In
St. Peter Chanel,
Priest and
Martyr (Feast day - April 28) The protomartyr of the South Seas,
St. Peter Chanel was born in 1803 at Clet in the
diocese of Belley, France. His intelligence and simple piety brought him to the attention of the local priest, Father Trompier, who saw to his elementary education. Entering the diocesan Seminary, Peter won the affection and the esteem of both students and professors. After his ordination he found himself in a rundown country
parish and completely revitalized it in the three year span that he remained there. However, his
mind was set on missionary work; so, in 1831, he joined the newly formed
Society of
Mary (Marists) which concentrated on missionary work at home and abroad. To his dismay, he was appointed to teach at the seminary at
Belley and remained there for the next five years, diligently performing his duties.
In 1836, the
Society was given the New Hebrides in the Pacific as a field for evangelization, and the jubilant
St. Peter was appointed
Superior of a little band of missionaries sent to proclaim the
Faith to its inhabitants. On reaching their destination after an arduous ten month journey, the band split up and
St. Peter went to the Island of Futuna accompanied by a laybrother and an English layman, Thomas Boog. They were at first well received by the pagans and their king Niuliki who had only recently forbidden canabalism. However, the
kings jealousy and fear were aroused when the missionaries learned the language and gained the people's confidence; he realized the
adoption of the
Christian Faith would lead to the abolition of some of the prerogatives he enjoyed as both highpriest and sovereign.
Finally, when his own son expressed a desire to be baptized, the king's
hatred erupted and he dispatched a group of his warriors to set upon the saintly head of the missionaries. Thus, on April 28, 1841, three years after his arrival,
St. Peter was seized and clubbed to death by those he had come to save. And his death brought his work to completion - within five months the entire island was converted to Christianity.
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