One of the Nine

I did not feel that I should paint all nine of the saints celebrated on this day.  However, St. Isaac Jogues has always been an interesting twist to the martyrdom of the nine Jesuits who try to spread the Good News to the natives in the north east and into Canada.

Feast Day:  October 19
Born:  1607
Death:  1646
France
Born into a middle class family
Patron: Americas; Canada

Schooled from home until he was 17 years old, Isaac entered a school of higher learning and felt called to the missionaries in the New World.  Soon after being ordained in 1636, Isaac fulfilled this desire and traveled to New France. He was assigned as a missionary to the Huron and Algonquian allies of the French.  Less than six months of his arrival, he became sick along with many of the other missionaries and the natives.  The natives blamed these illnesses on the missionaries and threatened to have them killed, however, the epidemic ended allowing the missionaries to stay.

In 1641, Isaac and others were sent out on a mission to the west.  They were soon welcomed into a village and asked to tell more about the faith.  Traveling by canoe to reach the Huron village, Isaac and  small group traveling with him were was captured by a war party of Mohawk of the Iroquois Confederacy.  The men were tortured and at this time Isaac lost two of his fingers.

Jogues survived this event and lived as a slave among the Mohawk for some time; he tried to teach his captors about Christianity. A party of Dutch traders from Fort Orange ransomed him and gave him money for passage down the Hudson River to New Amsterdam (New York) and a return to France.

Upon his return, he was treated as a "living martyr" and praised for his work among the natives of the new world.  He was even given special permission (a dispensation from Pope Urban VII) to celebrate Mass with his mutilated hands.  His only desire was to return to complete his missionary work among the Huron.

When Isaac Jogues returned to Paris after his first capture and torture, he said to his superior: "Yes, Father, I want whatever our Lord wants, even if it costs a thousand lives." He had written in his mission report: "These tortures are very great, but God is still greater, and immense."

He returned in 1646 after a treaty was made with the natives.  However, soon after his return another epidemic broke out along with a crop failure.  The natives blamed this on the missionaries and on October 18, 1646, Isaac was attacked with a tomahawk and killed.

SIDE NOTE:  Ten years after the martyrdom of St. Isaac Jogues, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in the same village in which he died.

St. Isaac Jogues and companions, pray for us!

Defender of the Faith

Today's saint is considered a defender of the faith as he spent much of his ministry writing documents to refute the Protestant Reformation.

Today is the feast day of St. Robert Bellarmine.

Feast Day:  September 17
Patron against epilepsy
Birth: 1542
Death: 1621
Italian
Noble parents (however little money) were highly religious and dedicated to a faithful life
Priest of the Jesuit Order in 1560

Bellarmine was appointed to the chair of controversial theology at the Roman College and a Cardinal in 1598.  He was the spiritual father of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, helped St. Francis de Sales obtain formal approval of the Visitation Order, and opposed severe action in the case of Galileo (which was unfortunately delayed due to Galileo.)  He was a prolific writer and many of his writing are still reviewed today.  He is especially known for his ability to systematically review controversial teachings and find ways to refute the errors.

Bellarmine retired after a short time as bishop to a Jesuit college in Rome.  This is where he died in 1621.

Bellarmine was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930; the following year he was declared a Doctor of the Church. His remains, in a cardinal's red robes, are displayed behind glass under a side altar in the Church of Saint Ignatius, the chapel of the Roman College, next to the body of his student, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, as he himself had wished.

"When we appeal to the throne of grace we do so through Mary, honoring God by honoring His Mother, imitating Him by exalting her, touching the most responsive chord in the sacred heart of Christ with the sweet name of Mary."

Slave to the Slaves

I began my peg doll journey back in March of this year.  I did not know how much I was going to enjoy this project until the details of my canvas came to life before me and now I cannot get enough of these meaningful little dolls.

I was asked recently if I had a blog for my creations.  The thought never crossed my mind but since it has become such an important part of our family journey to grow closer to the saints, I decided I would try to at least recognize the saints on their feast days...at least the little saints I have created.

Today is the first of these tributes....a saint I have enjoyed learning about through stories my children learn in their schooling.

Peter Claver
Feast Day:  September 9th
Patron of negro missions
Birth: 1580
Death: 1654
Originally from Verdu, Catalonia, Spain
Peasant upbringing
Jesuit priest and missionary

Peter would arrive in the islands of Cartagena (modern Colombia) and was disgusted by what he saw.  Thousands of slaves came into the country daily and their well being was sorely overlooked as they were considered sub-human.

Eventually, he began renouncing the slave trade all together and ministered to their basic needs.  He would be known for taking care of their physical and spiritual needs...baptizing as many as possible and teaching them about the hope that could be found in Jesus Christ.  He would actually enter the slave ships upon their arrival in the harbor and give them whatever he was able as they were usually starving and quite ill.  Many of their companions would not even make it so far on the journey dying at sea and being thrown overboard with little recognition.

Peter fought for better conditions for these slaves until his death on the island where he served.  After working through multiple plagues, actively administering to the needs of the sick, he succumbed to the sickness.

Claver was beatified by Pope Pius IX on September 21, 1851. Along with his friend and spiritual mentor, Alphonsus Rodríguez, he was canonized by Leo XIII on January 15, 1888.

"We must speak to them with our hands by giving, before we try to speak to them with our lips."

Our little peg doll was humbly made the day before his feast day.  We were able to attend Mass on his feast day and the children showed it to Father on his way to the altar.  He immediately snatched the doll from their hands and placed him on the altar.  What a especially blessed 'saint' we have to enjoy.