’ Shrine Message Summer 2016

In this edition First Light 2016 ...... 3 Jesuit Community at the Shrine ...... 6 Tiawenk ...... 5 Interview with Fr. Jacques Monet, SJ.6 Director’s Message ...... 2 Novena Prayers ...... 5 Message from the Board Chair ...... 7 Holy Door ...... 3 Journey of a young Jesuit Novice ...... 6 Martyrs in French ...... 8 2 | MARTYRS’ SHRINE MESSAGE

welcomed Mr. Brian Beal as our new Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and are hosting over 125,000 pilgrims from thirty-six different cultural communities.

Looking ahead, there is much for which we must give thanks to God. The Martyrs’ Shrine is joining with Sainte- Outdoor Mass at the Polish Altar Marie among the Hurons this winter in welcoming over twelve thousand people to First Light; an extraordinary event where visitors, surrounded by thousands of candles, beautifully placed on the historic site, will prepare for the Christmas season. For our part, Message from the Director pilgrims will have the opportunity to hear a First Nation’s account of the of Martyrs’ Shrine birth of Christ, take a hay ride, meet Our Holy Door at Martyrs’ Shrine with St. Nicholas, share in a cup of hot Dear Members of the Martyrs’ Shrine apple cider by our eighty-foot high Association and valued friends, Christmas tree, and take in the beauty of our live nativity scene. We are also It is indeed a pleasure to greet you as the starting a restoration project in the new director of the Martyrs’ Shrine. Shrine itself, which will both bring the Blessed Sacrament back to the centre On the 16th of February, Fr. Bernie Carroll, of the Church and provide more SJ left us to begin his new ministry as a space for our pilgrims to pray with spiritual director at Loyola Retreat Centre Vietnamese Pilgrimage - 2016 the relics of St. Jean de Brébeuf and his in Guelph, Ontario, just as I arrived from companions. Meanwhile, underneath Oxford University, where I completed my the Church, we will be renovating the doctorate in early-modern history, to take Filion Centre – so as to make it ready on the directorship. His dedicated years of to host our youth retreats. Finally, this service to the Shrine contributed so much coming September, we are hosting our to our mission, and I am sure that we are all third annual Tiawenk Dinner, and are very grateful for his labours! so very excited that the organizing committee’s hopes to raise over As you will see throughout this message, $25,000.00 to help in this Filion Centre our 2016 season at the Martyrs’ Shrine has project. Korean Pilgrimage - 2016 been filled with extraordinary events. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, tens of thousands of All of these initiatives, and indeed all of pilgrims have joined us in walking with Jean our daily operations, are made possible de Brébeuf and his companions through through the generous support of our our Holy Door into a new life with Christ benefactors. We give thanks for your our Lord. The Jesuit fathers who labour support and are, as always, honoured at the Shrine have taken up permanent to be praying with you and the Jesuit residence on the property, and we have Martyrs of Canada, as we walk together begun preparing new winter-retreats that as pilgrims towards a deeper union Group of young pilgrims ascend the will be offered to Catholic school children with Jesus Christ. Church steps on their knees coming from across . We Summer 2016 | 3

Our Jubilee Holy Door pilgrims why we have chosen a door as they might turn with renewed vigour the Sacramental sign that we present to the divine life which is our Christian at Martyrs’ Shrine for this year of mercy. Though the holy vocation. The holy door has been a focal Andrew Taylor, Sacristan door (in general) is a symbol which far point for this conversion, and it has been predates Martyrs’ Shrine, my typical truly humbling to witness the grace of In my work at the Shrine this summer, answer makes reference to the act of God at work in so many souls. To those one of my tasks – if it may be called stepping from one space to another – in who have not already made a pilgrimage a task – has been to assist people in this case entering a space wherein we are to the Shrine, I would encourage you to prayerfully traversing the holy door; in communion with our Merciful Father. do so, and to commit yourself to our which has been erected for the Jubilee Those who come to the Shrine come merciful Father, as you pass through the Year of Mercy. I am regularly asked by for many reasons, but ultimately that holy door into new life.

