The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-01-29
THE WORLD OWES BIG DEBT
TO THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD

he was fifty years old. AS mission
airy to the natives of Guatemala, a
student of native languages, a bishop
in Mexico, the counsellor of two kings
and the general molder of Indian poll
cies of their governments, as a schol.
ar and historian, the last half of his
life was as full as the first.
He gathered the largest record of
facts relating to the first history of
America made by any man. Through
the whole period of Spanish Conquest,
Las Casas stands out in history like
some protecting spirit of the Indian
race. Not even Cortez or Pizzaro
could surpass the personal courage in
the face of danger of this unarmed
priest, who confronted them in the
flush of victory with his claims of the
ascendency of moral right over brute
force.
The earliest of the famous Jesuit
missionaries was Father Jean de Bre.
beuf. His zeal brought him to Canada
in 1926. BY his winning ways and
Christian amiability he overcame the
dislike of the Colonists for Jesuits.
He Immediately took up his abode in
the Indian wigwams. The story of
his trials and tribulations, his martyr
dom and death with his companion
oil ic
quire lengthy narration here. The
heroic virtues, manifested in so re-
markable degree at every stage of his
missionary career, and almost incom-
prehensible endurance of privations
and sufferings, have set on foot q
movement for his canonization as a
Saint and Martyr.
Probably the most wonderful of all
the Jesuit missionaries was Father
Isaac Jogues. He came to the New
World in 1886. Father Jogues trav-
eled through the dead of winter over
the rivers and lakes of the northern
portion of the country, accompanied
only by an Indian and sometimes
alone. When he was taken a prison
er by the Mohawks, the Dutch Com
mander Of Manhattan ordered that eff
forts be made to secure his release.
Father Jogues refused, and would not
desert his post. After his release he
returned to France, returning again,
however, in 1914. He frequently act
ed as ambassador for the Indians, and
as such was always received in a
friendly way, but he insisted on being
the priest and wearing his cassock
and cross, contrary to the advice of
the friendly Christian Algonquins, and
for this he was put to death by the
Iroquois.
One of the most famous of the
early Jesuit missionaries and explor.
ers of what is now the western part
of the United States was Father
Claude Allouez. The historian Shea
calls him 'the founder of Catholicity
in the West" He labored among the
Indians for thirty-two years, preach
ing to different tribes. 1t is said that
he baptized ten thousand Indians
with his own hands. None of the
missionaries of this time dared more
or travelled over wider territory.
Probably the most widely known of
the early Jesuit missionaries is Fa.
Their Marquette. He was born in 1896,
of an ancient French family distin-
guished for civil and military service.
He entered the Jesuit Society when
seventeen years Of age, and was sent
to labor on the Indian Missions of
Canada in 1866. His fame outside his
missionary work rests on the discov-
cry of the Mississippi. Marquette
drew a map of the country and kept
diary which describes the villages,
tribes and topography of the country,
and Is one of the most important and
interesting documents of American
history. The discovery of the Missis.
sippi opened vast fields for mission.
airy zeal and added impulse to colo
nization.
In 1887 bill was passed by the
State Assembly of Wisconsin authoriz.
ing the placing of statue of Father
Marquette in the Hall of Fame. It
is conceded to be one of the most ar
tistic In the capitol. Bronze replicas
have been erected at Marquette and
Mackinaw Island. Thus have been
verified the prophetic words of Ban
croft: The people of the West will
build his monument"
!. Among the great Franciscan pio-
neers of California, Father Junipera
Sierra stands at the front. He was
born on the Island of Majorica, No.
vember "a, 1913, and died at Monte
rey, California, on August q, 1884.
In 1850 he began his great work of
founding missions in California. From
San Diego to San Francisco he found
ed string of missions, and thousands
of the Indians we're civilized and
Christianized. Father Sierra is recog-
nized as the greatest pioneer of the
far West, and California delights to
honor his memory. A fine public mon
ument has been erected to him in
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.