Today's match-up features two men who broke down barriers of race and bigotry in their own days -- good luck choosing sides. It is also the only battle that will take place on a Saturday -- we'll be sticking strictly to Mondays through Fridays from here on out. After five days of nail-biting drama, it's only fair to offer a sabbath to all those afflicted with Lent Madness fever.
In yesterday's action, Jerome easily bounced John Patteson out of Lent Madness 2012. Following today's "Lentsanity," Lent Madness will resume bright and early on Monday morning with Ephrem of Edessa vs. Thomas Cranmer. Thanks to all who have participated thus far -- we've had record numbers of voters in the early going. Keep spreading the word! It's never too late to jump into the game (though God has a special place in the Kingdom for those who attain perfect voting attendance -- and we offer members of this exclusive club a special tattoo).
David Pendleton Oakerhater (1847-1931), was a Cheyenne from Oklahoma whose last name is translated as Sun Dancer or Making Medicine and spelled Okuh hatuh. He fought in the Red River War of 1874-75. After hostilities ceased, he and some 70 other warriors were sent to Fort Marion in St. Augustine, Florida. Conditions were initially very poor, but one officer, Henry Pratt, worked to change that and to improve the lives of the prisoners generally, giving them better living conditions, education, art materials, and responsibility for guarding the fort. Okuh hatuh soon became sergeant of the guard, as well as selling his art and teaching visitors archery.
Deaconess Mary Douglass Burnham made arrangements to sponsor Okuh hatuh, among others, for continuing education in upstate New York. With financial support from Alice Key Pendleton, the wife of an Ohio Senator, Okuh hatuh came to St. Paul’s Church in Paris Hill, New York, where he was baptized, taking the Biblical name David and the name of his sponsor as well as Anglicizing his own to Oakerhater.
In 1881, Oakerhater was ordained a deacon and returned to Oklahoma where he ministered among the Cheyenne for the next 50 years, often the only ordained person in the entire Indian Territory as priests came and went. He ministered at the Whirlwind Mission, leading services and visiting the sick, until the mission was closed in 1918. Although he officially retired in 1918, Oakerhater’s home in Watonga, Oklahoma, continued to be a center for Indian ministry until his death in 1931. He was buried with his Bible, inscribed with the name Making Medicine.
Collect for David Pendleton Oakerhater: O God of unsearchable wisdom and infinite mercy, who chose a captive warrior, David Oakerhater, to be your servant, and sent him to be a missionary to his own people and to exercise the office of a deacon among them: Liberate us, who commemorate him today, from bondage to self, and empower us for service to you and to the neighbors you have given us; through Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Laura Toepfer
Martin de Porres (December 9, 1579 – November 3, 1639) was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman, John de Porres, and Anna, a free woman of color from Panama.
His mother apprenticed him at the age of twelve to a barber-surgeon, but three years later he received the habit of the third order of the Dominicans. He was admitted to the friary in Lima, and was then invited to be professed as a Dominican lay brother on account of his extraordinary devotion to the poor. The stipulation that “no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our Order,” was dropped.
He was placed in charge of the infirmary where many miracles were attributed to him including stories of him passing through locked doors. He showed strong, practical compassion towards the sick, the poor, the suffering, and the wounded. In addition to being known for his deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Martin was a good friend of Rosa de Lima.
Collect for Martin of Porres: Ever-loving God, you have made of one kindred all races of humanity; we thank you for your servant Martin of Porres, whom you emboldened by your Spirit to strive passionately and patiently for justice and harmony; may we, in our land and throughout the world, have a like commitment to people of every race and color, that all may be one in Christ Jesus our Lord, who is alive with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
-- Bosco Peters
Vote!
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62 comments on “David Oakerhater vs. Martin of Porres”
We had a family disagreement today but the children eventually agreed on Martin. Tough choice today (I personally wanted to go with David, but I accepted the will of the majority).
This WAS a toughie. Ultimately I went with David Oakerhater. The hometown angle got me in the end. You can see that his photo was taken in Utica, NY, where I was born, and for many years a high school friend ran a farm stand on Paris Hill. Alas, St. Paul's closed in 1918.
Agree! I grew up in Clinton and fondly remember driving up to Paris Hill just to enjoy the beauty of the countryside. Imagine what it was like when DO was there!
This was tough, for sure. Going with David Making Medicine, because I'm better acquainted with him--only learned anything at all about Martin very recently. But I'm very glad to see people of color, non-Europeans, in this tournament. So what color is the tattoo???
There is something noble about Okerhater but then Martin had his own share. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I voted for David Making Medicine
I attended Camp Oakerhater as a small child in Western Oklahoma. He was an amazing man and it was a fun Episcopal church camp!
I agree with the two brackets... One for voting & one for betting. I also thinking seeding would hep... If it is seeded were Joan & Jerome #1 seeds ? These two 4 & 5 ? Does that make the Cramner match-up a 2-7 ?
Come on, Martin!!!!!
If you look ahead, you will see a possible match-up between Thomas Merton and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Expect hundreds of comments. Most fo them from me. 🙂
For a long time St David was one of two Native Americans recognized on the calendar. He gets my vote because he led the way for the several that are recognized as of last GC.
Hard choice. Grew up with one side of the street in Franciscan Parish and the other side inDominican Parish; was an altar boy/acolyte in both parishes. Memphis being truly a Southern town was quite amazed to find in St Peter's (Dominican) had this black saint. Remember on a regular basis that at St Peter's we prayed for the full beatification of MdP. Remember quite well the celebration when John the XXIII brought it to completion. So had to vote for MdP
As a Lutheran I'm allergic to the very idea of Saints unless spelled with a small "s", and normally I'd frown at any sniff of a holiness or popularity competition in a Christian context, but hot diggity this is fun. I'm very grateful for the excuse to learn about these people. Two thumbs up! (No, seriously, two thumbs up -- how could I possibly choose one over the other??)
A few years ago we were fortunate enough to travel in Peru for a couple of weeks. From Lima to Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, everywhere we were told of Martin de Porres. I still remember the pictures of him, usually shown with his symbol, a broom. I was amazed (and still am) that for so long a person of color has been so revered in a time when it was far from the norm. Although I have known of, and been impressed by, David Oakerhater for some time , he can't overcome my wonder at Martin's place in Peru and our experience of him there. Go Martin!
Impossible choices today ! The claim that Martin walked through locked doors reminded me of El Greco's painting, 'The Penitent St. Peter' in which Peter, hands clasped, eyes looking heavenward, wears a bunch of old fasioned keys at his waist. Martin may have had keys at his waist, too. Or, Martin's keys may have been the metaph0r kind. (as in "keys to my heart") In either case, Martin clearly was called by God, whether through the doorway or through the door, and responded afirmatively. David, on the other hand, had a longer journey. The contribution of mentors was then, and is now, awesome. Voting for David.
Sundancer is the one! The little known deserves to be better known. Sorry, St. Martin, you are a star already.
Oh my goodness! Looks like a statistical tie!!! 🙂
In the true spirit of brackets, I would suggest that if these two had not been paired, both might have advanced to the next round...