Saint André Bessette
Frère convers
canadien (+ 1937)
Alfred Bessette, frère
André, C.S.C., béatifié
par le pape Jean-Paul II (lien en anglais) à Rome le 23 mai 1982.
Canonisé le 17 octobre 2010 - Homélie
de Benoît XVI - en italien
Le 17 octobre 2010, dans
son homélie, évoquant le frère André Bessette, religieux du Québec, le
Saint-Père a rappelé que "portier du collège Notre-Dame à Montréal, il
manifesta une charité sans bornes et s'efforça de soulager les détresses de
ceux qui venaient se confier à lui... Il y fut le témoin d'innombrables
guérisons et conversions... Pour lui, tout parlait de Dieu et de sa présence.
Puissions-nous, à sa suite, rechercher Dieu avec simplicité pour le découvrir
toujours présent au cœur de notre vie!". (source: VIS 20101018 800)
En conclusion de la messe
de canonisation, Benoît XVI a encouragé les francophones à marcher à la suite
de saint André Bessette, pour accomplir dans leur vie la volonté de Dieu,
librement et par amour, et à déborder de charité envers nos frères et sœurs qui
sont en détresse. (source: VIS 20101018 240)
Voir le site
internet de l'Oratoire
saint Joseph du Mont-Royal qu'il fonda au Canada.
- Chronique des saints:
André Bessette, vidéo
sur la WebTV de la CEF
"Le Frère André a vécu
dans une grande humilité. Guidé par une foi profonde et sa dévotion envers
saint Joseph, il a consacré sa vie à la prière, au service des pauvres, à
l'accueil des étrangers, guérissant les malades et réconfortant ceux qui
souffraient. Aujourd'hui encore, son souvenir demeure un témoignage important
de foi et d'amour pour tous les Canadiens." ... "Puisse la
canonisation du Frère André représenter un moment de joie pour tout le pays.
Puisse son héritage nous rappeler ce que chacun de nous peut réaliser au moyen
de la foi et de l'amour. Selon ses propres mots, 'c'est avec les plus petits
pinceaux que les artistes peignent les plus beaux tableaux'"
Déclaration
de Mgr Pierre Morissette, président de la conférence des évêques
catholiques du Canada, à l'occasion de la canonisation du frère André.
Saint Frère André (Alfred
Bessette) (1845-1937), témoin de la tendresse de Dieu, religieux de la
Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, bâtisseur de l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph du
Mont-Royal, Montréal, béatifié le 23 mai 1982, canonisé le 17 octobre 2010. (diocèse
d'Edmundston)
Un internaute nous communique:
"Un jour une protestante vint le voir pour lui dire des injures. En
sortant elle parlait encore contre lui, mais, les gens qui attendaient pour
voir le frère André lui firent remarquer quelle tenait maintenant ses béquilles
dans ses mains au lieu de se soutenir avec comme en entrant..."
Un internaute nous
communique cet extrait de l'homélie de Benoît XVI lors de la canonisation du
frère André: "Frère André Bessette, originaire du Québec, au Canada, et
religieux de la Congrégation de la Sainte-Croix, connut très tôt la souffrance
et la pauvreté. Elles l'ont conduit à recourir à Dieu par la prière et une vie
intérieure intense. Portier du collège Notre Dame à Montréal, il manifesta une
charité sans bornes et s'efforça de soulager les détresses de ceux qui venaient
se confier à lui. Très peu instruit, il a pourtant compris où se situait
l'essentiel de sa foi. Pour lui, croire signifie se soumettre librement et par
amour à la volonté divine. Tout habité par le mystère de Jésus, il a vécu la
béatitude des cœurs purs, celle de la rectitude personnelle. C'est grâce à
cette simplicité qu'il a permis à beaucoup de voir Dieu. Il fit construire
l'Oratoire Saint Joseph du Mont Royal dont il demeura le gardien fidèle jusqu'à
sa mort en 1937. Il y fut le témoin d'innombrables guérisons et conversions.
«Ne cherchez pas à vous faire enlever les épreuves» disait-il, «demandez plutôt
la grâce de bien les supporter». Pour lui, tout parlait de Dieu et de sa
présence. Puissions-nous, à sa suite, rechercher Dieu avec simplicité pour le
découvrir toujours présent au cœur de notre vie! Puisse l'exemple du Frère
André inspirer la vie chrétienne canadienne!"
Sa fête
liturgique est fixée au 7 janvier depuis 2012.
Au martyrologe romain le
6 janvier: André (Alfred Bessette), religieux de la Congrégation de la
Sainte-Croix, qui s'employa à construire à Montréal au Québec un célèbre
sanctuaire en l'honneur de saint Joseph.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/378/Saint-Andre-Bessette.html
.jpg)
Portrait
photographique du Frère André, 1912, Laprés et Lavergne, British Library
(1845-1937)
Qui ne connaît le Frère André, thaumaturge du Mont-Royal et grand ami de saint
Joseph à qui il attribuait les innombrables guérisons obtenues par son
entremise?
Né le 9 août 1845, le petit Alfred était le sixième de dix enfants. A l'âge de
9 ans, il perdit son père, puis trois ans plus tard, sa mère. Alfred devint
donc orphelin à l'âge de 12 ans; bien que d'une santé débile, pendant treize
ans, le petit devra, pour subvenir à ses besoins, errer ça et là à la recherche
du travail.
Puis, en 1870, Alfred Bessette entre au noviciat des religieux de Sainte-Croix
et reçoit le nom de Frère André. C'était l'année même où Pie IX constituait
saint Joseph patron de l'Église universelle. Au sortir du noviciat, le frère
André reçoit la charge de portier au collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur, poste
qu'il gardera pendant 40 ans. Il cumulait plusieurs emplois, tels: brosser les
planchers, laver les vitres, entrer le bois de chauffage, couper les cheveux
des élèves du collège, sonner le réveil matinal des religieux, faire les
commissions, sans compter bien d'autres petits travaux d'entretien et de
bricolage.
Dans ses multiples occupations, il ne perd pas de vue le surnaturel. Chacune de
ses heures est peuplée de prières. Il médite surtout les souffrances du Sauveur
et converse avec saint Joseph, son saint de prédilection.
Plus tard, face à l'affluence des foules, le Frère André accueillera les gens
dans sont petit bureau, de six à huit heures par jour, beau temps, mauvais
temps, et cela durant plus de vingt-cinq ans. Les guérisons miraculeuses
allèrent en se multipliant. Les gens venaient de tous les coins du Canada, des
États-Unis et même d'Europe, pour demander leur guérison. Et le Frère André
d'observer souvent. "C'est étonnant, on me demande souvent des guérisons, mais
bien rarement l'humilité et l'esprit de foi. C'est pourtant si important. Si
l'âme est malade, il faut commencer par soigner l'âme. Avez-vous la foi?
Croyez-vous que le bon Dieu peut faire quelque chose pour vous? Allez vous
confesser au prêtre, allez communier, vous reviendrez me voir ensuite."
Les centaines et centaines de béquilles, de cannes, de corsets et d'ex-votos,
laissés par les infirmes guéris par l'intercession du bon Frère André,
attestèrent longtemps les guérisons physiques obtenues à l'oratoire
Saint-Joseph. Mais combien plus d'âmes furent guéries et converties rien qu'à
voir et entendre l'humble portier du Mont-Royal?
Puis le 6 janvier 1937, fête de l'Épiphanie, le petit Frère André, usé par les
années et un dévouement à toute épreuve, s'éteignait peu après minuit, âgé de
91 ans. Saint Joseph venait chercher son cher dévot, celui qui avait tant
travaillé à répandre son culte. Un de ses amis a laissé du Bx Frère André le
témoignage suivant: "Il a passé sa vie à parler des autres au bon Dieu et
du bon Dieu aux autres."
Puisse l'intercession du Bx Frère André obtenir du bon saint Joseph, le secours
nécessaire à la sainte Église afin qu'elle traverse les écueils sans
nombre, suscités par la tempête qui la secoue présentement dans sa navigation
vers le port céleste.
Revue Magnificat, Janvier 1987, p. 12
Frère ANDRÉ sera canonisé
par SS. Benoît XVI, le 17 octobre 2010
Frère André est
l'initiateur de l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph. Il est l'âme, le sens, l'inspiration
de ce patrimoine qui suscite beaucoup d'enthousiasme chez nous comme de plus en
plus à l'étranger. L'histoire continue de s'écrire et nous avons le bonheur
d'en être les acteurs et les témoins.
Prière officielle de la
canonisation
Prière pour obtenir une
faveur spéciale
par l'intercession de
saint frère André
Saint frère André, nous
célébrons ta présence parmi nous.
Ton amitié envers Jésus,
Marie et Joseph fait de toi un intercesseur puissant auprès du Père.
La compassion relie tes
paroles au coeur de Dieu, tes prières sont exaucées et apportent réconfort et
guérison.
Avec toi, notre bouche
s'approche de l'oreille de Dieu
pour lui présenter notre
requête...
Qu'il nous soit donné de
participer comme toi à l'oeuvre de Dieu
dans un esprit de prière,
de compassion et d'humilité.
Saint frère André prie
pour nous.
Amen
SOURCE : http://www.saint-joseph.org/fr_1123_index.php
.JPG)
Saint Andre Bessette school in London, Ontario
VOYAGE APOSTOLIQUE AU
CANADA
Chers Religieux de
Sainte-Croix,
Je vous remercie de votre
accueil chaleureux. J’aurais aimé m’entretenir plus longuement avec vous, non
seulement du bienheureux Frère André, mais de l’apostolat des Pères et des
Frères de Sainte-Croix, au Canada et en tant de pays où vous assurez
l’éducation chrétienne des enfants, des jeunes, des étudiants, où vous répondez
à d’autres besoins spirituels, dans le domaine de l’action catholique ou des
éditions. Pour ces services humains, pour ce témoignage d’Eglise, je forme des
voeux fervents en faveur de toute votre Congrégation. Dès le départ, vos
fondateurs s’étaient mis sous la protection de la Sainte Famille, et
spécialement de saint Joseph. Et c’est l’un des plus humbles d’entre vous, le
portier du Collège, André Bessette, qui a porté au plus haut degré cette
confiance en l’intercession de saint Joseph. “Pauper servus et humilis”, le
Frère André est maintenant élevé au rang des bienheureux. En ce haut-lieu de
Montréal, dans cet Oratoire grandiose, qui est né de sa dévotion ardente,
plutôt que de faire un discours, je vous invite à vous unir à ma prière à saint
Joseph et au bienheureux André.
