Courageous Faith
Honor the First Martyred Saints of North AmericaOn Oct. 19, Catholics remember the bravery of the first martyred saints of North America: St. Isaac Jogues, St. René Goupil, and St. John de la Lande. Their sacrifice in the 17th century is honored at Our Lady of Martyrs – a shrine in Auriesville, New York, where they gave their lives bringing the Gospel to the Mohawk and Huron peoples.
These Jesuit missionaries faced extreme danger. The Iroquois, particularly the Mohawks, viewed the “black robes” with suspicion, often responding with hostility. Despite the harsh conditions of “New France”—brutal cold, scarce provisions, and violent conflicts—the missionaries pressed on. St. Isaac once wrote, “We just need to offer up our lives to God in whatever our circumstances and not worry about the results. God will lead us to his glory.”
St. Isaac arrived in Quebec at 29, full of zeal for his first Mass and eager to serve. For years, he lived among the Hurons, learning their language and customs. In 1642, while traveling with St. René and a group of Christian Hurons, they were captured by Mohawk warriors. St. Isaac endured unimaginable torture, yet he continued to care for others, writing of St. René: “This angel of innocence and martyr of Jesus Christ… consecrated his heart and soul to God and his life and labor to the welfare of the poor Indians.”
After 13 months in captivity, St. Isaac escaped and returned to France. Even after such trials, he did not abandon his mission.
In 1646, he courageously returned to New France to evangelize and negotiate peace. His presence astonished the Mohawks, demonstrating the transformative power of gentleness and forgiveness. Yet, when he returned with St. John de la Lande, both were killed.
Their deaths were not in vain. The seeds they planted bore fruit: Ossernenon became a place of Christian mission, reconciliation, and hope. St. Isaac’s former captor later sought baptism, and a decade after the martyrdom, St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born in the same village.
The feast of these martyrs reminds Catholics that courage in faith is not the absence of fear, but the strength to trust God even in danger.
Saint Isaac, St. René, St. John, and their fellow missionaries inspire us to live boldly for Christ, offering our lives in service to God and others.
Their legacy calls each of us to be strong, courageous, and unwavering in faith, knowing that even small acts of love and witness can change hearts and transform the world.
