Native American Catholicism & the New Evangelization–Peter Jesserer Smith

May 16, 2018

Little is known about Catholic history in Native American countries, but it is filled with amateur spirituality, invitations, and new evangelization lessons. Today’s guest, journalist Peter Jesselar Smith, shares some of the sacred treasures of American history, including Joseph Chihuatenwa and Marie Aonetta, the evangelizing “power couple” of Huron’s “power couple,” and the Florida mission of Martyrs (over 1,000 people).

link

On Saturday, September 15th, 1984, Pope John Paul II’s Homy at the Martyr’s Shrine (Hurrier).
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/1984/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19840915_santuario-huronia.html

Friends of God: The Early Native Huron Church in CanadaBruce Henry (tells the story of Joseph Chihuatenwa and Marie Aonetta) http://www.wyandot.org/friendsofgod.htm

Eustace Ahasistali, Catholic Huron Warrior, as explained by Jesuit missionaries
https://books.google.com/books?id=xqrbaaaayaaj&pg=pa252&lpg=pa252&dq=eustace +ahasistari&source=bl&ots=7ifewqvpp4&sig=1sin -wpaekebgaaeqohwvvjdkfk&hl=en&sa=x&ved=0ahukewjehpf5ku_aahwmnoakhu7dzyq6aeimdad v = onepage&q=eustace%20ahasistari&f=fals

Article by Peter Jesserer Smith

America’s first path of sacredness: life of indigenous saints and martyrs
https://angelusnews.com/content/america-s-first-paths of holiness-lives-of-digenous-saints-and-martyrs

Hundreds of martyrs sow the seeds of American faith

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/north-american-martyrs-sow-the-seeds-of-fith-in-the-world

St. Kateri Tekakwitha: Saints of all seasons
http://www.angelusnews.com/articles/st-kateri-tekakwitha-our-asint-for-all-seasons

Holy Marriage gave the church a community of native saints and a Saint Catelli Tekakuwita
http://www.angelusnews.com/articles/a-holy-marriage-gave-the-church-a-community-of-native-saints and st-kateri-tekakwitha

Four Holy Martyrs, Saint Catherine and Karnawake
http://www.angelusnews.com/articles/st-kateri-and-four-holy-martyrs-from-kahnawake

A proven path to holiness: saint’s guidance
https://angelusnews.com/content/a-proven-path-to-holiness-mentoring-a asaint

Nicholas Black Elk, cause begins for the Holy Man of Lakota

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/cause-opens-for-nicholas-black-elk-holy-man-of-the-lakota

Timestamp:

Peter Jesserler Smith interview

3:25 Why is Native American Catholic history and culture important to the new evangelization?

6:37 St. John Paul II’s speech at the Temple of Fronia in 1984

7:35 What impressed missionaries in Native American culture? What aspects of native culture resonated with the gospel? Great Lakes Region: Family-based Society, Devotion to Creators

11:29 Huron Couple of Rey’s Missionary Ability: Joseph Chihuatenwa (a convert of St. Jand Brebev) and his wife Marie Aonetta

13:51 Native American society was founded almost like America, as in Europe, so the old European model of “kings and people follow” is outdated and outdated.

16:16 Details of Joseph and Mary. Women have many authority in the native society of the region, so active involvement in Marie’s evangelization is essential

20:35 Enmity from some natives, as the Jesuits inadvertently bring illness and lead to the martial teaching of Chihuatenwas

32:02 Joseph Chiwatenhwa was Canada’s first parish administrator. Natives convert devotion to the Eucharist, the liturgy of time, and the rosary

34:18 Not all of the Huron culture is compatible with the Catholic faith. What does it mean to be a Huron warrior, who was also a Christian? Example: Eustace Ahasistari

40:00Funny – Well, it’s funny – not
Cheerful– On the very different reactions to the torture of Eustace Ahasistali and St. Isaac Jog

44:35 Why these native Catholics are not normalized. Their continued relevance

47:30 The adoption of the ritual and how it helped to convey the gospel between tribes and nations. The importance of maintaining a language that spreads faith

52:38 Hundreds of martyrs from the LA Florida Mission

59:04 Antonio Kuipa, the leading martian

1:11:18 The lessons of intervention in Native American countries are becoming increasingly important as more and more American Catholic thinkers question the foundations of our nation and propose various alternatives

1:12:14 Excerpt from this week: Mary Shelley,
Frankenstein