A Nineteenth Century Martyr

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 16, 23 April 1908, Page 17

A Nineteenth Century Martyr

On April 28 the -Church celebrates th© feast of a . nineteenth century, Blessed Peter Chanel (says the ' Sacred .Heart Re\iew '.). After ai brief .but remarkably, su-ccessful career as a parish priest" in France; this ycvj-n's Apostle joined the Marist -Fathers and was sent as a" missionary to tbb Island of Futuna, -in Oc'eanica, an island with a populaticn of about a thousand—reduced in numbers through the practice ~ of cannibalism. - After several years "of incessant labor the valiant priest wrote that he must 'say with 1 truth', M am a useless servant.' Father Chanel,, however, was one of many who have -illustrated the truth' of .the remarkable •- principle, ' the blood of the martyrs is the seed .of Christianity,' or, as our Lord expressed it, ' unless the seed' die, it Can not vivify.' - • Beaten and lanced to death, the blood of Peter Chanel' saturated -the soil of Futuna an«d the hope of a new Christian people SBemfcd to have been lost. Almost within one year, however, Father/ Servant, who " "was sent to replace the martyred priest, was able -to write, we have hardly, been- rif-ht months in Futuna and already we have two churches for 800 converts.'

Not lon-r after initleed, the whole island' was converted. The dirine mercy was extended even to the murdere's, alttK>ugfi~"K-ini? Niuli' i, seized with a frightful disease,, died impenitent, most of the others did penance for . iiheir crime. 1 - „