Saint Joseph, avec toi,
pour toi, / nous bénissons le Seigneur.
Il t’a choisi entre tous
les hommes / pour être le chaste époux de Marie, / celui qui se tient au seuil
du mystère de sa maternité divine, / et qui, après elle, / l’accueille dans la
foi comme l’œuvre du Saint-Esprit.
Tu as donné à Jésus une
paternité légale / en lien avec la lignée de David.
Tu as constamment veillé
sur la Mère et l’Enfant / avec une sollicitude affectueuse, / pour assurer leur
vie / et leur permettre d’accomplir leur destinée.
Le Sauveur Jésus a daigné
se soumettre à toi, / comme à un père, durant son enfance et son adolescence, /
et recevoir de toi l’apprentissage de la vie humaine, / pendant que tu
partageais sa vie / dans l’adoration de son mystère.
Tu demeures auprès de Lui.
Protège spécialement ce
peuple canadien / qui s’est placé sous ton patronage.
Aide-le à s’approcher à
son tour du mystère du Christ / dans les dispositions de foi, de soumission et
d’amour / qui ont été les tiennes.
Regarde les besoins
spirituels et matériels / de tous ceux qui recourent à ton intercession, / en
particulier des familles / et des pauvres de toutes pauvretés: / par toi, ils
sont sûrs de rejoindre le regard maternel de Marie / et la main de Jésus qui
les secourt.
Et toi, bienheureux Frère
André Bessette, / portier du collège et gardien de cet Oratoire, / ouvre à
l’espérance / tous ceux qui continuent à solliciter ton aide.
Apprends-leur la
confiance dans la vertu de la prière, / et, avec elle, le chemin de la
conversion et des sacrements.
Que par toi et par saint
Joseph, / Dieu continue à répandre ses bienfaits / sur la Congrégation de
Sainte-Croix, / sur tous ceux qui fréquentent cet Oratoire, / sur la cité de
Montréal, / sur le peuple de Québec, / sur tout le peuple canadien, / et sur
l’Eglise entière.
Copyright © Libreria
Editrice Vaticana
Copyright © Dicastero per
la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
_-_Fr%C3%A8re_Andr%C3%A9.jpg)
Saint Frère André, église Notre-Dame-du-Saint-Rosaire de Villeray, Montréal
HOMÉLIE DU PAPE BENOÎT
XVI
Place Saint-Pierre
Dimanche 17 octobre 2010
Chers frères et sœurs,
Aujourd'hui, place
Saint-Pierre, se renouvelle la fête de la sainteté. C'est avec joie que je vous
souhaite cordialement la bienvenue, à vous qui êtes arrivés ici, même de très
loin, pour y prendre part. J'adresse mes salutations particulières aux
Cardinaux, aux Evêques et aux Supérieurs généraux des Instituts fondés par les
nouveaux saints, tout comme aux délégations officielles et à l'ensemble des
autorités civiles. Ensemble, cherchons à accueillir ce que le Seigneur nous dit
dans les Saintes Ecritures qui viennent d'être proclamées. La liturgie de ce
Dimanche nous offre un enseignement fondamental: la nécessité de toujours
prier, sans jamais se lasser. Parfois, nous nous lassons de prier, nous avons
l'impression que la prière n'est pas si utile à la vie, qu'elle est peu
efficace. C'est pourquoi, nous sommes tentés de nous consacrer à l'activité,
d'employer tous les moyens humains afin d'atteindre nos objectifs, et nous
n’avons pas recours à Dieu. Jésus, en revanche, affirme qu'il faut toujours
prier et Il le fait à travers une parabole particulière (cf. Lc 18,
1-8).
Elle parle d'un juge qui
ne craint pas Dieu et n'a de considération pour personne, un juge qui n'a
aucune attitude positive, mais qui recherche seulement son propre intérêt. Il
ne craint pas le jugement de Dieu et ne respecte pas son prochain. L'autre
personnage est une veuve, une personne qui se trouve en situation de faiblesse.
Dans la Bible, la veuve et l'orphelin sont les catégories les plus nécessiteuses,
parce que sans défense et privées de moyens. La veuve va voir le juge et lui
demande justice. Ses possibilités d'être écoutée sont presque nulles, parce que
le juge la méprise et elle ne peut faire aucune pression sur lui. Elle ne peut
pas non plus faire appel à des principes religieux parce que le juge ne craint
pas Dieu. Cette veuve semble donc privée de toute possibilité. Mais elle
insiste, elle demande sans se lasser. Elle est importune et ainsi, à la fin,
elle réussit à obtenir le résultat du juge. C'est à ce moment-là que Jésus fait
une réflexion en utilisant l'argument a fortiori: si un juge inique
se laisse, à la fin, convaincre par la prière d'une veuve, Dieu, qui est bon,
exaucera d'autant plus celui qui le prie. Dieu, en effet, est la générosité en
personne, Il est miséricordieux et Il est donc toujours disposé à écouter les
prières. Donc, nous ne devons jamais désespérer, mais persévérer toujours dans
la prière.
La conclusion du passage
évangélique parle de la foi: «le Fils de l'homme, quand il viendra,
trouvera-t-il la foi sur la terre?» (Lc 18, 8). C'est une question qui
veut susciter en nous une croissance de la foi. Il est en effet clair que la
prière doit être une expression de foi, autrement il ne s'agit pas d'une
authentique prière. Si un homme ne croit pas en la bonté de Dieu, il ne peut
pas prier de manière vraiment adaptée. La foi est essentielle comme fondement
de l'attitude de la prière. C'est ce qu'ont fait les six nouveaux saints qui
sont aujourd'hui proposés à la vénération de l'Eglise universelle: Stanisław
Sołtys, André Bessette, Cándida María de Jesús Cipitria y Barriola, Mary of the
Cross MacKillop, Giulia Salzano et Battista Camilla Da Varano.
Saint Stanisław
Kazimierczyk, religieux du XVe siècle, peut être pour nous aussi un
exemple et un intercesseur. Toute sa vie est liée à l'Eucharistie. Tout d'abord
dans l'église du Corpus Domini de Kazimierz, dans l'actuelle
Cracovie, où, aux côtés de sa mère et de son père, il apprit la foi et la
piété; où il prononça ses vœux religieux chez les Chanoines Réguliers; où il
travailla comme prêtre et éducateur, attentif au soin des nécessiteux. Il était
cependant particulièrement lié à l'Eucharistie à travers l'amour ardent pour le
Christ présent sous les espèces du pain et du vin; en vivant le mystère de la
mort et de la résurrection, qui, sans effusion de sang, s'accomplit durant la
Sainte Messe; à travers la pratique de l'amour du prochain, dont la Communion
est la source et le signe.
Frère André Bessette,
originaire du Québec, au Canada, et religieux de la Congrégation de la
Sainte-Croix, connut très tôt la souffrance et la pauvreté. Elles l'ont conduit
à recourir à Dieu par la prière et une vie intérieure intense. Portier du
collège Notre Dame à Montréal, il manifesta une charité sans bornes et
s'efforça de soulager les détresses de ceux qui venaient se confier à lui. Très
peu instruit, il a pourtant compris où se situait l'essentiel de sa foi. Pour
lui, croire signifie se soumettre librement et par amour à la volonté divine.
Tout habité par le mystère de Jésus, il a vécu la béatitude des cœurs purs,
celle de la rectitude personnelle. C'est grâce à cette simplicité qu'il a
permis à beaucoup de voir Dieu. Il fit construire l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph du
Mont-Royal dont il demeura le gardien fidèle jusqu'à sa mort en 1937. Il y fut
le témoin d'innombrables guérisons et conversions. «Ne cherchez pas à vous
faire enlever les épreuves» disait-il, «demandez plutôt la grâce de
bien les supporter». Pour lui, tout parlait de Dieu et de sa présence.
Puissions-nous, à sa suite, rechercher Dieu avec simplicité pour le découvrir
toujours présent au cœur de notre vie! Puisse l'exemple du Frère André inspirer
la vie chrétienne canadienne!
Lorsque le Fils de
l'Homme viendra pour rendre justice aux élus, trouvera-t-il la foi sur la
terre? (cf. Lc 18, 8). Aujourd'hui nous pouvons dire que oui, avec
soulagement et fermeté, en contemplant des figures comme celles de Mère Cándida
Maria de Jesús Cipitria y Barriola. Cette jeune fille d'origine modeste, avec
un cœur dans lequel Dieu mit son sceau et qui, très rapidement, la conduisit,
grâce à l'aide de ses directeurs spirituels jésuites, à prendre la ferme
résolution de vivre «uniquement pour Dieu». Une décision qu'elle maintiendra
fidèlement, comme elle s'en souviendra elle-même lorsqu'elle sera sur le point
de mourir. Elle vécut pour Dieu et pour ce qu'Il désire le plus: parvenir à
tous, apporter à tous l'espérance qui ne vacille pas, tout spécialement à ceux
qui en ont le plus besoin. «Là où il n'y a pas de place pour les pauvres, il
n'y en a pas non plus pour moi» disait la nouvelle sainte qui, avec des
ressources limitées, réussit à entraîner d’autres Sœurs à suivre Jésus et à se
consacrer à l'éducation et à la promotion de la femme. C'est ainsi que
naquirent les Filles de Jésus, qui trouvent aujourd'hui en leur fondatrice un
modèle de vie très élevé à imiter, et une mission passionnante à poursuivre
dans les nombreux pays où sont arrivés l'esprit et le désir ardent d'apostolat
de Mère Cándida.
«Souviens-toi de ceux qui
étaient tes enseignants — c'est à partir d'eux que tu peux apprendre la sagesse
qui conduit au salut à travers la foi au Christ Jésus». Pendant de nombreuses
années, d'innombrables jeunes, dans toute l'Australie, ont été bénis par des
enseignants qui étaient inspirés par le courageux et saint exemple de zèle, de
persévérance et de prière de Mère Mary MacKillop. Elle se consacra comme jeune
femme à l'éducation des pauvres sur le terrain difficile et exigeant de
l'Australie rurale, inspirant d'autres femmes à la rejoindre dans ce qui fut la
première communauté de religieuses du pays. Elle pourvut aux besoins de chaque
jeune qui lui était confié, sans considérer ni sa condition, ni sa richesse,
lui fournissant une formation aussi bien intellectuelle que spirituelle. Malgré
de nombreux défis, ses prières à saint Joseph et son inépuisable dévotion au
Sacré-Cœur de Jésus, auquel elle dédia sa nouvelle congrégation, ont donné à
cette sainte femme les grâces nécessaires pour rester fidèle à Dieu et à
l'Eglise. Par son intercession, que les disciples d'aujourd'hui continuent à
servir Dieu et l'Eglise avec foi et humilité!
