Jesuit martyr. Born in 1607 in Orleans, France; died in 1646 at Auriesville, New York. In 1624 he became a member of the Society of Jesus. He traveled to Canada in 1636, and spent six years in the lake region, visited the Petuns with Father Garnier, and journeyed as far as Sault Sainte Marie. Captured while returning to Quebec, he spent thirteen months in slavery, until he was rescued by the Dutch and brought back to France. He traveled to Rome where he was granted the privilege of saying Mass by Pope Urban VIII, this having been made canonically impossible because his hands had been mutilated, two fingers having been burnt off. In 1644 he returned to Canada, and in 1646 visited Auriesville to negotiate peace with the Iroquois. He was the first Catholic priest to come to Manhattan Island. Returning to the Iroquois a third time, he was seized at Lake George and, believed by them to be a sorcerer, was tortured, and decapitated. Beatified in 1925; canonized in 1930. Feast, Roman Calendar, September 26,.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
Read More