Martyrs’ Shrine joins sainte-marie among the hurons for first light

Martyrs’ Shrine is honoured to join with St. Nicholas, a hay-ride, carolers, our neighbours, Sainte-Marie among and a live nativity scene. the Hurons, to expand programming of their First Light event onto our We would like to take this time to holy grounds. This new collaboration, invite our pilgrims, and supporters to and expansion to the 2016 First Light join us during First Light on the eve of programming will add to the visitor either November 24-26. December 1-3, experience whilst increasing overall or December 8-10 at the steps of the capacity to accommodate the growing church for a Christmas event like no crowds generated by this unique cultural other. Tickets will only be sold at the festival. door but be sure to follow Martyrs’ Shrine and Sainte-Marie among the Alongside the extensive activities Hurons’s Facebook Pages for updates! offered annually at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, Martyrs’ Shrine will host an Visit www.hhp.on.ca for updates on First aboriginal story telling, an encounter Light 2016! 4 | MARTYRS’ SHRINE MESSAGE

Novena Prayers to the Canadian Martyrs

We invite you to join the Novena to the Canadian martyrs and St. , September 17-25, 2016. During these nine days we honour all the martyrs, and commemorate the martyrdoms of St. Jean de Brébeuf and St. Lalemant and their companions. The Feast of St. Joseph is on March 19. St. Joseph is both the Patron of Canada and one of our Canadian martyrs. A Novena of Masses and the Novena Prayers to the martyrs will be offered for the intentions of all making the Novena. During the Novena, intentions that are sent to Martyrs’ Shrine will be left on the private altar of the Jesuit Fathers beside the relics of Sts Jean de Brébeuf, Gabriel Lallement, and Charles Garnier. May the martyrs, co-patrons of Canada, St. Joseph and Mary, Queen of Martyrs, intercede for all of us and for our country. O God, who inflamed the hearts of your blessed conversion of sinners, for a warm welcome in Martyrs with great zeal for the salvation of all our communities to those who are rediscovering people, I pray that, through their intercession, their faith, and for the perseverance of all the you answer my petition (here mention it), so that faithful. Amen. the favours obtained through their intercession may witness to the whole world the power and Prayer to our Lady glory of your name. Amen. Glorious Queen of Martyrs, the early missionaries of this country were devoted to St. Jean de Brébeuf, pray for us you, and through your help they received many St. Jogues, pray for us graces. I know that your Divine Son lovingly St. , pray for us remembers all they did for His greater service St. Antoine , pray for us and praise: that they preached the gospel and St. Charles Garnier, pray for us made His holy name known to thousands who St. Noël Chabanel, pray for us had never heard of Him, and then for love of St. René Goupil, pray for us Him, had their apostolic labours crowned by St. , pray for us shedding their blood. Exercise your motherly influence as you did at Cana, and pray with me Prayer to the Martyrs now, asking Him to grant me what I ask in this Holy Martyrs and patrons, watch over this land Novena, if it be according to His holy will. Amen. consecrated by the shedding of your blood. By your prayer, renew the Catholic faith that you Prayer to St. Joseph helped to establish here, foster a deeper unity Dear , chosen by God to be the among Christians, and bring all our fellow husband of Mary and protector of Jesus, the citizens to a deeper knowledge and love of the martyrs saw in you a model of quiet courage truth. May we be zealous in bearing witness to and charity, and chose you as their patron. Christ, so that we may continue and perfect Pray with me now, and ask Jesus, our Lord and your labours. Pray with us for our homes, our Saviour, to grant me what I ask in this Novena, if schools, our missions, for vocations, for the it be according to His holy will. Amen.

Submit your personal prayer petitions for the Novena Prayers to the Canadian Martyrs Through Martyrs’ Shrine’s ministry of prayer, we join you in praying for the intentions dear to your heart.

