A Man of Peace and Love

When the young Pierre Louis Marie Chanel was ordained in France in 1827, he had no idea he would become the first Marist saint, and a martyr, St. Peter Chanel. Such are the surprises that remind us that our lives are not our own. Having desired to be a missionary from a young age, Pierre entered the seminary in France, but instead of going directly to "the missions" after ordination, , he was assigned to a poor parish where the faithful had drifted from the Church in those tumultous years of the Revolution. In a short time, however, he won the hearts of the parishoners and built up a strong community of faith. Still desiring to be a missionary, he joined the Society of Mary, then still in the process of being formally approved. He taught in the seminary for several years, and finally, right after the Society was approved in 1836, he sailed for the South Pacific with other priests and a Marist brother, Br. Marie-Nizier Delorme. After brief periods on various islands, he settled on the island of Futuna, whose king was uneasy with his presence, and became unnerved when his own son sought baptism. He sent his henchmen to "take care of the situation", and one man, Musumusu, feigning wounds sought medical help from Fr. Chanel, and clubbed him to death while the good priest treated him. The man of peace, was thus martyred while performing an act of kindness, so typical of him. More priests and Br. Marie-Nizier returned to Futuna, having left for safety after the martyrdom, and over time were instrumental in the conversion of most of the population, including Musumusu, who asked for baptism on his deathbed and burial on the path to the church where pilgrims would come to venerate Fr. Peter Chanel. As Jesus assured us, his peace will prevail, and love cannot be vanquished. Witness the Resurrection, after apparent failure and defeat; witness this miraculous turn of events on Futuna. Mind boggling, faith building.
Bro. Rene