The North American Martyrs

The North American Martyrs – September 26th

Over three hundred years ago, six Jesuit priests and their two holy assistants, all from France, died as martyrs here in America. They were a group of the bravest and most daring missionaries in the New World, and they risked everything they had to bring Christ to the Indians. After much hard work, they converted many of the Huron tribe. But the Iroquois Indians, bitter enemies of the Hurons, put them all to death.

St. John de Brebeuf had tuberculosis and was so sickly in France that he could not even teach many classes. Yet he became a marvelous, valiant apostle, whose courage amazed the fierce Iroquois as they tortured him to death. St. Isaac Jogues was tortured by the Mohawks, an Iroquois tribe, too, but was freed by the Dutch. He got back to France and received special permission to say Mass even though his fingers had been badly bitten by his torturers. As soon as he could, he went back to the Indians, and was tomahawked by the Bear Clan of the Mohawks. St. Anthony Daniel had just finished celebrating Mass for his Huron converts when the Iroquois attacked the village. The Christian Indians begged him to try to escape, but he stayed to baptize all those who were crying to him to come to them before they were killed. The Iroquois burned him to death in his little chapel. St. Gabriel Lallemont was tortured to death with St. John de Brebeuf and had to undergo the worst torments anyone could imagine. St. Charles Garnier and St. Noel Chabenel were both tomahawked. St. Charles was first shot by an Iroquois musket during a surprise attack, but he still tried to crawl to help a dying man. Then, a hatchet put an end to him. Father Chabenel, who had found life very hard but had made a vow to stay with the Indians anyway, was killed by a Huron traitor. The two lay helpers, Rene Goupil and John Lalande were both tomahawked. So it was that these heroes of Christ gave their lives for the Indians, and after their death, new missionaries were able to convert almost every tribe that the martyrs had known.

If someone offends me, I will suffer the injury in silence and meekness, as a brave soldier of Jesus Christ.