SAINT MARTIN de PORRES
Patron Saint of the Foundation
From the moment of his birth, they said he never had a chance. He was deserted by his white father and uncared for by his black mother. Instead of a real childhood, he was neglected, abused, lonely and very, very poor. He had hardly any education. When he was 11 years old, he had to go to work as a servant and later, as a barber.
It is a terrible thing not to be loved. It can produce a twisted, tormented, ruthless person who could become a thief or a murderer - one of society's angry, defiant criminals.
But Martin became none of those things.
Born on December 9, 1579 in Lima, Peru, Martin spent many hard years. Still, during those loveless years of neglect, Martin found Love. Real, everlasting Love. It was hard for him to believe at first. Hard to believe that God loves the outcast, the one despised by his own earthly mother and father. That God loves the lonely, helpless child as much as He loves the powerful leader. Martin realized that God would never desert him, as his earthly father had, and that He will always care for Martin, more than his earthly mother did.
When Martin realized that - really realized that - an intense love for Jesus Christ and His suffering children grew inside him.
So, after work every day, Martin would go out into the city and seek out those who were suffering. Soon his town of Lima was filled with rumors of miraculous cures. Headaches and fevers vanished with a touch, deep wounds healed visibly while the patient watched.
Martin joined the Dominican Order and his work increased tenfold. He was in charge of the Dominican hospital where he took care of the sick Dominicans and the sick of the city. He even gave the sick his own bed, using the floor for himself, or not sleeping at all.
The Dominicans had to beg for help from the townspeople and Martin was the best beggar, often collecting $2,000.00 a week from the rich of the city. That would equal about $20,000.00 today. Not only did the Dominicans benefit from Martin's efforts, but he also took care of all the needy families of the city. Martin provided dowries for poor girls, opened the first orphanage in the Western Hemisphere, established a children's hospital and even opened a shelter for stray cats and dogs.
Martin loved people because he looked at them as God's children and as his own brothers and sisters. He was tireless in his efforts to reform the criminal, bring comfort to the sick, love and help all those who were considered the "dregs" of society.
The society that rejected him when he was young, embraced Martin when he was old. He was called the "Father of the poor", the "Pied Piper of Peru", and "Martin the lovable". When he died on November 3, 1639, it was the hierarchy of Peru and Mexico that served as pallbearers for this rejected, poor, uneducated outcast who "never had a chance". Great crowds gathered, proclaiming him a saint from the day of his death. Pope John XXIII made it official on May 16, 1962.
St. Martin de Porres, the first black American saint, is the patron saint of black people, bi-racial people, poor people, race relations, and social justice.
What better patron for The Brian Muha Memorial Foundation than St. Martin de Porres, since embodied in this one person is the image of those we are trying to help, and the image of us, hoping to do the same work he did.
By Rachel Muha
Prayer to St. Martin de Porres
Dear St. Martin, we come to you with confidence and devotion. Help us with your generous intercession. Show the people of every race and every color the way of unity and justice. Ask our Father in Heaven to give us the gift of mutual love for one another. Amen.
The Brian Muha Memorial Foundation :: 874 Helenhurst Ct. :: Westerville, OH 43081
DONATE TO THE FOUNDATION
Help us to achieve our goals.
