IMPORTANT FACTS:
Brother Andre was only a porter,a doorman,at a college owned and operated by his religious congregation.
He was not a priest; therefore he could neither offer Mass nor preach.He was a little man, both in size.
His parents were devout Catholics who, by their own example, taught their children the virtuous habits
of prayer and hard work,habits which were to become for little Alfred the key to his ultimate sanctity as Brother Andre. When he was 6 years old,his father was killed in a lumbering accident near the town of Farnham. 4 years later,his mother,trying to raise twelve children single-handedly,contracted tuberculosis
and was forced to put the children up for adoption. Keeping with her only the feeblest one, Alfred,
she went to live with her sister,Mrs. Timothée Nadeau,in St. Cesaire.
Brother Andre did recalled his mother's words to her children and it was:
"My dear little ones,it has been six years since your papa left us to go to Heaven.
The words from his devout mother left a great impression on him.Years later,he often spoke of his mother,Brother Andre said:
His parents were devout Catholics who, by their own example, taught their children the virtuous habits
of prayer and hard work,habits which were to become for little Alfred the key to his ultimate sanctity as Brother Andre. When he was 6 years old,his father was killed in a lumbering accident near the town of Farnham. 4 years later,his mother,trying to raise twelve children single-handedly,contracted tuberculosis
and was forced to put the children up for adoption. Keeping with her only the feeblest one, Alfred,
she went to live with her sister,Mrs. Timothée Nadeau,in St. Cesaire.
Brother Andre did recalled his mother's words to her children and it was:
"My dear little ones,it has been six years since your papa left us to go to Heaven.
The good God is coming to look for me in my turn.
Pray for me.Do not forget the tomb of your father.
My body will repose beside his in the cemetery at Farnham.
From the height of Heaven I will watch over you.”
“I rarely pray for her,but very often I pray to her.”
Along his life journey,he met Father Provençal who put Brother André on that road which,for him,would
end in perfection— the road to a religious vocation.He was weak in every work he did and it made
him feel sick but one thing he was not weak in and that was his PERFECTNESS IN PRAYER AND CONSTANT HOLINESS amidst his weakness.
His spare time was spent either in the presbytery of the parish,talking to Father Provençal, or in the
church itself in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, in prayer for hours at a time.During these years
that he started what was to be his lifelong habit — long, deep conversations with Saint Joseph.
When crowds came to the Oratory for important celebrations,Brother Andre would go into solitude.
He would hide behind the choir and pray quietly.
In the meantime, there was talk of healings which doctors could not explain. Brother Andre began
visiting the sick and earned the reputation of Miracle-Worker.But he strongly protested:
"I am nothing ... only a tool in the hands of Providence, a lowly instrument at the service of
St. Joseph." He went even further: "People are silly to think that I can perform miracles. It is
God and St. Joseph who can heal you, not I."
His devotion to Saint Joseph was so great that he had such a beautiful idea planned by prayers and
that is how the New Oratory of St.Joseph slowly came into progress.Soon the New Oratory of
St.Joseph was being built,and Brother Andre said:
was not able to build a proper roof.So the provincial summoned Brother Andre for his opinion.
In the meantime, there was talk of healings which doctors could not explain. Brother Andre began
visiting the sick and earned the reputation of Miracle-Worker.But he strongly protested:
"I am nothing ... only a tool in the hands of Providence, a lowly instrument at the service of
St. Joseph." He went even further: "People are silly to think that I can perform miracles. It is
God and St. Joseph who can heal you, not I."
His devotion to Saint Joseph was so great that he had such a beautiful idea planned by prayers and
that is how the New Oratory of St.Joseph slowly came into progress.Soon the New Oratory of
St.Joseph was being built,and Brother Andre said:
"God chose the most ignorant one.If there was anyone more
ignorant than I am, God would have chosen him instead of me."
During the big project of building St.Joseph's Oratory,there were some problem with the funds andwas not able to build a proper roof.So the provincial summoned Brother Andre for his opinion.
