Venerable Louis-Marie Chanel

For a long time, Father Chanel, pressed by the desire to go and announce the Gospel to the savages of the New World, entere d the Ma Maristes Missionary religious congregation joined by Chanel. rists at the age of thirty-three, and, after his novitiate, left for Oceania with Bishop Pompall Mgr Pompillier Vicar Apostolic of Western Oceania. ier, who had just chosen him as his vicar general. It was December 24, 1836. The Holy See, in approving the Society of Mary, had entrusted them with the mission of Western Oceania. Ten months later, on November 7, 1837, Bishop Pompallier left Father Chanel on Fut Futuna Oceanian island where Chanel carried out his mission and suffered martyrdom. una and departed for New Zealand. Father Chanel was received by the chief of the most powerful tribe. This chief was named Niuliki. He took it upon himself to fee Niuliki King and sovereign pontiff of Futuna. d the missionary and to provide for all his needs, as well as those of his faithful companions, Brother Marie-Nizier and the English convert T Frère Marie Nizier Missionary companion of Chanel. homas. During the first two years of his stay on the island, Father Chanel occupied himself almost exclusively with learning the language of the country and discovering and baptizing children in danger of death. As long as he did not know the language and was not able to announce the evangelical word, he lived in good understanding with King Niuliki. But towards the middle of the year 1839, Father Chanel, who was beginning to speak the idiom of the savages well, also began to preach the Gospel. It was above all King Niuliki, with whom he resided, that he sought to instruct and convince, persuaded that, with the chief being Christian, the conversion of the people would be easy. But Niuliki, king of the country, was at the same time its sovereign pontiff, and his royalty was even a consequence of his pontificate: that is to say that, following the custom of these barbarian tribes, only the one whom their great divinity chose for a residence or tabernacle was in fact the king of Futuna. Niuliki therefore had to be very keen to preserve the religion of the country, of which he was the prime minister, and to which he attributed all his authority and influence. Thus, as soon as he saw that the missionary's word was shaking minds, he cooled towards him, gradually ceased sending him food, and went to settle in another village. Father Chanel was then obliged to cultivate the land with his two companions; they were reduced to this extremity when Father Chevron and Father Attale arrived in May 1840. The newcomers also set to work and, by dint of effort, created a plantation large enough to provide for their food. But people began to steal their fruits, with the goal of taking them by famine and forcing them to leave the country if they did not want to die of hunger.

In this difficult situation, Father Chanel did not cease to visit the principal chiefs of the island and to teach them the truths of religion. His voice eventually came to be heard. Several young people converted. They would meet on Sundays in the missionary's hut, where they received his instructions and said their prayers. These meetings, and the ever-growing number of catechumens, excited the indignation of the island's natives, who went about repeating everywhere this sinister cry: "Let the new religion be fought, let it be struck with death!" These hostile manifestations broke out especially on the occasion of the conversion of Meitala, son of Niuliki. From that day, the death of the missionaries was resolved between the king and his minister, Musum usu, one Musumusu Minister to King Niuliki and the primary instigator of the murder of Chanel. of the Futunians most bitter against Christianity. Father Chanel was not unaware that sooner or later he would have to seal his evangelical preaching with his blood. One day when there was a large meeting in the village, one of his companions came to tell him that they wanted to massacre him: "You know," he replied, "what is read in the life of a Saint: If someone came to announce to you, they asked him, that you are going to die in an hour, what would you do? — I would continue to do what I am doing, the Saint replied. — Well!" Father Chanel resumed, "let us do the same." And he continued to cultivate his garden.

Nevertheless, the storm, dissipated for the time being, did not take long to reform and became more threatening than ever. On April 28, at the break of day, led b y Musumu Musumusu Minister to King Niuliki and the primary instigator of the murder of Chanel. su, a savage horde, armed with spears, clubs, axes, and bludgeons, went to Avauï, where the catechumens were, surprised them in their sleep, wounded a great number of them, and dispersed the others. Then the infidels ran to satisfy their hatred against the one they called the author of the religion. Musumusu was the first to approach Father Chanel. He found him in his garden, busy feeding chickens. Providence allowed him to be completely alone at that moment: he had sent his catechists to the western coast of Futuna to baptize the small children they might find in danger of death.

Father Chanel, seeing Musumusu arrive, left his occupation, and, without any suspicion, went to meet him. While the good Father was speaking with this perfidious man, the latter's henchmen entered the interior of the house and threw an armful of linen out the window. The people, who were waiting outside the enclosure, gathered the linen with impetuosity. This was a signal for death. Musumusu shouted: "Why do you delay in killing the man?" Then the savages, led by two friends of Musumusu, named Filitika and Umutauli, invaded the garden. Umutauli delivered a great blow with a club to Father Chanel's head. The latter, in a first moment of surprise, raised his right arm to his head to parry the blow; his arm was broken and fell back down. At the same time, the heroic martyr stepped back two or three paces. Filitika then pushed him violently, saying to those around him: "Strike quickly, let him die!" Immediately, Umutauli delivered a blow with a club to the Father's left temple and caused a severe contusion. Blood gushed out in abundance. At this moment, Father Chanel cried out several times: "Very well!" He regarded his wounds and his death as a good for him, making to God the sacrifice of his life and drinking the chalice of his sufferings with generous resignation. All the witnesses of his martyrdom attest that no cry, no complaint, no tear, no sigh escaped him; he always maintained his equanimity, and he died like a lamb, following the example of his divine Master.

The rage of the islanders against the venerable missionary knew no bounds. One thrust his pike under the armpit of his right arm; another knocked him to the ground and dragged him over gravel, striking him with his bludgeon; another, seeing that the patient was still alive, dealt him, in the presence of Niuliki, who had arrived in the meantime, a blow with an adze (a type of axe) to the temple. The instrument sank into the skull. A little brain matter came out. This was the coup de grâce. The martyr let out a cry and rendered his soul to God. This took place on April 28, 1841.

The bloodied body of Father Chanel was buried a few steps from the place where he had suffered martyrdom. But the most remarkable fact that followed his death was the almost instantaneous conversion of the entire island of Futuna: so true it is to say, in the wor ds of Tert Tertullien Christian author cited for his critique of Roman jurisprudence. ullian, that the blood of martyrs is always a seed of Christians! Sanguis martyrum, semen Christianorum. A church was built over the martyr's tomb, and a cross marked the precise spot. The cause for his beatification has been introduced in Rome since September 17, 1857.

We have extracted this biography from L'Avenir catholique l'Avenir catholique Bibliographic source of the text. .