Dans la seconde moitié du
XIXe siècle, en Campanie, dans le sud de l'Italie, le Seigneur appela une
jeune institutrice, Giulia Salzano, et en fit une apôtre de l'éducation
chrétienne, fondatrice de la Congrégation des Sœurs catéchistes du Sacré-Cœur
de Jésus. Mère Giulia comprit bien l'importance de la catéchèse dans l'Eglise
et, en unissant la préparation pédagogique à la ferveur spirituelle, elle se
consacra à celle-ci avec générosité et intelligence, contribuant ainsi à la
formation de personnes de tous les âges et de tous les milieux sociaux. Elle
répétait à ses consœurs qu'elle désirait faire le catéchisme jusqu'à la
dernière heure de sa vie, démontrant de tout son être que si «Dieu nous a créés
pour Le connaître, L'aimer et Le servir en cette vie», il ne fallait rien
placer avant cette mission. Que l'exemple et l'intercession de sainte Giulia
Sarzano soutiennent l'Eglise dans son éternelle mission d'annoncer le Christ et
de former d'authentiques consciences chrétiennes.
Sainte Battista Camilla
Varano, moniale clarisse du XVe siècle, témoigna jusqu'au bout le sens
évangélique de la vie, spécialement en persévérant dans la prière. Entrée à 23
ans au monastère d'Urbin, elle s'inséra en personne dans ce vaste mouvement de
réforme de la spiritualité féminine franciscaine qui entendait pleinement
récupérer le charisme de sainte Claire d'Assise. Elle promut de nouvelles
fondations monastiques à Camerino, où elle fut plusieurs fois élue abbesse, à
Fermo et à San Severino. La vie de sainte Battista, totalement immergée dans
les profondeurs divines, fut une ascension constante sur la voie de la
perfection, avec un amour héroïque envers Dieu et le prochain. Elle fut marquée
par de grandes souffrances et des consolations mystiques. Elle avait en effet
décidé, comme elle l'écrit elle-même, d'«entrer dans le Très Saint Cœur de
Jésus et de se noyer dans l'océan de ses très dures souffrances». A une époque
où l'Eglise souffrait d'un relâchement des mœurs, elle parcourut de manière
décidée la voie de la pénitence et de la prière, animée par l'ardent désir de
renouvellement du Corps mystique du Christ.
Chers frères et sœurs,
rendons grâce au Seigneur pour le don de la sainteté, qui resplendit dans
l'Eglise et transparaît aujourd'hui sur le visage de ces frères et sœurs. Jésus
invite aussi chacun d'entre nous à le suivre pour avoir en héritage la Vie
éternelle. Laissons-nous attirer par ces exemples lumineux, laissons-nous
conduire par leurs enseignements, afin que notre existence soit un cantique de
louange à Dieu. Que la Vierge Marie et l'intercession des six nouveaux saints
que nous vénérons aujourd'hui avec joie, obtiennent cette grâce pour nous.
Amen.
© Copyright 2010 -
Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Copyright © Dicastero per
la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Statue du Frère André, oeuvre d'Émile Brunet (sculpteur). Place du Frère-André, Montréal en août 2010
Déclaration de la CECC
sur la canonisation du Frère André
mardi le 19 octobre 2010
La déclaration suivante a
été prononcée par la Conférence des évêques catholiques du Canada à la suite de
la canonisation du Saint Frère André, le 17 octobre 2010.
(Mgr) Patrick Powers, P.H.
Secrétaire général
L’Église du Canada se
réjouit de ce que l’un des siens, Frère André Bessette (1845-1937), membre
laïque de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, ait été proclamé aujourd’hui Saint
Frère André. C’était un homme humble, voué au service des pauvres et des
démunis de la société montréalaise du début du vingtième siècle. Son témoignage
est particulièrement important pour la société contemporaine alors que tant de
personnes, d’un bout à l’autre du Canada, luttent soit pour obtenir du travail
et améliorer leurs conditions de vie, soit pour avoir un peu de réconfort dans
leurs souffrances physiques, affectives, psychologiques ou spirituelles et
recouvrer le sens de leur dignité humaine.
Saint Frère André a aidé
bien des gens à retrouver la guérison et l’espoir; les évêques catholiques du
Canada demandent à l’Esprit Saint de susciter parmi nous nombre de femmes et
d’hommes généreux qui, comme lui, apportent du réconfort aux personnes qui
souffrent et de l’espérance à celles qui sont seules et vulnérables. Les
évêques prient aussi pour que l’exemple de Saint Frère André aide les jeunes et
toute la société à mieux comprendre et apprécier les possibilités
exceptionnelles de générosité, de don de soi et de sainteté qu’offrent le service
et le dévouement dans la vie religieuse.
Saint Frère André
illustre admirablement la façon dont les pauvres, les personnes sans
instruction et les moins en vue de nos collectivités peuvent devenir de
puissants vecteurs de foi et de bonté dans notre Église et notre société. Si
peu importante ou si insignifiante que puisse paraître notre vie, si nombreux
que soient les obstacles à affronter, Dieu peut faire de chacune et chacun de
nous un témoin extraordinaire de foi en lui et à de charité envers le prochain.
Saint Frère André, priez
pour nous.
Le 18 octobre 2010
Liens utiles:
L’Église du Canada se
réjouit de ce que l’un des siens, Frère André Bessette (1845-1937), membre
laïque de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, ait été proclamé aujourd’hui Saint
Frère André. C’était un homme humble, voué au service des pauvres et des
démunis de la société montréalaise du début du vingtième siècle. Son témoignage
est particulièrement important pour la société contemporaine alors que tant de
personnes, d’un bout à l’autre du Canada, luttent soit pour obtenir du travail
et améliorer leurs conditions de vie, soit pour avoir un peu de réconfort dans
leurs souffrances physiques, affectives, psychologiques ou spirituelles et
recouvrer le sens de leur dignité humaine.
Saint Frère André a aidé
bien des gens à retrouver la guérison et l’espoir; les évêques catholiques du
Canada demandent à l’Esprit Saint de susciter parmi nous nombre de femmes et
d’hommes généreux qui, comme lui, apportent du réconfort aux personnes qui
souffrent et de l’espérance à celles qui sont seules et vulnérables. Les
évêques prient aussi pour que l’exemple de Saint Frère André aide les jeunes et
toute la société à mieux comprendre et apprécier les possibilités
exceptionnelles de générosité, de don de soi et de sainteté qu’offrent le
service et le dévouement dans la vie religieuse.
Saint Frère André
illustre admirablement la façon dont les pauvres, les personnes sans
instruction et les moins en vue de nos collectivités peuvent devenir de
puissants vecteurs de foi et de bonté dans notre Église et notre société. Si
peu importante ou si insignifiante que puisse paraître notre vie, si nombreux
que soient les obstacles à affronter, Dieu peut faire de chacune et chacun de
nous un témoin extraordinaire de foi en lui et à de charité envers le prochain.
Saint Frère André, priez
pour nous.
Le 18 octobre 2010
SOURCE : https://www.cecc.ca/letter/declaration-de-la-cecc-sur-la-canonisation-du-frere-andre/
Saint
Andre Bissette Catholic Church in Portland Oregon
"C'est un très grand saint qui vient d'être canonisé." -
Homélie du cardinal Jean-Claude
Turcotte au Stade olympique
Sébastien Lacroix
samedi 30 octobre 2010
[NDLR: Nous publions
l'homélie du cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte prononcée lors de la célébration
d'action de grâce pour Saint André Bessette. La messe avait lieu le 30 octobre
au Stade olympique à Montréal où étaient rassemblées plus de 50 000 personnes.
Des millions d'autres ont suivi l'événement à la télé et via internet.]
Homélie de M. le cardinal
Jean-Claude Turcotte
Lectures : 1
Pierre 4, 7b-11; Matthieu 11, 25-3
Chères amies,
Chers amis,
Le frère André a vécu à
une époque bien différente de la nôtre. Mort en 1937, il n'a rien connu ni rien
prévu des profondes transformations survenues dans notre société et notre
Église depuis les années 1960. À divers égards, sa façon de penser, sa manière
de se comporter, ses propos, les expressions de sa foi chrétienne et de sa
piété diffèrent des nôtres. Il est d'une autre époque, peut-on dire.
Il vient pourtant d'être
reconnu officiellement comme un saint; et l'Église ne canonise jamais quelqu'un
uniquement pour ce qu'il a été et a vécu autrefois, elle le canonise aussi pour
ce qu'il a à dire et à montrer aux hommes et aux femmes d'aujourd'hui. Qu'a
donc à nous dire? Qu'a donc à nous montrer le frère André qui, en son temps,
fut reconnu comme un grand thaumaturge et eut l'audace d'entreprendre la
construction, sur le Mont-Royal, de ce qui est devenu le plus grand oratoire
dédié à saint Joseph? Il a d'abord à nous dire et à nous montrer qu'une vie est
belle et féconde quand elle est mise à l'écoute et au service des autres.
Le frère André a été un
homme d'écoute et de compassion. Il a laissé tous les malheureux – riches
ou pauvres - s'approcher de lui. Très souvent, il est allé vers
ceux qui ne pouvaient pas venir vers lui. Presque chaque jour, à son bureau,
durant des heures et des heures, il tendait l'oreille. Il se rendait attentif
aux personnes qui lui confiaient leurs malheurs, leurs souffrances, leurs
maladies, leurs déboires, leurs échecs, leur mal de vivre… Après avoir écouté,
il réconfortait. Il invitait au courage et à l'espérance. Il exhortait à avoir
confiance en Dieu. Il priait beaucoup pour ceux et celles qui s'adressait à
lui. Il priait Dieu. Il priait Marie. Avec ferveur, il priait saint Joseph.
Souvent, il priait devant le Christ en croix.
Un de ses amis, monsieur
Joseph Pichette a dit de lui: «Avant de partir pour visiter les malades, il
nous amenait prier avec lui à la chapelle, et il priait assez longtemps. Durant
les visites aux malades, il lui arrivait de nous demander de temps en temps de
le conduire à l'église où il priait quelquefois pendant une heure et plus.»[1]
Nous venons d'entendre
quelques lignes de la première épître de l'apôtre Pierre. «Avant tout, ayez
entre vous une charité intense […] Ce que chacun de vous a reçu comme don de la
grâce, mettez-le au service des autres.»[2].
