Girard0243

22 February 1843 - Father Catherin Servant to Father Étienne Buffard, Futuna

Summary

Father Buffard was the parish priest of Servant’s natal parish. Servant, who replaced St Peter Chanel on Futuna about mid-1842, describes the rapid christianising of the island in the previous eight months: the number of baptisms, communions , and confessions. However it is clear that not all is sweetness and light, some of the “conquerors’” party are reluctant to accept the rule of Sam Keletaona, because he is from the “conquered” faction on the island, and are making things difficult for Servant, Roulleaux and Brother Marie Nizier. He ends on an optimistic note.

Text of the Letter

Translated by Merv Duffy SM, January 2025.

[Page 4]

[In Poupinel’s hand]

(No. 9) Central Oceania ¤ Futuna, February 22, 1843 ¤ Father Servant

[Page 1]

Letter from Father Servant, Apostolic Missionary of the Society of Mary, to Monsieur the Curé of Grézieu-le-Marché (Rhône)

Island of Futuna or Horn, February 22, 1843

Monsieur and Dear Curé,

[1]

Before the martyrdom of Father Chanel, a catechumen of Futuna kindled a fire that, at first, was only a spark—a symbol of this nascent Church. Far from being discouraged by the death of the missionary, he has kept alive this sacred fire, which has now become a great blaze, ready to consume the entire island.

[2]

It has been barely eight months since we arrived on this land, sanctified by the blood of a martyred confrere, and already we have two churches built, 840 baptized individuals, and, by all appearances, the 200 to 300 catechumens who remain will soon receive the sacrament of regeneration, bringing them into the fold of the Divine Saviour. Furthermore, a significant number of our neophytes may soon be admitted to the Holy Table. Since our arrival, the king and queen have had the blessing of frequently receiving Communion, along with several neophytes from Wallis who came to spend some time in Futuna under the guidance of a young chief named Hugahala. The fervour of our new Christians increases daily, and they burn with an intense thirst for instruction.

This desire is not limited to the young but is shared by neophytes of all ages and both sexes. You would be delighted to see elderly men gathered quietly around the king, listening as he explains the holy truths of religion after seeking our permission to do so. Some very promising young people are beginning to read the small writings we give them, and we must put in great effort to satisfy their pious desire—I might say their insatiable hunger—for instruction.

[3]

On January 2, I toured the island with dear Brother Marie Nizier. We visited the dwelling of the former king, which had been abandoned since the last war. It was there that I landed in November 1837 with Father Chanel, and where I bid him my final farewell. We still found the sacred stone of the old king Niuriki there; not long ago, our Futunans believed it contained a god, but they uprooted it and smashed it to pieces. In the various valleys we visited, I selected the young man who seemed the most intelligent to serve as a catechist, and in the main areas, I had confessionals built to meet the devout eagerness of our neophytes. They have such great respect for the tribunal of penance that one day a father came to me in tears to ask whether his daughter, who had been curious enough to open the confessional in the valley, had committed a grave sin.

During one of these journeys we occasionally make around the island, I had the joy of baptizing a small child whom an unfaithful and barbarous mother had abandoned to die; I gave him the name Moses. In the past, such barbarity was very common; this is the only instance we have encountered since our arrival in Futuna. What a consolation for us to think that, since then, no one has died without the grace of baptism.

[4]

How powerful grace has been upon these poor islanders! In place of those unheard-of cruelties, which you must have read about in the Annals and which had become customary, they now have peace and charity, and they are especially happy in the joy of being children of God. As they progress in their understanding of religion, they become increasingly grateful to the author of all gifts. If the day is not long enough for them to pray in His temple, the night does not stop their devout hymns or the holy ardour of their love.

[5]

These are our consolations, Monsieur le Curé; judge how abundant they are! Thanks be to God, the crosses have not been lacking. At the beginning, there were several times when the natives fled when we tried to instruct them. Their spirit of insubordination and independence, their impulsiveness and anger, often tested our patience. Add to this the troubles caused by 200 or 300 inhabitants, the dregs of Wallis, who had left before the complete conversion of that flourishing Christian community. Through their perverse words and bad examples, they greatly harmed the mission, and these troublemakers perpetuated the disunity that had existed for as long as anyone could remember between the inhabitants of Tua and Sigave.

Moreover, upon our arrival, the elders of both factions had elected the excellent prince who reigns today as their king. But since he had the misfortune of belonging to the defeated party, Sigave, the victors soon refused to associate with him. They were not, in truth, enemies of religion, but they wanted us to be entirely subject to their whims. They wanted a church out of fear that their faction would weaken due to the defection of the neophytes, but they imposed intolerable conditions on us. They spoke to us insolently, made threats, and sent word forbidding us from ever setting foot on their territory again unless we submitted to their demands. This insolence had to be punished, and providence fortunately provided the means. I had the sacred objects that we had deposited with them removed and transported to the valley of Tuatafa. This location was under the king’s jurisdiction, and the neophytes from Tua could easily come there to attend the holy offices.

[6]

This relocation of the sacred objects had a marvellous effect; the victorious faction was dismayed and considered themselves as good as dead, according to the language of the land. They spoke of waging war, but it was too late; the king had become formidable. He openly declared that it was his duty to defend religion and its priests. The chief of Tuatafa, a respectable elder, proclaimed that he would rather die for God than yield the sacred objects. Despite the threats and prohibitions, the neophytes separated themselves from the victorious faction. The catechist of one of the largest valleys in Tua responded to his father, who wanted to prevent him from going to Mass: “I do not fear you, nor those who would kill me; I fear God alone.” The chief of that same valley, who until then had always opposed the success of our work among the natives, became our friend and told his people to go to Tuatafa, adding: “Men are deceitful, but God does not deceive; we must obey Him rather than men.”

[7]

Since the relocation of the sacred objects to Tuatafa, there remained a few hundred neophytes to whom we could not provide the assistance of religion. But providence deigned to provide an opportunity to bring the inhabitants of Tua back to order. I was informed that in one of their valleys, there was a dangerously ill neophyte. The chief of that valley and many of his people were our friends. I set out, gathering information along the way. I was very well received.

I then went to Poi, the main town of Tua and the site of Father Chanel’s martyrdom. There, the chiefs of all the valleys quickly gathered. I reproached them for the indignity of their conduct toward us, but they placed all the blame on the main perpetrator of Father Chanel’s martyrdom. This man asked for forgiveness, and peace was made on the condition that they would listen to the priests. Now Father Roulleaux, who is building a church on the site where Father Chanel shed his blood, has just written to me that the people of Tua are working diligently on the construction of their church, that the three perpetrators of our confrere’s martyrdom are competing in their zeal, and that the victorious faction is now very docile.

[8]

I am ...

Servant, apostolic missionary

Notes

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