Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-17
AT A SHRINE OF MARTYRs.
Pilgrimage of Catholics to the Village ,
Auriesvllle.

Pilgrimage of Catholics to the Village OF
| Auriesvllle.
Several thousand people from all parts Of the
state visited the shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
| at Auriesvile, n. T., yesterday. Services were
held in honor of Father Jogues and Brother
Goupii, Jesuit missionaries. who were slain
there by the Indians nearly 250 years ago, and
Catherine Tegakwita, who led such . pious life
after conversion that she is venorated as a saint
by the Catholic Indians of the state. The ques-
ton Of beatifying these martyrs is now under
consideration at Rome. Yesterdays was the
sixth annual pilgrimage made to the shrine,
and in all, it is estimated, $4,000 people have
visited it on these annual occasions.
Auriesville is hamlet the West Shore
railroad not far from Amsterdam. 1t is the
site of the ancient Indian village of Osserne-
non, which was the center of the earliest mis-
sionary work OF the Jesuit Fathers in the No
hawk valley.
Catherine Tegakwita (''who-Puts- Things-in-
Order'D, the daughter Of an Iroquois chief,
was born in the village and baptized there by
missionaries. So profound was the impression
made upon her by the teachings of the Jesuits
that she renowned the life of her kindred, re-
fused all offers Of marriage and lived life of
ecstatic devotion to the Savior, before whose
crucifix she often lay for days PROSTATE, some
times on the frozen ground. and rapt in deep
est meditation upon the story of the Redeemer.
In her honor and i'll honor of the martyred
priests the shrine of our Lady Of Martyrs was
dedicated by the Jesuits six years ago.
Tragedy and romance entered into the lives
OF all these servants of God" Father JoSues
was born at Orleans, France, in 1907, and
entering the priesthood in 1886, dedicated him
self to the Indian missions in America. From
Canada he penetrated the forests Of what is
now central New York. converting and bap-
tizing the natives wherever he went Tie
tribe I'M Iiata oh 70
OF his zeal and were won over to the faith III
large numbers. Unfortunately. the neighbor-
ing Mohawks proved implacable enemies of the
hurons and maintained savage warfare that
lnterfered with but did not deter or defeat the
work of Father Jogues and his companions.
In the band of missionaries was Brother Rene
Goupil, also a Frenchman of good family, a
physician who chose to give up his profession
to enter the Jesuit priesthood, but through ill
health had never been able to stand the test for
ordination. Determined to serve the cause of
religion, he was retained as lay adherent of
the order and accompanied the missionaries to
the Indians i'll America.
1t was during the year 1642 that canoe party
OF Hurons with which he and Father Jogues
were making journey fell into an ambush of
the Mohawks. and those who were not slain
were reserved for torture. Forced to run the
gauntlet OF long. double line of clubs he fell
falnting, his body blackened with blows and
mangled and bleeding. As soon as he recov-
a1resh meanwhile praying earnestly for the
conversion of his captors and succeeding even
IN teaching some of them to pray and to make
the sign or the cross. At length a vicious
young warrior dispatched him with toma-
hawk, and the Good Rene, as ne was called. fell
with the name of Jesus" on his lips achieving
the crown he had SO long hoped to win.
Father Jogues was treated hardly less bar
barously. but his life was spared temporarily
that he nigh; be made the slave of an Indian
chiei, who doomed him to the most brutal in
suits. He persevered throughout this mental
life In his efforts TO save souls, and ii was only
after the persuasion of the Ouch Reformed
dominic at Albany that he consented to escape
rom the thraldom OF his savage tyrants
Making his way down the Hudson he was the
nrst priest TO celebrate mass In the city of New
York. But he yearned to return to the mission
returning to Montreal he once more set out for
the wilderness and his beloved work among the
Indians. He fell into the hands of the Mo-
hawks second time and was taken to the spot
where 1.-THE good Rene" had been sacrificed.
Here In 1916 the second American martyr won
his crown.
len years afterward, almost within view of
the sacred soil which had been twice dyed red
with 1.-The seed Of the church." was born the
lroquois maiden, Catherine Tegakwita. A
quiet. thoughtful child, she grew into a
gentle. modest girl With wondering eyes
and rare intuition she had watched the
work or the missionaries until. moved to the
vocation which was asserting itself. she, in her
twentieth year, sought admission to the fold
and OIL Easter Sunday, 1876. was baptized in
the little mission church. Thenceforth. saws
the chronicle. ''she gave herself entirely to
GoG, body and soul Her devotions, her auste--
tiles, her good works were constant. She bore
insults. derision and culumny in silence. She
dedicated herself TO a life OF celibacy; amid
the labors, turmoil and degra dation OF savage
society she led a life of prayer, self-denial and
penance." She was even deprived Of food
by her family to force her from her self-im-
notation. She endured the most cruel per-
secution In silence and patience. At length,
to evaGe the chance OF faltering under these
trials she betook herself to the humble dwell
ing OF a married sister near Montreal, where,
In company with other pious women OF her
Kind, she passed the remainder OF her life in
poverty, seclusion and humility.