To submit your prayer petitions for the Novena Prayers to the 3. Fill out the payment details on Side B Canadian Martyrs using the enclosed Donation Card: 4. Using the included postage-paid envelope, enclose your 1. Select from one of the donation amounts by checking the Donation Card, and cheque or cash if applicable, and send appropriate box on Side A or check other and write your it to us via Canada Post desired donation beside the dollar symbol 2. Select the prayer petitions you wish to submit from the Should you require additional Donation Cards, or want options included by checking the appropriate box or additional ones for friends and family, you can print a form off checking other and writing your prayer petition of our website at: www.martyrs-shrine.com/sm-2016 Summer 2016 | 5

MARTYRS’ SHRINE

Ways to Support Us

Martyrs’ Shrine is not a parish with committed regular financial support from parishioners. The gate fees, and other Shrine revenue, do not cover all of its operating costs nor the ongoing capital upgrades necessary to keep it operating. We need your financial support to offset our expenses so that Tiawenk Dinner 2015: Your generations to come can be with our Lord in this holy place. Generosity at Work! Making Holy Mass Accessible for All We rely entirely on your generosity. Donations over $25 will be issued a Charitable Donation Receipt for income tax purposes. Last year, our generous supporters gave graciously at the second annual Tiawenk Dinner and Fundraiser. The goal of Send us your personal prayer petitions the 2015 dinner was to raise funds for a new sound system 1. along with a donation in the Church, accompanied by a wireless system for Through Martyrs’ Shrine’s ministry of prayer, we join those with hearing impairments. Thanks to the generosity you in praying for the intentions dear to your heart. of those in attendance, $25,000 was raised for the project. The sound system has since been installed in the Church, Join the Martyrs’ Shrine Association and assistive devices are checked out regularly from our 2. Share in: Information Office by those who require them. • 100 Masses each year • Daily prayers of intercession This project has allowedMass to be more accessible as • Prayers during two annual novenas we work to better serve visitors from all walks of life, and • The Martyrs’ Shrine Message sent twice annually allow them to hear the healing message of Jean de Brébeuf and his companions, bringing them closer to Christ. Include Martyrs’ Shrine in your Planned 3. Giving The third annual Tiawenk Dinner is to be held on Saturday, Make a bequest in your will to Martyrs’ Shrine, Midland, September 24th at the Brooklea Golf and Country Club, Ontario to thank God for blessings received in your lifetime and its proceeds dedicated to the renovation of the Filion through the intercession of the Canadian Martyrs. For more Centre. The Centre, located beneath the Church, is in information please contact the director of Martyrs’ Shrine, need of a major rejouvination. With your help, we can Fr Knox, SJ. transform this space into a multi-purpose, four-season, facility, conducive to learning and quiet reflection. For Please use the enclosed donation sheet to: the first time, this will enable us to welcome students and community groups all year long. 1. Submit a prayer petition for the Novena along with a donation (Side A) as described on page 4 You can contribute to this event and its efforts by 2. Join the Martyrs’ Shrine Association (Side B) purchasing a ticket, sponsoring the event through your business, contributing a silent or live auction, item or by Place your donation sheet into the provided postage-paid purchasing the ticket of a Jesuit Father so that he may return envelope included in your Shrine Message and deposit attend the event. into your Canada Post mailbox for easy delivery of your donation. 6 | MARTYRS’ SHRINE MESSAGE

The Journey of a young Jesuit Novice Community at Martyrs’ Shrine continued... on Pilgrimage will be offering Winter Retreats to students, Lenten Retreats for parishes, and working to all the more deepen their relationships In May, Martyrs’ Shrine welcomed the arrival of a young Jesuit with the various pilgrim groups that visit every year. To this end, the novice whilst on his thirty-day pilgrimage. Andrew Cera, nSJ, was Fathers are moving forward with plans to build a new residence, and given $35 and a one-way bus ticket to a destination of his choosing. are thrilled to be living together on these holy grounds. Their home After much prayer and discernment, he had decided that he was to will also provide the means for clergy and religious from around journey from Milwakee, USA to Guelph, Ontario, Canada. With no the world to come and to share in the ministry of the Martyrs’ set agenda, he shared that “Pilgrimage is like a mystery, I wanted to Shrine, or to take sabbatical, or even to simply come for days of enter into that mystery, to let it unfold”. And unfold it did, so that rest and spiritual rejuvenation alongside Jean de Brébeuf and his whilst conversing with a group of friendly strangers, he met a man companions. To make this ambitious project a success, our director who overheard his pilgrimage experience and offered, if interested, a Fr. Michael Knox, SJ will be reaching out to supporters who may ride. It just so happened that kind stranger was heading to Midland! want to contribute to this new vision as the Jesuits work to make a home in their spiritual heartland where their forefathers witnessed Although Andrew had researched the Martyrs’ Shrine prior to to the power of love for God. leaving on pilgrimage, he had not made any plans to visit us. Instead, opting to put his journey in God’s hands, he was led to pray alongside St. Jean de Brébeuf and his companions here on our sacred grounds.

