Monthly Archives: October 2024

The North American Martyrs Commemorated Today: French Jesuits 1643-1649

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We often are intimidated sharing our faith and values with others in today’s climate of polarization, vitriol, war and violence. The Jesuits named below entered just such an environment in what is now Eastern Canada and Albany New York from 1642 through 1649. 

The rivalry between the Iroquois and the Huron tribes, also known as the 

Beaver Wars, was a series of conflicts fought intermittently during the 17th century. 

The Iraquois Confederacy, consisting of the Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayga, and Oneida tribes, sought to dominate the fur trade routes controlled by Huron Wendat Confederacy, allied with the French, controlled these lucrative trade routes. The Martyrs remembered today worked among Hurons. The Beaver Wars were not just about trade but also

Cultural Differences: 

  • Political Alliances: 
  • Fear of Colonization: 
  • Resistance to Change: 
  • Violence and Retaliation: 

It is helpful to remember the priests were not killed only because of their religion but because of the realities of fears and conflicts that existed through all the ages, down to this day. The world’s ways wag on, but faith, hope, and love will endure as we make these virtues the heart of our lives.

The first of the Jesuit missionaries to be martyred was René Goupil in 1642. He was tomahawked for having made the sign of the cross on the brow of some children.

October 18, 1646 Father Jogues was tomahawked and beheaded. Jean de Lalande was killed the next day at Ossernenon, a village near Albany, New York.

Father Anthony Daniel, working among Hurons was killed by Iroquois on July 4, 1648. His body was thrown into his chapel, which was set on fire.

Jean de Brébeuf composed catechisms and a dictionary in Huron, and saw 7,000 converted before his death in 1649. He authored the pensive HURON CAROL.  Having been captured by the Iroquois, Father Brébeuf died after four hours of extreme torture.

Father Charles Garnier was shot to death in 1649 as he baptized children and catechumens during an Iroquois attack.

Father Noel Chabanel also was killed in 1649.

Gabriel Lalemant had taken a fourth vow—to sacrifice his life for the Native Americans. He was horribly tortured to death along with Father Brébeuf.

There are two Churches honoring the martyrs. One is in Auriesville, New York and the other is The Martyrs’ Shrine is located in Midland, Ontario, near the site of their missionary work among the Huron (Wendat) people.

Sources:

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-isaac-jogues-jean-de-brebeuf-and-companions/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Huron-people

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/19/sts–john-de-brebeuf-and-isaac-jogues–priests-and-companions–j.html

The complex history of the Huron Carol

https://www.ourladyofmartyrsshrine.org

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St. Jean de Brébeuf & the North American Martyrs

Homily for 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time by Fr. James DiLuzio CSP

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Readings;  Wis 7:7-11  and Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17  and Heb 4:12-13  and Mk 10:17-30 or 10:17-27

I was giving a retreat. I was preaching on this passage and linking it to Luke’s version of the Beatitudes in which for every blessing there is a woe – “Blessed are the poor for the kingdom of God is theirs. Woe to you who are rich, you have received your consolation.”

A man in the congregation stood up. “I take offense to what you just read. I am sick and tired of the Church preaching against the rich. We do a great deal for our churches.  It is because of us you have a new roof on this building. Because of us you priests have food on the table! Where would Catholic Charities be without us?” 

I said, “I don’t think this Gospel is condemning your generosity, Sir. Why don’t we explore the passage and see if we can find some common ground.”

He replied, “Dear God, can’t you talk about something else? ” He sat down. 

“What is at the heart of the phrase “give all to the poor?” anyway?  No one can give all to the poor without becoming destitute. Is Jesus’ phrase “nothing is impossible for God” about making us all destitute? Perhaps the man was right to be offended! 

Could it be that “Giving up everything” is about centering ourselves in God – thinking of God in every choice we make, every word we speak?  

Do we think of God after a harmonious event? 

Do we think of God when we find ourselves in love? 

Do we recognize that that woman or man or spouse, or friend who touches our hearts so deeply could be God’s gift to us? 

Do we  think of God when we get an “A” on a test, celebrate a birthday, or will we,  think of God should the Yankees win the world series?  

Ultimately, Providence is at work. Our lives are not our own. That is True Wisdom. 

The GOOD NEWS TODAY IS THAT WE ALL CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD no matter our income, our social contacts, our achievements. When our riches, our accomplishments, root us in a mindset that they come from God –or God’s good purposes– ALL IS WELL, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Nevertheless, riches are but the crust on a loaf of bread.  We love the crust – crispy, tasty, buttery. The heart of the bread, however — what Jesus calls the kingdom of God, the bread of life — finds itself in the essence, the nutritive elements in the bread: the yeast, the risen dough. That’s what is important.  It is not the crust, but the whole loaf that represents Kingdom that is bread for all the faithful. Best of all, bread is more spiritually nutritious when it is broken and shared. 

The man stood up again. He  said:  “I don’t know why you have to talk about this,” he said. “ Show some gratitude for the wealthy or leave us alone.” 

I said, “I am sorry, sir.  I thought my reflection would put us on the same page.” 

He said, “No, father, we are not on the same page.” Suddenly the congregation, called out in one voice: “Turn the page! Turn the page! Turn the page!” 

I would like to leave us with this:  We have no idea what happened to the rich young man in the Gospel after he left Jesus’ company. We must take note, however, that although he was wealthy, he was not content, and he WAS asking questions. What if he had stood his ground and said to Jesus, “Explain yourself.”  Alas, he did not. 

