Saint Jean de Brebeuf

1
Saint Jean de Brebeuf

• Patron Saint of Canada
• 1593 1648
• Our single endeavour should be to give ourselves
  to the work and to be faithful to him.
• -Saint Jean de Brebeuf

2

• Saint Jean de Brebeuf was born in Conde-sur-Vire,
  France in 1593.
• He entered the Jesuit novitiate (period where you
  are a novice in a religious order) at 24, and was
  ordained February 1622.
• He came to Canada at age 32, and worked there for
  24 years.
• In 1629, when Quebec was captured by Britain, he
  returned to France, only to return 4 years later.

St. Jean de Brebeuf
3
Mission Statement

• In 1625, he arrived in Canada as part of the
  expedition led by the explorer, Samuel de
  Champlain.
• He founded a Jesuit Mission with the intent to
  convert the Native population to Christianity
• His first mission was converting Algonquian
  Montagnais natives (near Quebec.)

St. Jean de Brebeuf
4
Missionary Work

• His main missionary work lay with the Huron
  Natives from 1626-1629 in Huronia (present day
  Midland, Quebec).
• His companions were Jesuit Anne de None and
  Father Joseph de la Roche Daillon.
• He founded mission outputs all over Quebec.
• He converted over 7,000 Natives in Huronia.

Saint Jean de Brebeuf
5
Algonquian Territory

• Map of Saint Jean de Brebeufs missionary work

6

• He made a vow, signed in his own blood to never
  refuse to die for Christ.
• In 1648 the Iroquois launched a war of
  extermination against their enemies, the Huron.
• Since St. Jean de Brebeuf worked mostly among the
  Huron, he was captured by the Iroquois on March
  1648, and tortured to death.
• For hours, he was tortured with fire, burning
  coals, mutilation, and mock baptism with boiling
  water.
• He was insensible to the pain, and suffered
  without crying, keeping a profound silence.
• His executioners were astonished by his will to
  die in the name of the Lord.

7

• He died at the age of 56.
• He is known as the first apostle to the Hurons.
• An ecclesiastical court sat in 1904 for an entire
  year to examine his life.
• Brebeuf and seven others, (known as the North
  American Martyrs) were canonized in 1930.
• His feast day is October 19th.

North American Martyrs
8
Fun Facts!

• There is a stone church outside of Midland (where
  Brebeuf began his missionary work), dedicated to
  the North American Martyrs.
• Brebeuf composed the first Christmas carol in
  Canada. It was written in French, and the Huron
  language.
• Early Jesuit missionaries have left significant
  heritage such as Loyola College and Brebeuf
  College.
• There is a recreation of early Jesuit
  missionaries built on the grave of St. Jean de
  Brebeuf.

9
References

• Online References
• http//www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/historypeople/
  brebeuf.html
• http//www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id
  682
• http//www.newadvent.org/cathen/02751b.htm
• www.athabascau.ca/writers/martyrs.html
• Picture References
• http//www.arxpub.com
• http//www.hwcdsb.edu.on.ca
• http//www.jesuites.com
• http//www.cmartyrs.rcav.org