In light of our new pope, Francis I, being a Jesuit, I would like to share a great film about our Canadian Martyrs. The anniversaries of martyrdom for two of them fall on this weekend:
Saint Jean de Brebeuf, S.J. was martyred on March 16, 1649 and Saint Gabriel Lalemant, S.J., on March 17, 1649.
I’m Irish, so I do celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but I will not forget our Canadian Martyrs this weekend.
If and when the weather gets nice again, I hope to make a pilgrimage to the Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, Ontario which fortunately for me, is not too far away.
Here is the brilliant 1991 film, “Black Robe” (found on YouTube). I invite you to watch the entire film. It is directed by Australian, Bruce Beresford, and stars French-Canadian, Lothaire Bluteau. Although based on a novel of fiction by Brian Moore, it is an accurate depiction of the lives and sacrifices of our Canadian Martyrs.
N.B. The film can also be found in Letterbox format on YouTube, but is in parts.
March 15, 2013 at 4:39 pm
I love Martyrs’ Shrine. We try to take the family there every summer. For 4 summers, I participated in a walking pilgrimage to Martyrs’ Shrine. We started in Toronto and walked approximately 200 km in one week. It was challenging, sweaty, glorious, faith-filled.
March 15, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Safe travels on your pilgrimage