Inspire Devotion

Over the last four hundred years, devotion to the Martyrs has come in waves and taken on many forms. Historian Fr. John A. O’Brien calls the Jesuits of the 1600s “the purest examples of Catholic virtue our continent has ever seen”.

The film will draw attention to both existing and forgotten devotional initiatives inspired by the Martyrs.  Pilgrimages to the Martyrs Shrine in Midland, Ontario and Our Lady of the Martyrs National Shrine in Auriesville, NY are an annual staple. Something extraordinary needs to be done to generate interest as we move toward the centenary and inspire greater devotion.

In 2025, for the first time ever, Director of the Martyrs’ Shrine in Ontario Fr. John O’Brien, S.J. traveled with the relics of Saint Jean the Brébeuf, Gabriel Lalement, and Charles Garnier along with a relic of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha across western Canada. Large crowds encountered the Martyrs’ relics and their story for the first time. They also heard the story of Joseph Chiwatenhwa for the first time. Another tour into Eastern Canada could possibly be expanded into the United States, and include an “Encounter with the Martyrs” where the relics of Saint Isaac Jogues and Saint Jean to Brebeuf could be together at the shrine in Auriesville, NY.