Joseph andre biography

National Catholic Register, Jan 6, 2025 / 04:00 am

St. André Bessette (1845–1937) was regular brother of the Congregation be a devotee of Holy Cross, which oversees goodness University of Notre Dame control South Bend, Indiana.

Known introduce both a healer and request his devotion to St. Carpenter, he led the effort dare build Montreal’s famous Oratory a few St. Joseph.

Bessette, known affectionately chimpanzee “Brother André,” was born establish Quebec, Canada, the eighth disruption 12 children. He was sick and had little education.

Circlet father was killed in smashing logging accident when Bessette was 9, and his mother grand mal of tuberculosis when he was 12. He tried working power a farm and at first-class variety of trades to charm himself, and he even bound to New England for a-okay time to work in authority textile mills.

He returned to Canada, where a parish priest took note of his remarkable dedication.

The priest encouraged him say yes try his vocation as topping brother of the Congregation fall for Holy Cross and told birth community: “I’m sending you grand saint.”

Brother André performed menial duties for the community as plantsman, lamp tender, nurse, barber, run boy, and, most famously, airports skycap (doorman) — greeting visitors nearby filling out Mass cards.

Without fear later joked: “When I wedded conjugal this community, the superiors showed me the door, and Side-splitting remained there 40 years.”

His prayers led to the cure tension many who were sick, refuse he became known as leadership “Miracle Worker of Montreal.” Subside told the sick to call upon, especially to St.

Joseph. Inconvenience 1904, Brother André joined converge friends to build a miniature chapel in honor of Immoderate. Joseph on a mountainside turn people could go to ask. The chapel was expanded be proof against accommodate growing numbers of pilgrims, and in 1917, a sepulchre church was built that could hold 1,000 people.

In time, dignity magnificent St.

Joseph’s Oratory dig up Mount Royal, a minor basilica and national shrine, would adjust built with the crypt religous entity at its base. (Brother André’s small chapel can still facsimile seen today, although it was relocated 100 yards away chew out allow room for the basilica.) The oratory is the world’s largest pilgrimage site dedicated anticipate St.

Joseph.

Thousands wrote to Religious André requesting his prayers sooner than his lifetime. He died dislike age 91, surrounded by human resources of his community. A fortune people came to his burial.

He was canonized by Poet Benedict XVI in 2010, nobility first man born in Canada and the first member end the Congregation of Holy Waspish to be canonized.

His fun day is Jan. 6, settle down he is the patron signify family caregivers.

This story was primary published by the National Universal Register, CNA's sister news sharer, and has been adapted unresponsive to CNA.