Le frère André a vécu cela d'une manière éminente. Sa vie est une invitation à
devenir à notre tour des êtres d'écoute, de compassion, de service, et de
prière. Que d'hommes et de femmes, que de personnes âgées et de jeunes, que
d'adolescentes et d'adolescents seraient plus heureux et auraient plus
d'étincelles dans les yeux, s'ils rencontraient quelqu'un qui prendrait le
temps de les écouter et de les aimer!
Ce que le frère André a
aussi à nous dire et à nous montrer, c'est qu'une vie mérite d'être vécue en
compagnie de Dieu. Le frère André avait en Dieu une foi vive. Pas une foi
intellectuelle. Pas une foi compliquée. Pas une foi apprise dans les livres.
Une foi reçue sur les genoux de sa mère. Une foi éclairée par de longs temps de
prière et de méditation. Une foi qui baignait dans l'amour. S'il y a une
chose dont le frère était assuré, c'était de l'amour de Dieu. Il se plaisait à
dire: «Comme le bon Dieu est bon! Comme il s'occupe de nous!»[3].
Il aimait aussi à dire: «Le bon Dieu nous aime tant, infiniment, il veut qu'on
l'aime.»[4]
Le frère André n'a jamais
douté de l'amour que Dieu avait pour lui. Les souffrances qu'il a dû supporter
- et elles furent nombreuses - ne lui ont jamais donné à penser que Dieu
s'était éloigné ou désintéressé de lui. Le frère André a prononcé à ce sujet
des mots tout simples, mais étonnants et lumineux. Il a dit: «Ceux qui
souffrent ont quelque chose à offrir au bon Dieu.»[5] Il
a dit: «Ne demandez pas à vous faire enlever les épreuves, demandez plutôt à
Dieu la grâce de les bien supporter.»[6] Il
a dit: «Mettez-vous entre les mains du bon Dieu; il n'abandonne personne dans
les adversités.»[7] Nous
vivons à une époque où il est tentant de penser que l'on peut vivre en se
passant de Dieu. Le frère André nous rappelle que ce qui donne goût à la vie et
la rend féconde, c'est de la vivre avec Dieu, dans son intimité et dans son
amour.
Le frère André était
convaincu que Dieu pouvait se servir de lui pour accomplir des choses
admirables. Durant des dizaines d'années, les gens sont venus vers lui en
reconnaissant en lui un puissant thaumaturge. Ça ne lui a jamais enflé la
tête. À ce sujet, il répétait souvent: «Le monde est-il bête de penser que le
frère André fait des miracles. Le bon Dieu fait les miracles. Saint Joseph les
obtient.»[8] Et,
à la manière de saint Paul, il disait, en pensant à Dieu: «L'artiste, c'est
avec les plus petits pinceaux qu'il fait les plus beaux tableaux.»[9]
Ce n'est pas un petit
saint qui vient d'être canonisé, mais un grand, un très grand. Ce
très grand saint - le frère André - est de chez nous. Parmi nos parents
et nos grands-parents, ou parmi les amis de nos parents et de nos
grands-parents, plusieurs l'ont connu. Il a vécu tout près de nous sur le
Mont-Royal et il a dit: «Quand je serai mort, je vais être rendu au Ciel, je
vais être bien plus près du bon Dieu que je ne le suis actuellement, j'aurai
beaucoup plus de pouvoir pour vous aider.»[10]
Frère André… saint frère
André, nous t'en prions, tiens ta promesse. Prie pour nous: prie pour que
nous soyons des femmes et des hommes d'écoute et de compassion, des femmes et
des hommes qui aiment Dieu d'un grand amour parce qu'ils se savent beaucoup
aimés de lui, des femmes et des hommes qui, devenus «disciples» de Jésus,
deviennent «doux et humble[s] de cœur» comme lui et trouvent en lui «le
repos».[11]
AMEN
[1] Cahiers
de l'Oratoire Saint-Joseph. Le Frère André – Études et documents, Centre
de recherche et de documentation, Montréal, Oratoire Saint-Joseph, juin 1998,
p. 45.
[2] 1
Pierre 4, 8.10.
[3] Frère
André disait souvent… Fides, 2010, p. 21.
[4] Idem,
p. 22.
[5] Idem, p.
180.
[6] Idem, p.
61.
[7] Idem,
p. 54.
[8] Idem, p.
121.
[9] Idem, p.
94.
[10] Idem,
p. 49.
[11] Matthieu
11, 29.
Icone,
Chapelle du Frère André, Oratoire
Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, Montréal
LUNDI 6 JANVIER 2014
7 janvier: Saint frère
André
À la fin du 19e siècle,
un frêle religieux de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, portier au collège
Notre-Dame à Montréal, contemplait souvent la montagne qui se dressait devant
sa fenêtre. Il y voyait un oratoire dédié à la gloire de saint Joseph. Cette
vision était portée par une foi à transformer les montagnes. Le rêve deviendra
réalité. À sa mort, le 6 janvier 1937, un million de personnes convergeront
vers la dépouille de l’humble frère, au pied de l’Oratoire du Mont-Royal, le
plus grand lieu de pèlerinage au monde consacré à saint Joseph.
Frère André a été
canonisé à Rome par Benoît XVI le 17 octobre 2010, devenant ainsi le premier
homme né au Canada à recevoir une telle grâce. Normalement, la fête liturgique
d'un saint est associée à celle de sa mort, considérée comme le jour de sa
naissance au Ciel. Mais comme la solennité de l'Épiphanie est célébrée le 6
janvier dans plusieurs pays, le Vatican a fixé la fête liturgique de saint
frère André le 7 janvier, lui gardant ainsi une dimension internationale dans
toute l'Église. Voici un survol de sa vie.
Homme de métiers et de
prière
Alfred Bessette est né le
9 août 1845 à Saint-Grégoire d’Iberville. Comme beaucoup de paysans
canadiens-français, sa famille est pauvre. Le père travaille le bois et la mère
s’occupe de la famille. C’est elle qui lui a transmis la dévotion à saint
Joseph, comme il le dit lui-même : « Dès mon jeune âge, j’avais de la
dévotion envers saint Joseph. Je n’ai jamais manqué de le prier. Cette dévotion
m’avait été enseignée par ma mère. » Le père meurt en 1855, laissant dix
enfants à une mère malade qui mourra trois années plus tard. Alfred sera donc
orphelin dès l’âge de 12 ans.
Commence alors
l’apprentissage de divers métiers. La santé fragile du petit Bessette l’empêche
d’effectuer des travaux pénibles. Il sera alors boulanger, ferblantier,
apprenti cordonnier, forgeron. À la suite d’autres Canadiens de cette époque,
il travaille dans les usines de textile de la Nouvelle-Angleterre aux
États-Unis. Il a 20 ans, parle anglais, mais l’avenir semble terne.
Il revient au Québec en
1867. Comme il arrive souvent dans toute vie humaine, c’est par l’entremise
d’un autre que le jeune homme trouvera sa voie. Le curé de sa paroisse, l’abbé
André Provençal, avait remarqué depuis longtemps la piété d’Alfred. Il le présente
aux religieux de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, à Montréal. « Je vous ai
envoyé un Saint », écrit-il au supérieur du Collège. Parole prophétique.
Mais on hésite, compte tenu de sa santé fragile et de son instruction limitée.
Finalement, il est accepté au noviciat en décembre 1870. C’est l’année où Pie
IX déclare saint Joseph patron de l’Église universelle.
Homme de service et de
souffrance
Alfred Bessette reçoit le
nom de frère André, en souvenir de son ancien curé. Il remplira la fonction de
portier au collège Notre-Dame pendant quarante ans. « Quand je suis arrivé
au collège, ils m’ont mis à la porte, et j’y suis resté 40 ans »,
disait-il avec humour. Dévoué au service de sa communauté, il est jardinier,
coiffeur, laveur de planchers et de vitres, commissionnaire. Il visite souvent
les malades. Ce qui le caractérise le plus : sa fervente dévotion à saint
Joseph qu’il propage autour de lui, surtout auprès de ceux qui souffrent
physiquement. Un élève est guéri à l’infirmerie, d’autres malades témoignent
aussi des « pouvoirs » de l’humble frère. Lui, il médite les
souffrances de la passion du Christ et déclare sans
ambages : « Ce n’est pas moi qui guéris. C’est saint
Joseph ».
La polémique s’installe
dans la communauté. Les moqueries fusent d’un peu partout. Rien ne détourne
frère André de sa mission de réconfort auprès des malades qui sont de plus en
plus nombreux à demander son secours. Il les reçoit toute la journée dans son
petit bureau. Un rêve le talonne : construire une chapelle en bois à saint
Joseph sur le flanc de la montagne, en face du collège. Il commence la construction
en 1904 avec l’aide de laïcs. La chapelle sera agrandie plusieurs fois. Il
répète à qui veut l’entendre : « Allez à saint Joseph, priez-le, il
ne vous laissera pas tomber en chemin ». Mais il ne sépare pas ce que Dieu
a uni : « Quand la Sainte Vierge et saint Joseph intercèdent
ensemble, ça pousse fort. »
La réputation de frère
André dépasse les frontières. On le surnomme le thaumaturge du Mont-Royal. À un
clerc qui le met en garde contre l’orgueil, il répond en sortant de sa poche
une statuette de saint Joseph : « Il n’y a pas de danger : j’ai
saint Joseph dans ma poche. » Toujours cet humour des saints qui
s’apparente à l’humilité et à la joie.
On signale en 1916 plus
de 400 guérisons. Devant tant de merveilles, il rend grâce : « Comme
le bon Dieu est bon ! Ces guérisons font du bien à ceux qui sont guéris et
aux autres qui en entendent parler. Cela augmente leur foi ». L’appui
populaire et le soutien du diocèse donnent des ailes à son projet. En 1917, la
crypte, pouvant accueillir 1000 personnes, est inaugurée. Et l’on commence en
1924 la construction de la Basilique qui ne sera terminée qu’en 1967. Le Frère
André ne verra pas son rêve totalement réalisé, mais l’impulsion du départ
étant donnée dans la foi et l’humilité, saint Joseph fera le reste. Que de fois
n’a-t-il pas dit : « L’Oratoire, ce n’est pas mon œuvre, le bon Dien
en fera ce qu’il veut ».