During his days at Martyrs’ Shrine, Andrew helped around the Why should non-religious people grounds, participated in our opening day mass, and witnessed the blessing of our Holy Door. His most powerful experience here, he visit Martyrs’ Shrine? shared was, “simply to walk these holy grounds where these An interview with Fr Jacques Monet, SJ walked, and ministered, and learning to be more like them by living an authentic life”. “There aren’t very many people in history, or schools even, who don’t know about Brébeuf and the Canadian Martyrs. The site of Sainte-Marie and everything that it was: a school, a hospital, an establishment; this story is A New Permanent Jesuit Community part of our starting myth. It’s impossible to tell the story of the beginnings of Europeans in Canada without talking at Martyrs’ Shrine about the Jesuit explorers and the Martyrs. It’s like going For over ninety years, Martyrs’ Shrine has been staffed my Jesuit back to the sources, especially with the reconstruction of priests, brothers, scholastic, and novices, who have walked alongside Sainte-Marie. So of course non-religious people should pilgrims from around the world. Every spring, these men would come. Independently of formal religious expression, what leave their religious houses to work and live at the Shrine, only to comes out of Sainte-Marie and the Story of the Martyrs is return to them in the autumn. This year, our Provincial Superior, an example of the great human virtues: love, compassion, Fr. Peter Bisson, SJ, has asked that a permanent Jesuit community generosity, hospitality, and culture. Those remind us of be established on the property and, as of 1 April, six Jesuits have where we come from and our hopes for the future. Those gathered to take up residence. An exciting venture, these Fathers are the roots, the values, of all Canadians.“ Summer 2016 | 7

A Message from the Chair of our Board

Dear Friends of the Shrine:

It brings me great joy to bring you greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Martyrs’ Shrine. I served as a trustee on the board for several years, and am honoured to currently to serve as the Chair of the Board, and have the privilege to work with incredibly talented trustees. I would like to thank you for your prayers, your support, and your presence at the Shrine. Whether you are a regular visitor to the Shrine, a member of an annual pilgrimage, a member of our local community, or someone who has just discovered this most holy place of peace and prayer, please know that you are most welcome and sincerely appreciated. Another wonderful year is underway, under the direction of our new Director of The Shrine, Father Michael Knox, S.J. While we were saddened to learn of the retirement of Father Bernie Carroll, S.J. at the beginning of 2016, we were elated to learn that Father Michael, who has such a deep abiding love of the Shrine, past experience here for several years as a young jesuit scholastic, and a scholar of the Canadian Martyrs, would be leading us as our new Director. We are pleased to have Father Michael with us, and look forward to working with him for many years to come.

Pope Francis has declared this year as the Year of Mercy. Holy Doors of Mercy have been identified in key locations across the globe. Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, identified the Martyrs’ Shrine as one of the nine Holy Doors throughout the Archdiocese. The door that was created at The Shrine has been beautifully designed by a local First Nations artist, and thousands of visitors have passed through the door this season.

It is exciting that a permanent Jesuit community has been established here at the Martyrs’ Shrine. The Jesuit community will be in residence twelve months of the year, and plans are underway to develop year long programming as well as the building of a permanent residence to house the community of up to six Jesuits who will live here. As stewards of our resources, we have undertaken a review of our grounds, buildings, and overall property. Under Father Filion’s leadership, the church opened its doors in 1926, major site work was completed in 1984 in preparation for John Paul II’s historic visit, and we now need to envision what these sacred grounds should look like for the next fifty years. The board of trustees is excited to be working on a project that examines the ongoing sustainability, viability, and presence of The Martyrs’ Shrine for decades to come.

We are excited to continue to strengthen our relationships with our community partners. We seek to grow in our understanding of and respect for Canada’s First Nations. We continue to work in close collaboration with Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, and this year will be participating in their hugely popular First Light Celebrations in November and December 2016. We also thank the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League, our local parishes, and other community organizations for their commitment to and support of The Shrine. We also pay tribute to the many thousands of pilgrims who joined us over the course of the season - and extend a special thank you to the organizers of those pilgrimages.

