On behalf of the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, I thank you for your gift of $375 to help support our elder Jesuits. We have notified Fr. Dutkiewicz regarding this donation.
There is commonality among all of us, whether we are Jesuits or lay collaborators, and that is that we are, each one of us, called to holiness. Holiness can take many forms in practical terms but! it will always be the outcome of our attempts to imitate Christ by accepting whatever suffering comes our way and by reaching out to others through love.
In the month of October each year we celebrate the Feast of the North American Martyrs. They were Jesuits from France, including Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and six others and were the first to bring Catholic faith to the native people of our continent. They also were the first to suffer extreme torture and to die in our land with the firm hope that somehow, because of their witness, faith in Christ would grow. A shrine to the North American martyrs, as you may know, was erected many years ago in Auriesville, New York, and it has become a major attraction to people interested in the spirituality of the Jesuits.
It is unlikely today that any Jesuits in the United States or canada will suffer martyrdom but all Jesuits young and old, at home or abroad, are called upon to witness to the f! aith and to express it in the promotion of justice. As lay colla borators you also are called in your daily lives to witness to the faith. All of us are to be inspired by the example given so eagerly by the North American Martyrs.
May God grant to each one of us a firm desire to fulfill our vocation as witness to Christ and, because of your generosity, may He grant to you and your family the grace you need to fulfill your mission in life.
Sincerely,
John D. (Jack) Paquette
Vice President - Development"