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Joseph Chiwatenwha
Portrait of Joseph Chiwatenwha and wife Aonetta by Joseph Ferrant. In the early 1600s, the Jesuits began establishing their first missions in Canada, with assistance from several new converts in Huronia, including Joseph Chiwatenhwa, his wife Marie Aonetta, his brother Joseph, and other family members. All of them lived and witnessed to their faith in a heroic manner. Joseph Chiwatenhwa’s journey to Christianity began in 1636 when he first encountered the Jesuit missionaries. Although many in his Huron tribe blamed the missionaries for the epidemics that had ravaged their lands, Joseph was profoundly moved by their teachings. He fell ill but recovered, and on August 16, 1637, he was baptized by Father Jean de Brébeuf, receiving the Christian name Joseph. His wife, Aonetta, was baptized on March 19, 1638, and took the name Marie. On the same day, their marriage was blessed, marking the first Catholic wedding in Huronia. Joseph’s faith deepened, and by 1639, he became the first lay administrator in the Catholic Church in Canada. He assisted the Jesuits by translating hymns and prayers from French into Huron and was greatly inspired by the teachings of St. Ignatius and the Spiritual Exercises. Joseph’s conversion, rooted in both his Huron heritage and Catholic faith, empowered him to spread the Gospel to many members of his tribe. Despite his growing influence, he sensed that his devotion to Christ might one day cost him his life. On August 2, 1640, Joseph was martyred by two members of his tribe who opposed his loyalty to the Jesuits. He was 38 years old at the time of his death. Jesuit martyr Gabriel Lalemant regarded him as an exceptional catechist, while St. Marie de L’Incarnation described him as "the Apostle with the Apostles" for his apostolic zeal and energy. After his martyrdom, Joseph’s family continued their service to Christ in collaboration with the Jesuits, and many more members of the Huron nation were baptized into the Catholic faith. Joseph may be beatified for his “oblatio vitae”—the free offering of his life for the faith. Pope John Paul II, during his visit to Huronia (at Martyrs' Shrine) in 1984, remarked that “the worthy traditions of the Indian tribes were strengthened and enriched by the Gospel message… not only is Christianity relevant to the Indian peoples, but Christ, in the members of his Body, is himself Indian.” We are called to be inspired by the unwavering faith of Joseph Chiwatenhwa, his wife Marie Aonetta, and their families. Their belief echoes the words of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John (20:29): "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (CCCB 2010) Chiwatenwha's Prayer During Joseph's eight-day silent retreat, he composed a prayer that revealed the depth of his spiritual experience: O God, at last I start to understand you. You made the earth, which we live in. You made the sky, which we see above us. You made us, we who are called people. Now you let me start to know who you really are. I know how to make a canoe, and how to enjoy it. I know how to build a cabin and how to live in it. But you! You made us, and you live in us. The things we make last for a few seasons. We only use the canoes we create for a short time. We only live in the houses we build for a few years. But your love for us will endure so long that we cannot count the time. You will comfort us forever. As long as we live, how can anyone not acknowledge you? You are the one who protects us. The time we feel your presence the most is when we face death. You are the one with the power to keep our souls alive, because only you know how to love us in the deepest part of ourselves. Not even a mother or father can love a human being the way you do. Your love for us is so strong that it makes evil spirits lose their power. Now I begin to see that the reason you made us is because you want to share your love. Nothing attracts you as much as your people. Thank you for letting me understand you. You love us so deeply that all I can do in return is offer myself to you. I claim you as my elder and chief. There is no one else. Ask me for anything you want. Just let me always hold you in my heart. I always want to feel you watching and protecting me. Joseph Celebrated in Song Ahatonhia, an album from Saskatchewan-based singers Jay & Jo comes from the album’s title track, ‘Jesous Ahatonhia’, which is the Huron Carol rewritten from the original translation of Wyandot to English. Listen Now
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