The aging brother had only a few words for the assembly:
"This is not my work, it is the work of St. Joseph.
Put one of his statues in the middle of the building.
If he wants a roof over his head,
he'll take care of it."
This is the statue of Saint Joseph which until today stays
bright in the middle of the building.
To live in God's house is heaven, Brother Andre said: "You know, it is permitted to desire death
if one's unique goal is to go toward God.When I die, I will go to heaven, I will be much closer
to God than I am now; I will have more power to help you."
*Pope John XXIII allowed the cause for “Brother André” to be introduced in Rome
on November 9, 1960.An important step by which Brother André became known
as a “Servant of God” on the official road to canonization.
*Pope Paul VI declared him “Venerable” on June 12, 1978 after recognizing the
heroicity of the virtues of Brother André was issued.
* Pope John Paul II participated in the solemn rite of beatification on May 23,
1982 in St. Peter’s Square in Rome,due to Joseph Audino of Rochester,New York
who had been cured of cancer in 1958 after having invoked Brother André.
who had been cured of cancer in 1958 after having invoked Brother André.
* Finally Pope Benedict XVI presented “Saint André Bessette” to the universal
Church,during a solemn rite of canonization which took place on October 17, 2010,
in Rome due to the stunning recovery of a child who was involved in a traumatic
street accident in 1999 that attributed to Blessed Brother André because the
child’s parents as well as friends of the family had addressed their prayers to him, hoping that the impossible might take place.
PRAYER TO SAINT ANDRE BESSETTE:
O Holy Saint of Montreal,intercede for us with Saint Joseph thy Holy Patron.Guide us in our journey
to Heaven on the narrow road.Grant us the grace to trust like how you did with unwavering faith.May
we by trusting in Jesus and through your intercession;receive graces in abundance from thy place
in Heaven.Amen.
Saint Andre Bessette,Friend of the Loving Saint Joseph,pray for us to Jesus!
Church,during a solemn rite of canonization which took place on October 17, 2010,
in Rome due to the stunning recovery of a child who was involved in a traumatic
street accident in 1999 that attributed to Blessed Brother André because the
child’s parents as well as friends of the family had addressed their prayers to him, hoping that the impossible might take place.
This is the relic of Saint Andre Bessette,features a glass vial containing
a few fragments of his heart.It has already visited several places.
a few fragments of his heart.It has already visited several places.
Saint Jospeh's Oratory of Mount Royal was founded by Saint Andre Bessette.
This is the effect of his prayers and complete trust in Saint Jospeh,Foster
Father of Jesus.Though Saint Andre was a not famous in education,he was very
well known for his prayers with St.Joseph to Jesus.
If anyone were to ask any Canadian for the name of the person who built this magnificent
Church of St.Joseph,he would be told, “Brother André.” Yet this humble little lay brother’s name
does not appear on any of the official records of the building of the Oratory but I am sure in Heaven
it is written in Gold Bold fonts in the official records of Heaven that 'Brother Andre built this magnificent church with his trusting prayers to Heaven.'Truly it is because of Brother Andre's
prayers and strong devotions to Saint Joseph;this church was built.
Quotes of Saint Andre Bessette :
- "Do not seek to have these trials lifted from you.Instead, ask for the grace to bear them well."
- "It is surprising that I am frequently asked for cures, but rarely for humility and the spirit of faith. Yet, they are so important...."
- "God gave us the commandments and it is in observing them that we show whether we love God. Pray that you may obtain a true love of God. God loves us so much. He wants us to love Him."
- "If the soul is sick,one must begin by treating the soul."
PRAYER TO SAINT ANDRE BESSETTE:
O Holy Saint of Montreal,intercede for us with Saint Joseph thy Holy Patron.Guide us in our journey
to Heaven on the narrow road.Grant us the grace to trust like how you did with unwavering faith.May
we by trusting in Jesus and through your intercession;receive graces in abundance from thy place
in Heaven.Amen.
Saint Andre Bessette,Friend of the Loving Saint Joseph,pray for us to Jesus!
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