On October 19, we honor the six Jesuit priests and two lay missionaries who we have come to know as the North American martyrs. Their work for the Lord began in Canada, which was discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1534. One hundred years later, in 1636, Fr. Isaac Jogues, Fr. John de Brebeuf and Rene Groupil, a layman with medical training and other helpers were sent from France to preach the Gospel to Native American tribes in Canada and America. The other missionaries who traveled to North America were Gabriel Lalement, Noel Chabanel, Charles Garnier, Anthony Daniel, and John de Lalande.
These faith-filled men were not welcomed by the Native Americans, who did not trust new settlers. They did not care that these were men of God. The Native Americans only knew that settlers had cheated them in the past and had taken their best hunting grounds.
The missionaries first worked among the Huron tribes. They built a mission near an Indian village. They were accepted by the Hurons because they tried to help them, nursing them through illnesses and teaching them new farming skills. In time, the missionaries were able to begin to teach the Huron people about Jesus. Fr. de Brebeuf even wrote a catechism in the Native American language to teach the children.
Because the members of Iroquois tribe and the Hurons were enemies, the Iroquois believed that the missionaries were also their enemies. The missionaries wanted to bring peace to these two tribes and to share the Good News with the Iroquois as they had done with the Huron people.
Over the next eight years, these brave missionaries were brutally killed. We know many details about their work among the Native Americans and their deaths because of the letters and journals they wrote.
We honor all these men as saints who died for their faith. They believed with all their hearts in the words Fr. Daniel is reported to have said as he was killed, “We will meet again in heaven.”
The North American Martyrs planted the first seeds of faith on our continent. We thank God for their bravery. They truly lived Jesus’ command, “Make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
Related posts:
- Sts. Roque Gonzalez, Alphonsus Rodriguez and Juan de Castillo: The Martyrs of Paraguay Feast Day – November 17
- Sts. Simon and Jude Thaddeus, Apostles Feast Day: October 28
- St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions: The Martyrs of Vietnam Feast Day – November 24
- St. Paul Miki and Companions Feast Day — February 6
- St. Peter of Alcantara Feast Day — October 22