St. René Goupil – Martyr of the North American Missions

ST. RENE GOUPIL

St. René Goupil was a French missionary and martyr who died while serving among the Native American people in New York during the early years of the Jesuit missions in North America.

St. René Goupil was born on November 15, 1608, in France. He was a physician by training, but he felt a deep call to missionary work among the Native American populations in New France (modern-day Canada and the northern United States). Answering this call, he joined the Jesuit order and became a lay missionary, despite his medical background.

In 1642, St. René was sent to New France, where he worked alongside other Jesuit missionaries, including St. Isaac Jogues, ministering to the Huron and Iroquois peoples. Goupil was assigned to the missions in the area of modern-day New York, where he assisted in medical work and offered support to the Jesuit priests in their evangelization efforts.

Tragically, during his mission work, St. René was captured by the Iroquois, who were hostile to the missionaries. He was tortured and killed on September 29, 1642, at the age of 33. St. René Goupil’s martyrdom was one of the earliest deaths among the French Jesuit missionaries in North America, and he became a symbol of devotion and courage in the face of extreme persecution.

St. René Goupil was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and canonized by Pope Pius XI on June 29, 1930, along with other martyrs of North America. He is often remembered as a martyr of the Church in the Americas and as an example of dedication to both faith and service to others.

His feast day is celebrated on September 29, the anniversary of his death, and he is often invoked as a patron of medical missionaries and those facing persecution for their faith.

Feast Day

29-9-

Birth Date

15-11-1608

Died Date

29-9-1642

Canonised Date

29-6-1930

New York, USA

St. René Goupil, martyr and missionary, help us to be courageous in our faith, even in the face of great adversity. Pray for us, that we may have the strength to live our faith as you did, with love and devotion. Amen.
ST. RENE GOUPIL

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