This Scripture reminds us that there is a time for everything under the sun. Maybe the young man in the Gospel just wasn’t ready to go further. The man at my retreat, at least, felt comfortable enough to voice his objections. Who knows what life may have had in store for either one of those rich men? Who knows what questions will arise in the hearts and minds of anyone as we go on our way? 

I invite us today to TRUST IN GOD’S TIMING. Trust that today we are hearing what we might need to hear.  But, if we are not “hearing what we need to hear,”  just knowing that we’re not ready to engage in what we hear- having that kind of self-knowledge – might just be enough to be good for today. What is most important, however, is that we keep coming back. Keep asking, keep praying, keep pitting our answers against others to see what we come up with together.  Keep the book open, without judging one other. It is vital that we honor the fact that we are all in different stage in our respective faith journeys. We turn the pages at our own pace, trusting that Jesus, God as a human person,  is all in all. That’s true Faith. Who knows? Perhaps, someday, in some way, we may find ourselves all on the same page.

Praise God for the Beauty of Creation

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The Canticle of Saint Francis of Assis on his Feast Day 4 October

Today is the Commemoration of the life and witness of Saint Francis of Assisi – a patron and advocate for the Care of Creation in Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, the Anglican and Episcopal Communions, the Lutheran Church, and others.  What better way to celebrate his day than by praying Francis’ beautiful Canticle Laudato Si (PRAISE BE YOU!) also known as The Canticle of Thanksgiving for Creation, and “Brother Sun, Sister Moon.” 

English Translation:

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honour, and all blessings.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.      

 Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which you give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful        
and playful and robust and strong.

Text Box: Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
               who sustains us and governs us and who produces
                varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.


Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin. (Yet) Blessed are those who will find Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm. Praise and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.

Mass of Creation Homily from Fr. James DiLuzio 

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The First Reading: Isaiah 35: 1-8

The Second Reading: The Letter of James 2: 5-10; 12-13   

Gospel of Mark 7:31-37

Hold that image: Jesus restoring a man’s hearing, offering him a new beginning – a new life using spittle – his own saliva.  That is an earthly vision if there ever was one. Evidently, God’s spirit is active  through the very elements that constitute a human being, and all that Nature comprises. Earthy thought, indeed! Earthiness is part of the mindset we must cultivate. Remember Genesis “then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”  Add a little spittle, a little essence of  Jesus, and we can be born again.  Hear better. See better. Act better. 

Laudato Si insists reminds us of our bodies and insists that our lives are not  “just about us.” Human beings and Nature are interdependent. Remember: we are not the only species to have come from the ground. It is written: “Out of the ground the Lord God made grow every tree” and “out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the air.”  That is our deep truth.  And truth evokes responsibility, remembering that God placed Adam and Eve on the earth: “to cultivate and care for it.”  

We have heard these words at the beginning of our lives–from childhood for most of us. And we have heard them many times since– yes!  But in these perilous times, we have come up short! We find ourselves lacking in creative cultivation of what surrounds us; failing to prioritize the interconnectedness “of all things now living.”  Many of us are suffer from inertia.  After all, what can we do?  The answer should be quite clear: Return to the Paschal Mystery!  It is TIME  for a stronger identification with Christ, the earthbound Incarnation of the Word. 

Ah, but the eternal pattern of Dying and Rising is growing out of favor these days. We like the rising, we don’t like the dying.  Yet did not Our Lord say, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit?” What prevents us from surrendering to death, to change, to rejuvenation and renewal? The Letter of James warns us against Favoritism – a frequent source of inertia. Indeed, our society encourages us to favor ourselves over others. 

Western culture insists we participate in its vision of progress – and who doesn’t like progress? But this progress is based on an economy that advances some at the expense of others. Parts of the world, even people in our own country, go without, or go with less, so we may have more. The earth’s resources are depleted, and animals suffer through it all.  Thus, WE SIN, as Scriptures says, “you are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”   It is the Law of the Gospel that convicts us. Not the laws of our culture, for these days our society appears to foster hedonism along with progress.  

But take heart! Strength lies in numbers, friends, and from the number of people here, and the people and parishes we represent, there is hope that our collaboration will turn the tide of earth’s Calamity.  How? Through repentance, through prayer, solidarity, and true Worship. Thank God we came to Mass tonight!  We need God’s help, and with God’s help we shall overcome.

 The task before us is daunting — nothing less than turning our society inside out! But “inside out” is the Gospel, is it not?  “The Great Reversal” lifted up the lowly, empowering the deaf to hear contemporary prophets, awakening the weary and downhearted, revitalizing the faithful so that every animal, vegetable, and mineral our land, for our future will flourish. Hear it! See it! Live it! 

Tonight, we ask Jesus to strengthen us, to remind us that as we consume His Very Essence in this Eucharist, the Incarnation of the Holy extends through us. Connecting our bodies to His –from the ground up! Now is the time to enflesh Isaiah’s words anew all in our  Imitation of Christ, to ‘strengthen hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak.” Even knowing that at times those hands and knees may be our own. 

  1. This homily emphasized that, like all plants and animals, God designed humanity to come from the earth. Do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with this image? Why or Why not?
  2. What are your thoughts about the “Great Reversal” of our society and culture to create a more
    inclusive world-view with other peoples and with Nature? What might need to be “reversed?”
    What may need to be retained?
  3. How do you navigate the reality of change and proposals for change? Share fears, anxieties,
    hopes, and dreams.