As a young Jesuit, Isaac Jogues left behind a successful career as a teacher in France to go to the New World as a Missionary. 

In 1636 he and his companions, under the leadership of Fr. Jean De Brebeauf, arrived in Quebec to work among the Hurons. 

The Hurons, however, were constantly at war with the Iroquois, who captured Father Jogues and held him captive for 13 months. 

With the help of the Dutch, he escaped, returning to France, bearing the marks of his sufferings. Several fingers had been cut, burned, or chewed off. 

Pope Urban VIII gave him permission to offer mass with his mutilated hands saying: “It would be shameful for a martyr of Christ not be allowed to drink the Blood of Christ.” 

But Fr. Jogues felt a great call to return and in a few months went back to the Mission among the Hurons. 

In 1646 he and Fr. Jean De Leland, set out for Iroquois country but they were captured by a Mohawk war party, and on October 18th, Fr. Jogues was tomahawked and beheaded. 

Fr. Jean De Leland was killed the next day in a village near Albany, NY. 

Fr. Anthony Daniel worked among the Hurons who were gradually becoming Christians but was killed by the Iroquois on July 4th, 1646. 

Fr. Jean de Brebeauf came to Canada at the age of 32 and worked there for 24 years, composing a Catechism, and a dictionary and converting seven thousand Hurons. 

But in 1649 he was captured by the Iroquois near Georgian Bay and died after four hours of extreme torture. 

Fr. Gabrielle Lemond, Fr. Charles Darnier and Fr. Noel were also killed in 1649. 

These Jesuit martyrs were Canonized in 1930. 

St. Jean De Brebeaf, St. Isaac Jogues and Companions, please pray for us.