Sts John Brebeuf, Issac Jogues & Companions, Martyrs

28^th Friday of the Year. 2007-10-19

Sts John Brebeuf, SJ, Isaac Jogues, SJ and Companions

In the Gospel Jesus tells us of our heavenly Father’s love and care for each one of us. “The hairs of your head have been counted. Are you not worth more than hundreds of sparrows?”.

Some years ago we listened to the Life of St Isaac Jogues being read in the refectory in Bamenda. We were astonished at the many similarities between the American Indian culture and that of the African culture.

African culture today is predominantly Western. However the traditional culture is still very strong, both the good points and the not so good. Tribal warfare is still going on even between Christian tribes.

St Thérèse also knew the life of St Isaac, the Jesuit missionary and martyr in North America. She had a great devotion to him and had a picture of him in her cell. So when she wanted to join in the Carmelite foundation in Vietnam she did so with her eyes wide open to the hazards of missionary life. Providence ordained that she remain at home and suffer the terrible dark night of the soul. This is an experience that we all have whether we are missionary or contemplative. As we all know she is now co-patron of the missions with St Francis Xaviour.

Our mother used to attend the Carmelite Church in Dublin and had a great devotion to St Thérèse. I suspect this had a lot to do with our missionary vocations.

I thought I had sacrificed my missionary vocation when I entered Mt St Bernard. But when I arrived there and saw two African priest oblates I had a premonition that I might end up on the missions after all. I had been slated for South Africa where I would have met my aunt, a Sister of Mercy.

You might say I have enjoyed the best of both worlds.

Truly the story of St John, St Isaac and companions is most inspiring. The same is true of St Brendan, the Irish navigator monk, whose name I took at baptism. He discovered America six centuries before Columbus. St Isaac followed in Brendan’s footsteps but went much further inland.

All for the Glory of God.