Son of an Unknown Father

<p><strong><em>SON OF AN UNKNOWN FATHER</em></strong><em> </em>is<em> a story about Martin de Porres</em>.It opens a window on the culture of the New World in the sixteenth century and explores the spiritual growth of a black man who experienced and transcended racism from childhood to adulthood often by bringing his pain to Jesus on the cross. </p><p>   It brings the reader from Martin's life as a young child experiencing the rejection of his white father who was not in a lawful relationship with his mother through the years spent with his father when he re-entered his life to fifteen- year- old Martin entering the Dominican Convent in Lima as a donado or servant and the years spent there healing the sick and ministering to the poor until his death. </p><p>   The final section 'Life After Death' traces the obstacles overcome by the church in the New World in bringing a reputedly holy Dominican to beatification on October 9 1837 and canonization on May 6 1962. The final chapter of the book explores how St. Martin de Porres who lived in the sixteenth century is indeed a saint for our time.</p>