Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (1: 14-20) In which Jesus, after John the Baptist was arrested, went into Galilee proclaiming the good news of God.

Fr Paul says Peter Chanel was born in France, at Cuet (near Belley), in 1803. He had been a priest for three years when he was accepted by the Marists who were a missionary order. He was sent out to evangelize the island of Futuna in the Pacific, where cannibalism had only recently been banned by the local ruler, Niuliki.

At first all went well, and Father Chanel and his lay assistants made many converts; but as he learned the local language and gained the confidence of the people, Niuliki became jealous and fearful; and the baptism of his son and his son’s friends was the last straw.

While Father Chanel’s companions were away, Niuliki sent men who set upon him and clubbed him to death. His mission had lasted only three years. He is listed as the first martyr of the South Seas.

Today, Fr Paul invites us to ask, ‘St Peter Chanel…Pray for us!’