Noël Chabanel

Who they were

Noël Chabanel entered the Jesuits at seventeen and taught rhetoric, esteemed for virtue and learning. In 1643 he was sent to Canada and worked among the Hurons with St Charles Garnier.

He felt a strong repugnance for the life of the mission, and bound himself by vow never to leave it; he kept his vow to the end. He was killed by a renegade Huron on 8 December 1649.

The miracles

As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.

Why that counted as sanctity

A missionary who vowed to stay where he found it hardest, and died there.

Connected on this site

• Canadian Martyrs Saint honoured together
• Canadian Martyrs Saint
  “René Goupil was killed in 1642 at Ossernenon; Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lalande near today's Auriesville on 18 October 1647; Antoine Daniel in 1648; and Jean de Brébeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier and Noël Chabanel in 1649, during the war that destroyed the Huron nation and its missions.” — this site's research
• Charles Garnier Saint
  “In 1643 he was sent to Canada and worked among the Hurons with St Charles Garnier.” — this site's research
• Jean de Brébeuf Saint
  “On 16 March 1649 Brébeuf was killed by the Iroquois, as were Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier and Noël Chabanel that year, about 200 km north of Toronto.” — this site's research
• Jean de Lalande Saint
  “In a single commemoration their confreres are also celebrated on this day, Saints Gabriel Lalemant, Antoine Daniel, Charles Garnier and Noël Chabanel, who died as martyrs in Canadian territory on different days, after many labours in the mission among the Hurons to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the peoples of…” — this site's research