Homme de foi et de
confiance
Frère André continue sa
mission d’amour avec pauvreté, simplicité et compassion. Chaque matin, il monte
à l’Oratoire, tel un Moïse qui intercède pour le peuple. Il accueille les
visiteurs, surtout les plus démunis ; il les écoute, les frotte avec la
fameuse huile de Saint-Joseph qu’il prélève d’une lampe votive. Pour lui, il
n’y a rien de magique dans ce geste de foi. Le bon Frère sait que ce signe
manifeste la confiance en Dieu et en saint Joseph. Il disait : « Ce
n’est pas l’huile qui est importante, mais la foi que vous avez en Dieu ».
C’est le père Narcisse
Hupier, un français du Mans arrivé à Montréal en 1872, qui va parler au frère
André de l’huile. Le père Hupier lui raconte que cette dévotion populaire
consiste à retirer de l’huile d’olive d’une lampe qui brûle devant une image de
la Sainte-Face de Jésus. Joseph Dupont, de la ville de Tours, développe ce
culte de la Sainte-Face qui va tant marquer Thérèse
de Liseux, dont son nom en religion est Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus et de la
Sainte-Face. Ami du bienheureux
Basile Moreau, le fondateur des pères de Sainte-Croix, monsieur Dupont a
remarqué que des guérisons s’opèrent lorsqu’on frotte les malades avec un peu
de cette huile. Cet acte de foi frappe l’imagination de frère André, d’autant
plus qu’il s’entend très bien avec le père Hupier et qu’il a confiance en lui.
Il va adapter cette pratique venue d’ailleurs en substituant à l’image de la
sainte Face la statue de saint Joseph.
Plusieurs demandent des
guérisons, trop peu l’humilité et l’esprit de foi, au dire de frère André.
« Il faut commencer par soigner l'âme. Avez-vous la foi? Croyez-vous que
le bon Dieu peut faire quelque chose pour vous? Allez vous confesser au prêtre,
allez communier, vous reviendrez me voir ensuite ». Malgré quelques sautes
d’humeur, son humilité a toujours le dernier mot, et surtout son sens de
l’humour qui le rend si humain et si proche des autres. Pour les petites gens,
nul doute que cet homme est un saint, car il irradie l’amour de Dieu.
Homme de pénitence et
d’espérance
Frère André est un
pénitent qui jeûne, dort peu, accueille les épreuves comme une grâce. La
tristesse ne l’atteint pas vraiment, car il est de tempérament jovial. Sa
recette : « Il ne faut pas être triste mais gai ; en faisant
attention de ne pas faire de peine aux autres. » Par contre, la tristesse
monte en lui lorsqu’il médite sur la Passion du Christ en faisant son chemin de
croix « Il faut être fort dans les épreuves ! Il faut tout endurer pour l'amour
de Dieu : il a tant souffert pour nous. », dit-il avec émotion.
Mystérieuse fécondité de la souffrance unie à l’amour. Frère André l’avait
constaté : « C'est souvent après de graves épreuves que l'Oratoire
grandissait le plus. »
Toute sa vie frère André
a su se mettre au service des autres, un peu comme Joseph l’artisan, dont il
est le messager et l’instrument. S’il aime tant saint Joseph, c’est parce qu’il
est un peu comme lui, travailleur manuel, délaissé et simple, effacé et humble.
Il conseillait aux gens de le prier ainsi : « Si vous étiez à ma place, saint
Joseph, qu’est ce que vous voudriez qu’on vous fasse? Et bien faites-le pour
moi.»
Usé par tant de
souffrances, frère André meurt un mercredi, journée consacrée à saint Joseph,
le 6 janvier 1937 à l’âge de 91 ans. C’est son épiphanie, l’ultime manifestation
du Christ dans sa vie. Un million de personnes défilent devant son cercueil à
l’Oratoire. L’onde de choc se répercute jusqu’en France. On lit dans Le
Figaro : « Un extraordinaire thaumaturge vient de mourir. Le frère
André sera-t-il le premier saint canadien ? » Oui, mais 73 ans plus
tard. Le pape Jean-Paul II l’avait béatifié le 23 mai 1982, reconnaissant en
lui « un homme de prière et un ami des pauvres ».
Le tombeau de frère André
est situé dans une petite chapelle funéraire non loin de la crypte. Il est
placé à la base même de l’Oratoire, comme une pierre angulaire où tout
converge. On y lit ces simples mots qui résument sa vie : Pauper,
servus, humilis. Grâce à ces vertus, l’Oratoire est devenu un haut-lieu de
spiritualité et d’intériorité, de beauté et d’accueil. Pour y être allé prier
plusieurs fois et pour y avoir prêché la grande neuvaine à saint Joseph en
2009, il y a en ces lieux un « je ne sais quoi », dirait saint Jean
de la Croix, qui élève l’âme et apaise le coeur. Frère André avait déjà
dit : « Quand je serai mort, je vais être rendu au ciel. Je vais être
bien plus près du bon Dieu que je ne le suis actuellement. J’aurai plus de
pouvoir pour vous aider ».
Pour aller plus loin,
lire ma petite biographie Frère
André. La force tranquille. Pour méditer ses paroles, Frère
André, une pensée par jour. Lire également: Les
saints, ces fous admirables.
Pour entendre mes entrevues sur le frère André, cliquez
ici.
SOURCE : https://www.jacquesgauthier.com/blog/entry/7-janvier-saint-frere-andre.html#sthash.1LIkQEPq.dpuf
Frère
André en 1874 au moment de ses vœux perpétuels
BESSETTE, ALFRED, dit frère
André, frère convers de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix et figure
charismatique, né le 9 août 1845 dans la paroisse de Saint-Grégoire
(Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Québec), fils d’Isaac Bessette et de Clothilde
Foisy ; décédé le 6 janvier 1937 à l’hôpital Notre-Dame-de-l’Espérance de
ville Saint-Laurent (Montréal).
Alfred Bessette est le
neuvième enfant d’une famille de 13 (dont 4 morts en bas âge). Il est si frêle
à sa naissance que le curé le baptise, le lendemain, « sous
condition ». À l’automne de 1849, Isaac Bessette vend sa propriété de
Saint-Grégoire et achète une terre à neuf milles de là, au sud-est, à Farnham,
près de la rivière Yamaska. Le père de famille, pauvre, exerce divers
métiers : menuisier, charpentier, tonnelier et charron. Le 20 février
1855, un arbre qu’il abat lui tombe sur la poitrine et le tue. Désormais seule
avec ses enfants, Clothilde assure leur éducation chrétienne et leur transmet
la dévotion traditionnelle à la sainte Famille de Jésus, Marie et Joseph.
Restée sous le choc de la mort de son mari, elle dépérit et meurt de
tuberculose le 20 novembre 1857.
Alfred a 12 ans. Il est
recueilli par sa tante maternelle Marie-Rosalie et son mari Timothée Nadeau,
qui résident à Saint-Césaire. Il suit des leçons de catéchisme, puis reçoit la
confirmation de Mgr Jean-Charles Prince*,
premier évêque de Saint-Hyacinthe, le 7 juin 1858. Sa pauvreté et sa santé
fragile expliquent la brièveté de ses études ; il ne saura que signer son
nom et lire les caractères imprimés. Pour gagner sa vie, Alfred transporte des
matériaux de construction. Quand l’oncle Nadeau, en 1860, part chercher de l’or
en Californie, le maire de Saint-Césaire, Louis Ouimet, accueille l’adolescent
pour travailler dans la ferme. Alfred exerce ensuite divers métiers à Farnham,
à Saint-Jean (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), à Waterloo et à Chambly. En 1862, de
retour à Saint-Césaire, il est apprenti boulanger et cordonnier. Ces multiples
expériences de travail n’améliorent pas son état, lui qui ne digère rien,
disent des témoins, mais qui prie toujours. D’ailleurs, depuis sa tendre
enfance à Farnham, Alfred a des comportements qui inquiètent son
entourage : malgré sa santé fragile, il se prive de dessert et porte à la
taille une ceinture en cuir avec des pointes de fer. Ses stations de prière à
genoux sont longues, fréquentes et intenses : on le trouve les bras en
croix, devant un crucifix, à l’église, dans sa chambre ou dans une grange.
Dans l’espoir d’y trouver
un travail adapté à sa constitution, Alfred prend le train pour la
Nouvelle-Angleterre en octobre 1863. Des milliers de compatriotes attirés par
la prospérité du pays y ont déjà émigré, et parmi eux, des frères, des sœurs et
des connaissances d’Alfred. Le jeune homme de 18 ans, qui a peine à supporter
le travail en usine, alterne les emplois dans des filatures de coton avec le
travail dans des fermes. Il est embauché au Connecticut (Moosup, Putnam,
Hartford et Killingly), au Massachusetts (North Easton) et au Rhode Island
(Phenix). Réservé de nature, Alfred, épuisé après sa journée de travail,
s’enferme dans sa chambre et prie.
Après avoir cherché sans
succès pendant quatre ans un emploi qui lui convienne, Bessette revient au
Canada en 1867 et s’installe à Sutton, où vivent sa sœur Léocadie et son frère
Claude. Il retourne bientôt à Farnham. Le prêtre de l’endroit, Édouard
Springer, l’engage pour prendre soin du cheval, du jardin et des gros travaux
du presbytère. Quand il change de cure en 1868, Bessette retourne à
Saint-Césaire chez Louis Ouimet ; ce dernier, témoin de sa piété, en parle
à son curé, André Provençal. Interrogé sur son désir d’entrer en religion,
Alfred invoque son ignorance. L’abbé Provençal calme ses réticences en l’assurant
qu’il trouvera dans la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix, à laquelle il confie en
1869 la direction d’un collège dans sa paroisse, le climat de prière dont il a
besoin, tout en se rendant utile.
Le 22 novembre 1870,
Bessette se présente au collège Notre-Dame, à Côte-des-Neiges (Montréal), où la
Congrégation de Sainte-Croix vient d’installer son noviciat. Le mois précédent,
le curé Provençal a écrit une lettre de recommandation au maître des novices,
Julien-Pierre Gastineau, lui disant qu’il envoyait un saint à sa communauté. Le
8 décembre, le pape Pie IX déclare saint Joseph patron de l’Église universelle.
Avec un autre postulant, Bessette prend l’habit religieux le 27 décembre, ainsi
que le nom d’André, en l’honneur du curé Provençal. On lui confie la fonction
de portier du collège, qu’il exercera jusqu’à la mi-juillet 1909. Il doit aussi
assurer la propreté des lieux, faire les courses, donner l’aumône aux pauvres.
