Who is Saint Brother Andre?

A FRIEND. A BROTHER. A SAINT.

Brother André, born Alfred Bessette, was born in Quebec on August 9, 1845. Due to poor health, he was baptized right after birth. At age 12, he was orphaned. Although sickly, young Alfred was well equipped with a lively faith and devotion to St. Joseph. He tried to find work in various jobs in farming, baking, and trades (“Thirty six trades, Thirty six trials”), and in the United States, a textile labourer. 

He returned to Quebec after few years. At his native land, he found his heartfelt aspirations. His parish priest, Father Andre Provencal guided and recommended him (as he wrote: “I am sending you a saint”) to the Congregation of Holy Cross. The exceptional young Alfred later, with the assistance of the Archbishop of Montreal, entered the Novitiate of the Congregation of Montreal. He was first assigned to be doorkeeper at Collège Notre-Dame, then a caretaker at that house of prayer which he shepherded into existence on Mount Royal. 

The religious brother, took his new name Brother Andre, after his childhood pastor. Brother Andre welcomed thousands of distressed people or those who were looking for a ray of hope. He listened to them and recommended that they pray to Saint Joseph in whom he had full confidence. Any number of miraculous healings took place there and hearts turned toward God. In honour of St. Joseph, Brother Andre and his friends built a chapel on the mountainside, an oratory, across the College. Crowds came and would not be accommodated in the small chapel. 

Brother Andre, the builder and unifier, soon carried out work to expand the building but still cramped. Few years later, the Crypt Church was opened to house a thousand devotees. The church, a crown on Mount Royal, became a part the vast architectural complex that would be towered over by the majestic Basilica. The Basilica of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal was launched but construction faced so many challenges. I would take close to 25 years to complete detailed interior sacred arts to complete. But all is possible in the will of God.