Dear Parishioners:
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Feast Day on July 14.
While visiting my sister and her family in New York last week, we made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, NY. Once the 17th Century Mohawk Village of Ossernenon, it is now a Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to three Jesuit missionaries who were martyred there and to St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk woman who was born there. Her feast was last week on July 14.
For over 130 years, the Shrine was under the direction of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) but is now operated by the Friends of Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine. I was privileged to offer Holy Mass at the main shrine chapel for your intentions.
In 1930, a coliseum was built at the Shrine, overlooking the Mohawk Valley, as one of the first circular churches built in the United States. It seats over 6000 worshipers for Holy Mass and has four altars for the three Martyr Saints and St. Kateri.
The Coliseum Chapel at the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, NY.
The Jesuit Fathers Isaac Jogues, René Goupil, and a lay Frenchman, Guillaume Coûture, were captured in August of 1642 in an Iroquois raid on the St. Lawrence River. They were brought to Osserenon, survived gruesome torture, and were enslaved. Just weeks later, on September 29, Father Goupil was killed near the village gates by a tomahawk blow. His blessing a Mohawk child with the sign of the cross had been interpreted as something evil by the Native People.
After the death of Father Goupil, Father Jogues remained enslaved and performed menial tasks, and endured hard labor, starvation, and exposure, especially during the winter hunts. He served as the 'beast of burden' to his captors. Whenever he could break free, Father Jogues found a quiet place, stripped the bark off of a tree in the shape of a cross, and knelt and prayed. The crosses remain on the trees of the Shrine in memory of his devotion.
The North American Martyrs
His docility with the Mohawks earned him the freedom to minister to other Catholic prisoners in the villages of the Mohawk Valley. He ministered to the sick, performed baptisms, and heard confessions. But he could not offer the Holy Mass, his canonical fingers, which the priest uses to handle the consecrated Host, were severed during the torture.
After a year of captivity, Father Jogues escaped with the help of Dutch settlers from the Albany area. He arrived in his native France on Christmas Day, 1643. There he received special dispensation from the Pope to celebrate Mass without his canonical fingers. After a few short months in France, he returned to Canada in 1644.
In Canada, he met John Lalande, a young lay Jesuit who volunteered to help build the mission. They expected to be welcomed on this second mission. Instead, they were bound, beaten, and taken captive. The Mohawks blamed a crop pestilence on Father Jogues. Killed by tomahawk blows, St Isaac Jogues died on the evening of October 18, and St. John Lalande in the early morning hours of October 19. They were then beheaded, and their bodies dragged into the Mohawk River. Although no relics were recovered, the ground of their blood sacrifice is considered a natural reliquary.
Praying and offering Mass at a holy place where three Saints were martyred, and one was born was truly a distinct privilege for me. It is truly a peaceful place of prayer and holiness. If ever you are in the area of that part of New York State, I recommend a visit.
Missionhurst was founded in Belgium in 1862 by Father Theophile Verbist for the conversion of China.
The North American martyrs were missionaries who brought the Catholic Faith to this land. As we recall their heroic martyrdom in sacrificing their very lives to preach the Gospel, let us remember today the thousands of Missionaries who continue to proclaim the Gospel under difficult conditions including even violence and oppression. This weekend we are asked to support the mission work of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Missionhurst/CICM), They preach the Gospel in some of the most remote places of the world including Mongolia, Indonesia, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Second Collection this weekend supports the missions of Missionhurst/CICM. In their name, thank you for your generous financial support and continued prayers for missionaries.
Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox!!!!! St. Kateri and the North American Martyrs, pray for us!