In closing, I thank everyone for their ongoing support of The Martyrs’ Shrine. Between May and October our dedicated staff will have welcomed more than 125,000 visitors. If you were able to join us I thank you for making us a part of your faith journey. For those who have supported us financially, through your volunteerism, or through your prayers -- I say thank you and God bless. If you have not been to the Shrine this season, please consider joining us in 2017.

Sincerely,

Brian Beal Chair, Board of Trustees, Martyrs’ Shrine MARTYRS’ SHRINE MESSAGE Summer 2016 | 8

the Society of Jesus throughout the world. The Bishop of Québec, however, refused to put the order into effect, thus allowing the Jesuits to keep their name and their properties. Since, however, Britain forbade the Jesuits to recruit new members or import Jesuits from Europe, the last Jesuit of the ‘old regime’, Fr. Jean- Joseph Cadot sj died in 1800. In 1814, the Jesuits were reconstituted by Pope Pius VII. This allowed the Jesuits to return to Canada and, by The Jesuit Martyrs of Over the next one hundred and seventy 1842, French Jesuits returned to their years, their work would include numerous works of evangelization and education, Canada missions to the First Nation Peoples of picking up where they had left off. North America; the most notable being On November 11th, 1844, Fr. Pierre Steve Catlin, Museum Curator the Mission to the Wendat (Hurons). Chazelle, the Superior of the Jesuits The missionaries learned various First in Canada, writes to a Jesuit in France The Jesuits first came to Nation languages and customs, and about his own pilgrimage to the ancient as missionaries in 1611. Fathers Pierre explored the continent. They recorded land of the Wendat. He wanted to see Biard and Enemond Massé arrived at these experiences in the Jesuit Relations; for himself the ruins of Sainte-Marie, Port-Royal, Nova Scotia on 22 May 1611. without which much of what we know and to seek out the location of St. Both were then driven out of Acadia about the first Inhabitants of this land Ignace I, where Sts. Jean de Brébeuf and by the English, but Massé was among and their languages would have been Gabriel Lalemant were martyred. It had the first group of Jesuits who arrived at lost. TheRelations also educated the been almost two hundred years since Québec in June 1625. With him were Fr Europeans who read them, so that they a “Blackrobe” had set foot on the land Charles Lalemant, Fr. Jean de Brébeuf, would have a great appreciation and of our Martyrs and their dearest family, and two Jesuit brothers. The following respect for the First Nation people. The the Wendat, and within forty-five years year, Brébeuf travelled to the Land of Jesuit missionaries were also important the construction begins on a church the Huron with Recollet-Franciscan statesmen, seeking peace agreements honouring the Canadian Martyrs (Ste. missionaries, but had to return to France, between these many peoples and Anne’s) in . In 1926, with the entire French population of New the French. Moreover, the Jesuits ninety years ago, our own Martyrs’ France, when Quebec was captured by established many parishes, schools, and Shrine was opened on 25 June. Despite the French Huguenots flying under the post- secondary institutions throughout all the obstacles, the French Jesuits had flag of the English Crown. Fortunately, Canada, including the College des to face in their labours in Canada, over the capitulation of Quebec violated a Jesuites, known now as the University of several centuries, the Cross of Christ peace treaty between the French and Laval. is once again lifted high in these lands, English, thus New France was reborn. On 21 July 1773, under pressure from adoring the Martyrs’ Shrine. French Jesuits then returned to Quebec various Catholic Kings in Europe, Pope in 1632. Clement XVI ordered the suppression

Martyrs’ Shrine Dates & Rates Mass Times 16163 Hwy 12 West, PO Box 7, Open to October 10, 2016 7 May - 10 October Midland, ON, Canada Gates open 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Sat & Sun L4R 4K6 $5.00 per person 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 7:30 PM $40.00 season pass May, June, September, and October Phone: 705-526-3788 Mon-Fri 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, & 7:30 PM Toll-free: 1-855-526-3788 NEW! First Light 2016 July & August Fax: 705-526-1546 Nov. 24-26, Dec. 1-3, & Dec. 8-10 Mon-Fri Tickets at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons www.martyrs-shrine.com 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, & 7:30 PM