoted to almoner, and then put in charge of the infirmary. His piety and miraculous cures led his superiors to drop the racial limits on admission to the Order and he was made a full Dominican brother. It is said that when his priory was in debt, he implored them: "I am only a poor mulatto. Sell me. I am the property of the order. Sell me."

His work on behalf of the poor was tireless: he established an orphanage and a children's hospital. He maintained an austere lifestyle, which included fasting and forswearing meat. His devotion to prayer was notable even by the pious standards of the age. Among the many miracles attributed to him were those of levitation, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures and an ability to communicate with animals. It is said that he also was able to feed a dog, a cat, and a mouse together from a same dish; the three didn't fight among themselves.

In iconography, Martin de Porres is often depicted with a broom, since he considered all work to be sacred no matter how menial. It is also shown with him the dog, the cat and the mouse.

He was a friend of St. John de Massias and Saint Rose of Lima. He died in Lima in 1639.

The district of San Martín de Porres in Lima was named in honor of this saint.

This wonderful book unveils the incredibly humane worldview of the sanctified St. Martin De Porres. Even though he was viciously discrimated against centuries ago, Martin De Porres flourished as an apostle of charity and as the Patron Saint of social justice. St. Martin De Porres stated that all people are sacred children of God and all animals are sacred creatures of God. He loved and embraced the poor, the sick, prisoners, and even the rich and the greedy in addition to the entire animal kingdom. Martin De Porres was opposed to all forms of violence and he refused to eat flesh-foods and he condemned cruelty to animals. The only negative about this Book is the fact that modern Christian Religions do not embrace the reverence for all life theology that Martin De Porres admirably espoused with the utmost benevolence. If his ideology resonated the earth would be a veritable Garden Of Eden !