Il fait de plus office de barbier et d’infirmier auprès des collégiens malades,
s’occupe du courrier, du transport des colis des élèves, qu’il accompagne
parfois les jours de promenade. En 1872, les supérieurs de la congrégation
hésitent cependant, en raison de sa mauvaise santé, à l’admettre à la
profession religieuse. Après une conversation avec Mgr Ignace Bourget* –
celui-là même qui a fait venir la congrégation au pays [V. Joseph-Pierre Rézé* ;
Jean-Baptiste Saint-Germain*]
–, le frère André est rassuré. Peu après, le nouveau maître des novices, Amédée
Guy, le recommande en disant : « Si ce jeune homme devient incapable
de travailler, il saura au moins bien prier. » Admis à prononcer ses vœux
temporaires le 22 août 1872, le frère André fait sa profession perpétuelle à 28
ans et 6 mois, le 2 février 1874.
Parmi les visiteurs que
le frère André accueille au collège se trouvent des personnes qui confient leur
maladie à ses prières. D’autres l’invitent à les visiter à la maison. Le
religieux prie avec eux ; il leur remet une médaille de saint Joseph,
celui à qui il voue une dévotion particulière, quelques gouttes de l’huile
d’olive qui brûle devant la statue du saint, dans la chapelle du collège, et
leur conseille de s’en frictionner avec confiance. Des personnes, de plus en
plus nombreuses, se mettent à déclarer avoir été guéries ou soulagées de cette
manière. Le premier récit connu, celui de Désiré-Michel Giraudeau, dit frère
Aldéric, qui rapporte sa propre guérison ainsi que celle de plusieurs autres
personnes, est publié à Paris en 1878, dans les Annales de
l’Association de Saint-Joseph. La réputation de thaumaturge et de sainteté du
petit frère – il mesure à peine plus de cinq pieds – se répand de
bouche à oreille. La direction du collège finit par s’inquiéter du flot
croissant des visiteurs. Des parents, des confrères et même le médecin de
l’établissement dénoncent aux autorités religieuses et sanitaires de la ville
la présence de malades à proximité des élèves. Certains qualifient le frère de
charlatan, de vieux graisseux… Autour de 1900, on demande au frère André de
recevoir les malades dans un abri construit en face du collège, à l’arrêt du
tramway, pour les parents des élèves. Il amène ses visiteurs prier devant une
statue de saint Joseph qu’il a installée dans une niche sur le mont Royal. Le
terrain, acquis en 1896 par le collège Notre-Dame, a été nommé parc
Saint-Joseph ; la partie du bas sert à la culture et celle du haut fait
office de lieu de récréation. Le frère André nourrit le projet d’y ériger une
chapelle à saint Joseph. Avec l’appui de ses amis – les vœux de
plusieurs d’entre eux ont été exaucés après avoir prié avec lui –, il
finit par obtenir l’autorisation de la construire. La direction du collège et
l’archevêque de Montréal, Mgr Paul Bruchési,
précisent toutefois que les frais engagés seront à la charge des demandeurs.
Grâce aux dons offerts spontanément, en argent ou en nature (par exemple des
statues, des vases, des vêtements liturgiques, une cloche), le sanctuaire
primitif est inauguré le 16 octobre 1904.
De 1905 à 1908, la
cérémonie du jeudi de l’Ascension et la procession de septembre marquent l’ouverture
et la fermeture de la saison des pèlerinages. Après s’être réunis à plusieurs
reprises en 1907, les zélateurs de l’oratoire Saint-Joseph se constituent en
comité le 9 septembre 1908, sous le nom de comité de l’oratoire Saint-Joseph de
la Côte-des-Neiges. L’afflux des pèlerins est tel qu’on devra augmenter les
dimensions de la chapelle à quatre reprises de 1908 à 1912. Chaque fois, la
générosité populaire permettra de payer les travaux rubis sur l’ongle. Le
comité existe jusqu’à la mi-juillet 1909 ; à partir de ce moment, les
autorités du collège Notre-Dame assument l’administration de l’oratoire, dont
le frère André devient alors le gardien. Une association pieuse, la confrérie
de Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, est constituée officiellement par Mgr Bruchési
le 21 novembre 1909. Des laïques, hommes et femmes, amis du frère André et
bienfaiteurs de l’œuvre, en font partie et sont convoqués par le recteur de
l’oratoire, le supérieur provincial Georges-Auguste Dion*,
pour une heure de prière à trois heures de l’après-midi, le troisième dimanche
de chaque mois. C’est l’occasion de rendre compte des affaires du
sanctuaire : lettres reçues, intentions recommandées, guérisons obtenues,
renseignements divers sur le développement et les activités de l’œuvre. À
partir de 1910, le frère André a un secrétaire pour répondre au courrier qui
lui est adressé.
En 1912, on organise le
conseil de l’oratoire Saint-Joseph, formé de trois prêtres et de trois frères
de Sainte-Croix, dont le frère André. La revue mensuelle les Annales de
Saint-Joseph – destinée à répandre la dévotion à saint Joseph et à
faire connaître les œuvres de l’oratoire et les missions de la Congrégation de
Sainte-Croix au Bengale, tout en faisant écho aux préoccupations sociales de
l’époque – commence à paraître à Montréal la même année. Une édition
anglaise verra le jour en 1927. Une équipe de religieux s’emploie à la
rédaction des articles et des chroniques ; des auteurs de choix, tels
Félix Leclerc*,
Guy Mauffette*,
Alfred DesRochers*,
Françoise Gaudet-Smet [Gaudet*],
Marie-Antoinette Grégoire-Coupal, apporteront par la suite leur collaboration,
ainsi que les illustrateurs Edmond-Joseph Massicotte*,
Jacques Gagnier* et
Gui Laflamme. La revue paraît encore au début du xxie siècle et
s’intitule l’Oratoire. De 3 600 en 1912, le tirage sera de
122 000 exemplaires en 1932.
L’affluence au sanctuaire
continue d’augmenter. En 1913, sous la pression des laïques et avec
l’encouragement de Mgr Bruchési, un projet de basilique, dont les plans sont
dessinés par les architectes Louis-Alphonse Venne et
Dalbé Viau,
est mis en branle. L’argent nécessaire pour financer la construction de la
crypte, soit 80 000 $, est déjà amassé grâce aux dons des fidèles.
Les travaux commencent donc dès 1914 et l’inauguration de la crypte – première
étape du projet – a lieu le 16 décembre 1917. En moins d’un an, le
sanctuaire, qui peut accueillir 1 000 personnes assises, se révèle cependant
trop petit. Le nombre de visiteurs s’accroît encore au cours des années 1920,
pendant lesquelles le sanctuaire devient, selon la volonté de l’archevêque et
de son coadjuteur, Mgr Georges Gauthier,
le cœur des activités religieuses de l’archidiocèse. Des associations de toutes
sortes – mouvements sociaux, syndicats catholiques,
congrégations – prennent l’habitude d’y faire des pèlerinages et des
rassemblements qui attirent des milliers de personnes. Dans les paroisses et
les établissements d’enseignement, on organise des visites annuelles à
l’oratoire.
Les visiteurs ne viennent
plus seulement de la province de Québec, mais aussi de l’Ontario, du
Nouveau-Brunswick, de l’Ouest canadien et des États-Unis. Le frère André les
reçoit chaque jour de neuf heures du matin à cinq heures de l’après-midi. Le
soir, des amis le conduisent en auto chez des malades qui ne peuvent se
déplacer. Une seule personne ne suffit plus pour répondre aux quelque 200 à 300
lettres qu’il reçoit quotidiennement ; on met en place un secrétariat. En
1920, le frère André institue la tenue, chaque vendredi soir à huit heures,
d’une heure sainte à la crypte, bientôt suivie d’un chemin de la croix ;
ces soirées de prière attirent des centaines de fidèles. L’idée de réparation
que proposent les autorités religieuses pour contrer la menace du socialisme et
du communisme, ainsi que les guerres en Europe, donne lieu à diverses initiatives
laïques. À compter de 1926, par exemple, Édouard-L.-H. Barsalo organise un
pèlerinage à pied pour assister à la première messe de chaque année à
l’oratoire ; des centaines, puis des milliers de personnes répondent à
l’appel.
Dès 1915, les supérieurs
du frère André lui permettent de prendre un peu de repos deux fois par
année ; il en profite pour aller visiter des parents et des amis à Sutton,
à Saint-Césaire et à Québec, mais également aux États-Unis (surtout en
Nouvelle-Angleterre) et en Ontario (Toronto, Sudbury et Ottawa). Sa réputation
de saint et de thaumaturge le précède. Les chefs de gare annoncent sa venue et
les gens se pressent à sa descente du train, à la porte des hôtels ou des
presbytères où il est hébergé. C’est chaque fois l’occasion de guérisons que
relatent les journaux locaux. Il revient toujours avec les offrandes données en
reconnaissance des faveurs obtenues. La population réclame de plus en plus la
poursuite du projet de basilique ; en 1927, Mgr Georges Gauthier autorise
une souscription pour recueillir la somme nécessaire. En attendant, on continue
d’aménager le terrain et d’y construire des chemins et des aires de
stationnement, d’y ériger des lieux de services.
Les merveilles qui
s’accomplissent à l’oratoire Saint-Joseph suscitent l’intérêt des journaux,
surtout anglophones. En 1922, George Henry Ham*,
lobbyiste pour la Compagnie du chemin de fer canadien du Pacifique, publie dans
le magazine Maclean’s, de Toronto, un reportage qu’il a rédigé après
avoir visité le religieux et rencontré des personnes qu’il aurait guéries. Le
texte suscite un tel intérêt qu’il donne immédiatement lieu à la parution, à
Toronto, de la première biographie du frère André, The miracle man of
Montreal, aussitôt traduite par Raoul Clouthier et publiée à Montréal sous
le titre le Thaumaturge de Montréal. La même année, Arthur Saint-Pierre* reçoit
le mandat d’écrire l’histoire du sanctuaire ; l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph
du Mont-Royal, paru à Montréal, connaîtra plusieurs rééditions.
