[Antoninus]

One of the amazing things about the amazing life of St. Isaac is the decision of the superior to send Isaac back to his captors. Whether he merely quiesced to Isaac’s request, matters not. Surely the Jesuits of that time didn’t choose their assignments, it was an order.

From everything I've read, Jogues wanted to go back--even begged to go back. His superiors were content to let him stay in France.

One thing that comes through time and again is how many of them prayed to be worthy of martyrdom. One of the things that made the biggest impression on the Indians was how willingly these men came among them to share their travails, especially after the Indians saw how comparatively comfortably the other French colonists lived.

[sandhills]

I understand what you’re saying. The desire of St. Isaac to return is huge, and religious no doubt can make requests, but he wasn’t going to go anywhere unless he was sent. That sending is special too.

Today, I believe there are missionaries like St. Isaac who want to go to peoples who are resistant to the Faith and who would most likely kill the messenger. Today, a missionary might make his request to go to Iraq, or Libya, or Sumatra, or Jolo, but would most likely receive the response from his superior that any Joe Sixpack would make, i.e. “Are you crazy? Too much unrest. What value would you be if you’re dead?”

Don’t take my word for it. Listen to the Archbishop of Baghdad (Babylonia) when he says, “Where are the priests? Why does no one come?”

It is not for lack of desire, but permission to go.