TRINITY ACRES: New York Day 3

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine in Fonda, NY

The last words of St. Kateri were "Jesus, I love You!" One can only hope to accept the Grace to utter such beautiful words at the end.

The grounds were beautiful and maintained a lovely simplicity.

My dad, Sister#2 and her 5 children, 2 of Sister#3's children, my children and I traveled together in 2 vehicles to enjoy this Shrine and the one at Auriesville.

Inside the chapel.

Ok, so I take interest in old pews.

Sam pointed out to me that this was probably an old barn converted to a chapel as it had the pulley thing (he did not say "pulley thing") across the ceiling.

A small chapel in honor of St. Kateri

Carved wooden Stations of the Cross.

Below the chapel is a museum "of the times" so to speak. This Shrine is located in the Mohawk River Valley, an absolutely gorgeous area.

Blessed Marianne Cope. She was the patron of Eowyn's group at camp and has been cropping up everywhere so I think it is time to really look into her. All I know is that she worked with Fr. Damien with the lepers in Molaki.

The bear was the great excitement.

A replica of long houses that the Indian Tribe lived in.

I think everyone should write this 100 times a day... in one's heart:
Speak evil of no one. If you can say no good of a person, then be silent. Let not your tongues betray you into evil for these are words of our Creator. Let all strive to cultivate friendship with those who surround them.
It was taking from an Iroquouis prophet.... imagine the world if we all lived that verse!

There was a beautiful trail to wander though to get to the Indian Village, it wound around and around.

I am not sure of the significance of this Oak Tree, or how old it is but I do know it is by far the tallest oak tree I have ever seen. As you can see, I only got a portion of the trunk!

The old Indian Village is marked off by posts that indicated where they found the remains of the long houses. There were 12 in this village.

This was the Tribes main water source.

I'd guess there was a lot more water flowing back in the day judging by the gorges... the gorgeous gorges.

The waters were pristine crystal clear.

A monument to the Indians who were buried at this site.

The Canticle of the 3 children is printed in sections along one trail.

Another trail contains an outdoor Stations of the Cross.

Next we drive 5 miles further east to Auriesville, Shrine of the North American Martyrs.

We started by going down the sacred Ravine. This is the trail in which St. Isaac Jogues tells the story of the death of St. Rene Goupil. It was the most touching beautiful reading from the writings of St. Isaac on signs all along the trail. Bring your hankie.

One evening with sad hearts, Rene and I went beyond the village to pray more reverently apart from the noise. Two Indian youths came after us ordering us to go back to our longhouse. I sensed some foreboding of what would happen and said to Rene, "My dear brother, let us commend ourselves to our Lord and our good Mother, the Blessed Virgin, I am afraid these Indians have some evil design..."

The story continues on many signs.........

...... The young braves had taken the body [of Rene Goupil] up and dragged it to an adjoining wood, where during the fall and winter during the fall and winter it became the food of the dog, the crow and the fox. When I had been told in the spring that the body had been dragged there, I went several times without finding it. Finally on the fourth trip I found Rene's head and some half gnawed bones. These I buried. Reverently did I kiss them as the bones of a martyr of Jesus Christ.

The oldest statue at the Shrine. Our Lady of the Martyrs. The Pieta

At the base of the ravine is the above statue as well as several other statues. This is St. Ignatius of Loyola who founded the Jesuits of which St. Isaac was a priest and missionary.

Our Lady of Lourdes grotto... afterall, they were from France.

Crosses all over the grounds remind us of the death of martyrs and giving our lives to and for Christ.

St. Rene Goupil was a lay missionary, companion of St. Isaac. Can you imagine being side-by-side with a best friend in Christ and watching his torture and death.

A stream cut right into the grass. It was neat. One could actually miss it and fall right in.

This is the what was the great stream (probably full in the spring) by which Rene's body was hidden under rocks by St. Isaac to keep from being further desecrated by the Indians. When he went back the body was gone. It's all a very heart wrenching story.

Poppy came running back to me and said, Mommy! I think I found where they buried Jesus!"

This is the gift shop and used for conferences. The grounds are gorgeous.

We crossed the road and entered into sacred grounds where other martyrs (St. John Lalande for example) died their death. St. Kateri was born in this village.

This is the first chapel that was built on the grounds in the mid 1800's.

The beautiful Seven Sorrows of Our Blessed Mother.

Ossernenon was the Mohawk Village, that we know as "Auriesville. St. Isaac was known as "Ondessonk" by the natives. It means "black robe"... afterall, he was a priest and always wore his cassock.