The North American Martyrs Offer A Way To Atone For Historic Sins The relationship between Europeans and the indigenous American peoples is often not reducible to the simplistic paradigm of aggressive colonizer and peaceful natives.By Casey Chalk
October 19, 2018Warning: This article briefly mentions torture methods.On October 19, Catholics will celebrate the feast day of saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brebeuf, and companions, the first martyrs in North America recognized by the Catholic Church. These martyrs, either Frenchmen or Native American converts, were brutally murdered in the 1640s in what is now Canada by Mohawk and Iroquois warriors.
Their deaths, particularly in light of the recent Columbus Day holiday and the renewed demands for its ending or renaming, remind us that the relationship between Europeans and the indigenous American peoples is often not reducible to the simplistic paradigm of aggressive colonizer and peaceful natives.
The Story of North America’s First MartyrsThe Jesuit French missionaries Isaac Jogues and Jean Brebeuf arrived in Quebec in 1636 to work among the Hurons, a tribe that had been receptive to the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, Jogues was captured by the Iroquois, enemies of the Hurons, and imprisoned for 13 months, during which time he was beaten, tortured, and forced to watch as Huron converts were mangled and killed.
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http://thefederalist.com/2018/10/19/north-american-martyrs-offer-way-atone-historic-sins/
