November 3rd - Feast Day of St Martin de Porres

Source

Novena Prayer to Saint Martin de Porres

Most humble Saint Martin, whose burning charity embraces all, but especially those who are sick, afflicted or in need, we turn to you for help in our present difficulties, and we implore you to obtain for us from God, health of soul and body and in particular the favour we now ask.....................May we by imitating your charity and humility, find quiet and contentment all our days and cheerfuld submission to God's holy will, in all the trials and difficulties of life.

 

Pray for us Saint Martin, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

Let us pray: O God, who exalts the humble and who made Saint Martin your confessor, to enter into the heavenly kingdom, grant through his merits and intercession, that we may so follow the example of his humility on earth as to deserve to be axalted with him in heaven. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Amen.

Today is the feast day of the Dominican brother Martin de Porres. Many Irish people especially older people have a great devotion to this saint especially as there was a strong promotion of his cause before his canonisation by his Dominican brethern.

I remember once hearing the story of a woman who worked on Moore St in Dublin making the comment that St Martin was better worker as a blessed as he had become to full of his own importance and didn't answer her prayers after he was canonised!  

Saint Martin was born in Lima, capital city of Peru, in the year 1579. His father was a Spanish knight and his mother a freed slave. He seems to have been neglected as a child, but he befriended a doctor who taught him the art of healing.
He was initially accepted as a servant at the Dominican Priory of Our Lady of the Rosary at Lima. Eventually admitted as a lay brother, he made profession in 1603. He worked with the sick and the poor, as well as taking care of animals, being known to have cured to most frightening of diseases and injuries (as much by prayer and intercession as by his medical skills).

He was taken to much prayer and penance. Having a particular devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, he would spend a long time in thanksgiving each time he received Holy Communion.
He died of fever on 3rd November 1639, and was canonised in 1962. His feast day is 3rd November.

This year is the 50th anniversary of his canonisation and Fr Ger over at Irish Domincan Vocations tells us of his own personal devotion to this saint and St Martin's practical contribution to the Irish Dominican province through the St Martin Apostolate.

Other information here, here and here.

To you Saint Martin de Porres we prayerfully lift up our hearts filled with serene confidence and devotion. Mindful of your unbounded and helpful charity to all levels of society and also of your meekness and humility of heart, we offer our petitions to you. Pour out upon our families the precious gifts of your solicitous and generous intercession; show to the people of every race and every color the paths of unity and of justice; implore from our Father in heaven the coming of his kingdom, so that through mu tual benevolence in God men may increase the fruits of grace and merit the rewards of eternal life.

Amen.