Après avoir montré
beaucoup de réticence au sujet de son projet, les supérieurs du frère André ont
fini par se laisser gagner par la sincérité, la simplicité et la conviction de
celui qui, pour étayer sa cause, ne s’est réclamé d’aucun miracle ni d’aucune
vision, mais seulement de sa dévotion à saint Joseph. À cette ferveur
particulière s’ajoutaient l’amour de Dieu, la fréquentation de l’Évangile, ainsi
qu’un culte à la sainte Famille et au Sacré-Cœur. À ses amis intimes, il
racontait la Passion avec une telle émotion qu’ils en étaient remués et
transformés. Avec eux, il priait et faisait le chemin de la croix. À tous, il
demandait de prier. Parmi ceux qui l’ont accompagné assidûment figurent
Jules-Aimé Maucotel, qu’il appelait son conseiller et qui a activement
collaboré à l’organisation des cérémonies, Azarias Claude, riche commerçant qui
est devenu son bras droit et son chauffeur, Joseph-Olivier Pichette, qui, après
avoir été condamné par son médecin à une mort prochaine à l’âge de 25 ans,
attribuait sa guérison aux longues prières avec le thaumaturge.
Plusieurs années avant sa
mort, le frère André était déjà la figure emblématique de l’oratoire Saint-Joseph.
Son charisme, sa figure souriante – toute ridée et respirant la
bonté –, son humour simple savaient gagner les plus indifférents. Il
faisait preuve de discernement auprès de ses visiteurs, mais aussi d’une
charité sans bornes : il accueillait tous ceux qui se présentaient, sans
égard à leur condition sociale ni à leur religion. Même s’il aimait rire, il
avait des moments d’impatience, surtout quand on lui attribuait le mérite des
faveurs obtenues : « Ce n’est pas moi qui guéris. C’est saint Joseph »,
disait-il alors en pleurant.
Alfred Bessette est mort
le 6 janvier 1937. Son corps a été exposé à l’oratoire – auquel on a
permis l’accès jour et nuit – jusqu’au 12 janvier. Un premier service
funèbre a eu lieu à la cathédrale de Montréal, puis un deuxième à l’oratoire
Saint-Joseph. Plus de un million de personnes sont venues de partout pour lui
rendre hommage, pour le pleurer et pour prier auprès de lui. Le frère André a
été déclaré bienheureux le 23 mai 1982 par le pape Jean-Paul II et canonisé le
17 octobre 2010 par le pape Benoît XVI.
La bibliographie la plus
complète sur le frère André se trouve dans Étienne Catta, le Frère André
(1845-1937) et l’oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal (Montréal et Paris,
1965). Dans Denise Robillard, les Merveilles de l’oratoire :
l’oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, 1904-2004 (Montréal, 2005), nous la
mettons à jour en y ajoutant des titres parus pendant les 40 dernières années.
Pour des renseignements supplémentaires, le lecteur consultera Laurent
Boucher, Brother André : the miracle man of Mount Royal (Montréal,
1997).
BAnQ-CAM, CE604-S11, 10
août 1845.— Le Devoir, 7 janv. 1937.
© 2005–2024 Université
Laval/University of Toronto
SOURCE : http://www.biographi.ca/fr/bio/bessette_alfred_16F.html
Le frère André, le 8 octobre 1925, devant l'infirmerie provinciale de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix. Centre d'archives et de documentation Roland-Gauthier, photo 4-24.
Also
known as
Alfred
Alfredo
Andreas
Frère André
Profile
Son of a woodcutter,
and eighth of twelve children.
His father died in
a work-related accident, his mother of tuberculosis,
and he was adopted at
age twelve by a farmer uncle
who insisted he work for his keep. Over the years Andre worked as a farmhand, shoemaker, baker, blacksmith,
and factory worker. At 25 he applied to join the Congregation
of the Holy Cross; Andre was initially refused due to poor
health, but he gained the backing of Bishop Bourget,
and was accepted.
Doorkeeper at
Notre Dame College, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Sacristan, laundry
worker and messenger.
He spent much of each night in prayer,
and on his window sill, facing Mount Royal, was a small statue of Saint Joseph,
to whom Andre was especially devoted. “Some day,” Andre believed, “Saint Joseph will
be honored on Mount Royal.”
Andre had a special
ministry to the sick.
He would rub the sick person
with oil from a lamp in the college chapel,
and many were healed.
Word of his power spread, and when an epidemic broke
out at a nearby college,
Andre volunteered to help; no one died.
The trickle of sick
people to his door became a flood. His superiors were uneasy; diocesan authorities
were suspicious; doctors called
him a quack. “I do not cure,”
he always said; “Saint Joseph cures.”
By his death,
he was receiving 80,000 letters each year from the sick who
sought his prayers and healing.
For many years the Holy
Cross authorities had tried to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother Andre and
others climbed the steep hill and planted medals of Saint Joseph on
it, and soon after, the owners yielded, which incident helped the current
devotion to Saint Joseph by
those looking to buy or sell a home. Andre collected money to build a
small chapel and
received visitors there, listening to their problems, praying,
rubbing them with Saint Joseph‘s
oil, and curing many. The chapel is
still in use.
Born
9
August 1845 Mont-Saint-Gregoire,
Monteregie Region near Montreal, Quebec, Canada as Alfred
Bessette
6
January 1937 of
‘gastric catarrh’ in the infirmary of Our Lady of Hope convent,
Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
more than a million
people paid their respects at his funeral
buried in
an alcove inside the crypt behind the Votive Chapel at Saint Joseph’s Oratory
of Mount Royal, Mont-Royal, Montreal
his tombstone
reads: Pauper, servis a humilis (a poor and humble servant)
12
June 1978 by Pope Paul
VI (decree of heroic
virtues)
23
May 1982 by Pope John
Paul II
17
October 2010 by Pope Benedict
XVI
medals and pendants –
( page 01 )
( page 02 )
( page 03 )
( page 04 )
( page 05 )
( page 06 )
( page 07 )
rosaries – ( page 01 )
( page 02 )
Additional
Information
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
other
sites in english
Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dictionary
of Canadian Biography
Seven
Crosses of Brother André’s Life
video
webseiten
auf deutsch
sitios
en español
Martirologio
Romano, 2001 edición
sites
en français
Dictionnaire
biographique du Canada
vidéos
en français
Radio
Canada: Frère André
Radio
Canada: Le miracle du frère André
Radio
Canada: Les touristes à l’Oratoire
Radio
Canada: Le frère André bienheureux
Radio
Canada: L’oratoire Saint-Joseph, lieu de diversité religieuse
fonti
in italiano
websites
in nederlandse
nettsteder
i norsk
spletne
strani v slovenšcini
MLA
Citation
“Saint André
Bessette“. CatholicSaints.Info. 21 July 2020. Web. 5 January
2021. <https://catholicsaints.info/saint-andre-bessette/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-andre-bessette/
Statue
du frère André, Cocathédrale Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue, rue Saint-Charles,
Longueuil, Québec
St. André Bessette
St. André Bessette
expressed a saint’s faith by a lifelong devotion to St. Joseph. Sickness
and weakness dogged André from birth. He was the eighth of 12 children born to
a French Canadian couple near Montreal. Adopted at 12, when both parents had died,
he became a farmhand. Various trades followed: shoemaker, baker, blacksmith—all
failures. He was a factory worker in the United States during the boom times of
the Civil War.
At 25, he applied for
entrance into the Congregation of the Holy Cross. After a year’s novitiate, he
was not admitted because of his weak health. But with an extension and the
urging of Bishop Bourget (see Marie-Rose Durocher, October 6), he was finally
received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in
Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger.
“When I joined this community, the superiors showed me the door, and I remained
40 years.”
In his little room near
the door, he spent much of the night on his knees. On his windowsill, facing
Mount Royal, was a small statue of St. Joseph, to whom he had been devoted
since childhood. When asked about it he said, “Some day, St. Joseph is going to
be honored in a very special way on Mount Royal!”
When he heard someone was
ill, he visited to bring cheer and to pray with the sick person. He would rub
the sick person lightly with oil taken from a lamp burning in the college
chapel. Word of healing powers began to spread.
When an epidemic broke
out at a nearby college, André volunteered to nurse. Not one person died. The
trickle of sick people to his door became a flood. His superiors were uneasy;
diocesan authorities were suspicious; doctors called him a quack. “I do not
cure,” he said again and again. “St. Joseph cures.” In the end he needed four
secretaries to handle the 80,000 letters he received each year.
For many years the Holy
Cross authorities had tried to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother André and
others climbed the steep hill and planted medals of St. Joseph. Suddenly, the
owners yielded. André collected 200 dollars to build a small chapel and began
receiving visitors there—smiling through long hours of listening, applying St.
Joseph’s oil. Some were cured, some not. The pile of crutches, canes and braces
grew.
The chapel also grew. By
1931 there were gleaming walls, but money ran out. “Put a statue of St. Joseph
in the middle. If he wants a roof over his head, he’ll get it.” The magnificent
Oratory on Mount Royal took 50 years to build. The sickly boy who could not
hold a job died at 92.
He is buried at the Oratory and was beatified in 1982. At his canonization in October 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said that St. Andre “lived the beatitude of the pure of heart.”
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saint-andre-bessette/
Statue
de Saint Frère André, près de la chapelle du Frère André, Oratoire Saint-Joseph
du Mont-Royal
PAPAL
MASS FOR THE CANONIZATION OF NEW SAINTS:
STANISŁAW
KAZIMIERCZYK SOŁTYS (1433 - 1489)
ANDRÉ
(Alfred) BESSETTE (1845 - 1937)
CÁNDIDA
MARÍA DE JESÚS (Juana Josefa) CIPITRIA y BARRIOLA (1845 - 1912)
MARY
OF THE CROSS (Mary Helen) MacKILLOP (1842 - 1909)
BATTISTA
CAMILLA DA VARANO (1458 - 1524)
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI
St. Peter's Square
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Dear Brothers and
Sisters,
The celebration of
holiness is renewed today in St Peter's Square. I joyfully address my cordial
welcome to you who have come from even very far away to take part in it. I
offer a special greeting to the Cardinals, to the Bishops and to the Superiors
General of the Institutes founded by the new Saints, as well as to the Official
Delegations and to all the Civil Authorities. Let us seek together to
understand what the Lord tells us in the Sacred Scriptures proclaimed just now.
This Sunday's Liturgy offers us a fundamental teaching: the need to pray
always, without tiring. At times we grow weary of praying, we have the
impression that prayer is not so useful for life, that it is not very
effective. We are therefore tempted to throw ourselves into activity, to use
all the human means for attaining our goals and we do not turn to God. Jesus
himself says that it is necessary to pray always, and does so in a specific
parable (cf. Lk 18: 1-8).
