Christianity is in North America thanks to these martyrs
Purple Catholic Saturday Post
Good morning and happy Saturday. Today is the memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and their companions. They were among the Jesuits who came to evangelize to North America (specifically modern day Canada). These two priests and their cohort were essential to ensuring Christianity’s roots in North America.
In 1642, Fr. Isaac Jogues and René Goupil were captured by an Iroquois war party. Goupil was killed and Fr. Jogues was kept in slavery for over a year. Eventually, Fr. Jogues was ransomed and returned to France but he later returned to the New World to help negotiate a peace treaty between the Iroquios and the Hurons in 1646. He was captured and killed shortly thereafter.
Frs. John de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant were kidnapped in 1649 after they gave warning to the Hurons in the village where they stayed that enemy warriors were coming. Both were captured, tortured, and killed.
These priests and missionaries left their homeland and entered the wilderness to share the Gospel of Jesus. While their deaths may seem like a failure, nothing could be further from the truth since the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church (Tertullian).
Reportedly, Fr. Isaac Jogues’ killer later asked for baptism and St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born just ten years after and in the same village were Fr. Jogues was killed. Further down the line, the New World saw the evangelization and exploration by Père Jacques Marquette, Venerable Frederick Baraga, and St. Junipero Serra. Later, other natives would be baptized and preach such as Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk.
What Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and their companions experienced was true persecution and true martydom, not unlike what our brothers and sisters experience in the Middle East and Africa. This Saturday as I pray and reflect upon these North American martyrs, I am thanking God for the blessing of saftey to practice our faith without fear of punishment, much less death, and I urge you to do so as well.
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Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
This week we are entering the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time. This Sunday we will hear readings from Isaiah 53:10-11, Psalm 33, Hebrews 4:14-16, and Mark 10:33-45
Here are some resources to help you prep for the readings this Sunday:
In the Liturgy of the Hours, we are in Psalter Week I. In the Office of Readings we are reading the books of Esther and Baruch.
Here is a calendar for the rest of the week:
Tuesday, 22 October - Memorial of St. John Paul II, pope (optional)
Wednesday, 23 October - Memorial of St. John of Capistrano, priest (optional)
Thursday, 24 October - Memorial of St. Anthony Claret, bishop (optional)
For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45
In the news:
The United States
In Harris’ absence at Al Smith dinner, Trump vies for the “Catholic vote” - Crux
Why is the presidential election so close? Here are five reasons. - America Magazine
Catholic priest celebrates Mass atop Colorado’s highest peaks - Catholic News Agency
The Vatican
Mission accomplished: Pope to declare 14 new saints - Catholic News Service
Synod leaders address challenging questions from university students - Vatican News
The World
Hezbollah vows revenge for Hamas leader Sinwar’s death - NewsNation
Pope's envoy for Ukraine meets with Russian presidential aide in Moscow - Tass Russian News Agency
Vatican reprimands Swiss bishops for their handling of abuse allegations - swissinfo.ch
Catholics react to city councilman’s motion to sterilize the homeless in Brazil - Crux
Archaeologists uncover one of the world's oldest churches - CBS News
Neutrality and Nobility: How the Order of Malta runs its diplomatic service - The Pillar
Have a good weekend,
Matthew