Book review: “Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The surest path to heaven.”

When I first saw the title of this book, “Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The surest path to the heaven,” I thought to myself that I don't remember that there were any martyrs in Shreveport, Louisiana. As I examined the book, I discovered that it is a history of what five Catholic priests did during the yellow fever epidemic that hit Shreveport in 1873. 

These five missionary priests were from France serving in the Diocese of Natchitoches, Louisiana at Shreveport at various times during this epidemic. The diocese was under the Frenchman Bishop Auguste Marie Martin.  

Father Peter B. Mangum and his colleagues tell the story of these five priests and how they ministered to their flock even if they caught the fever themselves which they all eventually did. They did not pull back to safety to save themselves but stayed and offered up their lives in service to the sick. A quarter of the city died from yellow fever which was nicknamed Yellow Jack. Others outside Shreveport came to help the people like medical personnel and other volunteers. 

The priests came to help with what they could do, but mainly on the spiritual level. During this time two French Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Pierre-qui-Vire were also there ministering and working with the Daughters of the Cross in that area, Father Isidore Robot, future first Prefect Apostolic of Indian Territory, and Brother Dominic Lambert. Brother Dominic caught the yellow fever but survived. They are not mentioned in the book for some reason, maybe because they did not serve and die in the Shreveport parish. The Daughters of the Cross operated Saint Vincent Academy, one of two Catholic schools in Shreveport. Some sisters died from yellow fever. When I learned about this book, I thought for sure these monks would be mentioned in the book, but they are not. This does not take away anything from the heroic acts of the five priests that died as martyrs of charity.

Bishop Francis Malone, the bishop of Shreveport, on Dec. 8, 2020, began the process of canonization for the Servants of God: Father Isidore Quermerais, Father Jean Pierre, Father Jean Marie Biler, Father Louis Gergaud and Father Francois Le Vezouet. This book is part of this process. 

What are martyrs of charity and who has been canonized using this category? Martyrs of charity are those Catholic faithful who have given their lives selflessly for their fellow man – like these five priests did. It meane they did not die by being killed by someone else, like Saint Maximilian Kolbe. Most people think of martyrs in this way, like Saint Lawrence or Blessed Stanley Rother. Some martyrs of charity are Saint Damien of Molokai and Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.  

There are several black and white illustrations, a map and bibliographical references in this book. The depiction of what happened can at times be graphic, but other than that the book is very interesting. It is highly recommended to those interested in the yellow fever epidemics, the Catholic Church in upper Louisiana and some hopefully one day future saints. Another book connected with this one is by the same authors entitled: “Shreveport Martyr: Father Louis Gergaude: in his own words.” 

Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B., Saint Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.