This parable speaks to us
of a judge who does not fear God and is no respecter of persons: a judge
without a positive outlook, who only seeks his own interests. He neither fears
God's judgement nor respects his neighbour. The other figure is a widow, a
person in a situation of weakness. In the Bible, the widow and the orphan are
the neediest categories, because they are defenceless and without means. The
widow goes to the judge and asks him for justice. Her possibilities of being
heard are almost none, because the judge despises her and she can bring no
pressure to bear on him. She cannot even appeal to religious principles because
the judge does not fear God. Therefore this widow seems without any recourse.
But she insists, she asks tirelessly, importuning him, and in the end she
succeeds in obtaining a result from the judge. At this point Jesus makes a
reflection, using the argument a fortiori: if a dishonest judge ends
by letting himself be convinced by a widow's plea, how much more will God, who
is good, answer those who pray to him. God in fact is generosity in person, he
is merciful and is therefore always disposed to listen to prayers. Therefore we
must never despair but always persist in prayer.
The conclusion of the Gospel passage speaks of faith: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk 18: 8). It is a question that intends to elicit an increase of faith on our part. Indeed it is clear that prayer must be an expression of faith, otherwise it is not true prayer. If one does not believe in God's goodness, one cannot pray in a truly appropriate manner.
Faith is essential as the basis of a prayerful attitude. It was so for the six
new Saints who are held up today for the veneration of the universal Church:
Stanisław Sołtys, André Bessette, Cándida María de Jesús Cipitria y Barriola,
Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Giulia Salzano and Battista Camilla Varano.
St Stanisław Kazimierczyk,
a religious of the 15th century, can also be an example and an intercessor for
us. His whole life was bound to the Eucharist, first of all in the Church of
Corpus Domini in Kazimierz, known today as Krakow, where, beside his mother and
father, he learned faith and piety. Here he made his religious vows with the
Canons Regular; here he worked as a priest and educator, attentive to the care
of the needy. However, he was linked in a special way to the Eucharist through
his ardent love for Christ present under the species of the Bread and the Wine;
by living the mystery of his death and Resurrection, which is fulfilled in an
unbloody way in the Holy Mass; by the practice of love for neighbour, of which
Communion is a source and a sign.
Bro. André Bessette, a
native of Quebec in Canada, and a religious of the Congregation of the Holy
Cross, experienced suffering and poverty at a very early age. They led him to
have recourse to God through prayer and an intense inner life. As porter of the
College of Notre Dame in Montreal, he demonstrated boundless charity and strove
to relieve the distress of those who came to confide in him. With very little
education, he had nevertheless understood where the essential of his faith was
situated. For him, believing meant submitting freely and through love to the
divine will. Wholly inhabited by the mystery of Jesus, he lived the beatitude
of pure of heart, that of personal rectitude. It is thanks to this simplicity
that he enabled many people to see God. He had built the Oratory of St Joseph
of Mount Royal, whose faithful custodian he remained until his death in 1937.
He was the witness of innumerable cures and conversions. "Do not seek to
have your trials removed", he said, "ask rather for the grace to bear
them well". For him, everything spoke of God and of God's presence. May
we, in his footsteps, seek God with simplicity in order to discover him ever
present in the heart of our life! May the example of Bro. André inspire
Canadian Christian life!
When the Son of man comes
to do justice to the chosen ones, will he find this faith on earth? (cf. Lk 18:
8). Today, contemplating figures such as Mother Cándida María de Jesús
Cipitria y Barriola, we can say "yes" with relief and firmness. That
girl of simple origins on whose heart God had set his seal and whom he brought
very soon, with the guidance of her Jesuit spiritual directors, to make the
firm decision to live "for God alone". She faithfully kept to her decision
as she herself recalled when she was about to die. She lived for God and for
what he most desires: to reach everyone, to bring everyone the hope that does
not disappoint, especially to those who need it most. "Where there is no
room for the poor, there is no room for me either" the new Saint said, and
with limited means she imbued the other Sisters with the desire to follow Jesus
and to dedicate themselves to the education and advancement of women. So it was
that the Hijas de Jesús [Daughters of Jesus] came into being; today they have
in their Foundress a very lofty model of life to imitate and an exciting
mission to carry on Mother Cándida's apostolate with her spirit and
aspirations, in many countries.
"Remember who your
teachers were from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus". For many years countless young people
throughout Australia have been blessed with teachers who were inspired by the
courageous and saintly example of zeal, perseverance and prayer of Mother
Mary MacKillop. She dedicated herself as a young woman to the education of the
poor in the difficult and demanding terrain of rural Australia, inspiring other
women to join her in the first women's community of religious sisters of that
country. She attended to the needs of each young person entrusted to her,
without regard for station or wealth, providing both intellectual and spiritual
formation. Despite many challenges, her prayers to St Joseph and her unflagging
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom she dedicated her new
congregation, gave this holy woman the graces needed to remain faithful to God
and to the Church. Through her intercession, may her followers today continue
to serve God and the Church with faith and humility!
In the second half of the
19th century, in Campania, in the south of Italy, the Lord called a young
elementary teacher, Giulia Salzano, and made her an apostle of Christian
education, Foundress of the Congregation of the Catechist Sisters of the Sacred
Heart. Mother Gulia understood well the importance of catechesis in the Church
and, combining pedagogical training with spiritual fervour, dedicated herself
with generosity and intelligence, contributing to the formation of people of
every age and social class. She would repeat to the Sisters that she wished to
catechize to the very last hour of her life, showing with her whole self that
if "God created us to know him, love him and serve him in this life",
it is necessary to put nothing before this task. May the example and
intercession of St Giulia Salzano sustain the Church in her perennial duty to
proclaim Christ and to form authentic Christian consciences.
St Battista Camilla
Varano, a Poor Clare nun of the 15th century, witnessed to the deep evangelical
meaning of life, especially through persevering prayer. She entered the
monastery in Urbino at the age of 23, fitting into that vast movement of the
reform of Franciscan female spirituality which aimed to recover fully the
charism of St Clare of Assisi. She promoted new monastic foundations in
Camerino where she was several times elected Abbess, in Fermo and in San
Severino. St Battista's life, totally immersed in divine depths, was a constant
ascent on the way of perfection, with a heroic love of God and neighbour. She
was marked by profound suffering and mystic consolation; in fact she had
decided, as she herself writes, "to enter the most Sacred Heart of Jesus
and to drown in the ocean of his most bitter suffering". In a period in
which the Church was undergoing a period of moral laxity, she took with
determination the road of penance and prayer, enlivened by an ardent desire for
the renewal of the Mystical Body of Christ.
Dear brothers and
sisters, let us thank the Lord for the gift of holiness that is resplendent in
the Church and today shines out on the faces of these brothers and sisters of
ours. Jesus also invites each one of us to follow him in order to inherit
eternal life. Let us allow ourselves to be attracted by these luminous examples
and to be guided by their teaching, so that our life may be a canticle of
praise to God. May the Virgin Mary and the intercession of the six new Saints
whom we joyfully venerate today obtain this for us. Amen.
© Copyright 2010 -
Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Stinson
Remick Chapel, Campus of the University of Notre Dame
Saint André Bessette:
Montreal’s Miracle Worker
by Brother André Marie October
25, 2004
[This article was
formerly titled “Blessed Brother André of Saint Joseph.” With the canonization of
Frere André on October 17, 2010, we have changed the name to something more
fitting. The author is grateful that he had the grace to be present in St.
Peter’s Square when the Holy Father solemnly declared his patron a saint.]
In the city of Montreal,
Province of Quebec, Canada, on a rise of earth known as Mount Royal, there
stands a religious edifice of staggering proportions. It is three hundred and
sixty-one feet high, taller than either Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York
or the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
Its girth is so massive
that it could hold within itself any one of most of the world’s great shrines,
including Saint Anne de Beaupré and Saint Paul of London. The cross atop its
domed roof can be seen for miles around, guiding the millions of pilgrims who
come there each year. It is the Oratory of Saint Joseph, a worthy tribute to
him who is the head of the Holy Family and the Patron of the Universal Church.
If one were to ask any
Canadian for the name of the person who built this magnificent House of God, he
would be told, “Brother André.” Yet, this little lay brother’s name does not
appear on any of the official records of the building of the Oratory. He was
only a porter — a doorman — at a college owned and operated by his religious
congregation. He was a little man, both in size and, if one were to judge by
appearance, in importance. He was not a priest; therefore he could neither
offer Mass nor preach. Because of poor education, he did not know how to read
or write until he reached the age of twenty-five.
How is it, then, that
this little brother is known and venerated all over the world as the little
saint who built the Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal? It is our privilege
within the following pages to provide you an answer to that question.
The Early Years.
On August 9, 1845, Alfred
Bessette was born to Isaac and Clothilde Bessette, the eighth in what would
become a family of twelve children. The Bessettes were a poor French Canadian
family who lived in the farming village of St. Gregoire, thirty miles from
Montreal, and about the same distance from the border of the United States.
Isaac and Clothilde 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 André.
Alfred was born a very
sick baby; so sick, in fact, that his father baptized him shortly after birth,
fearing he would not survive. This lack of physical health and strength stayed
with him throughout his entire life, yet he lived to the incredible age of
ninety-one.
Recalling what he could
of those early years, Brother André later told of how happy they were for him,
of how great was his love for his parents, especially his mother, who had special
affection for her frail child. But that happiness was soon tempered by tragedy.
When he was six years old, his father was killed in a lumbering accident near
the town of Farnham. Four 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. Two years
later, in 1857, she died. Brother André later recalled, with great love and
affection, her last days. Knowing her end was near, she summoned her children
to her bedside and addressed them sweetly:
“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.”
These parting words from
his devout mother left a lasting impression on the frail youth. Years later, he
would say of her, “I rarely pray for her, but very often I pray to her.”
Alfred was but twelve
years old when his mother died. He was now an orphan, separated from his
brothers and sisters. But the next ten years of his life would see the
accelerated formation of a saint.
After the death of his
mother, he remained with the Nadeau family. Timothée put him to work on the
family farm, but, try as he may, little Alfred could not cope with strenuous
farm labor. He simply did not have the physical stamina required to perform the
chores asked of him. Then his uncle sent him to a cobbler to learn the
shoemaking trade, but this didn’t work either. The poor lad was so clumsy that
he was constantly pricking his fingers with the sharp cobbler’s awl. This
scenario was repeated over and over again: He would take a job and work at it
as hard as he could, but always his poor health made it impossible for him to
continue. Here are Brother André’s own words describing these years of his
life:
“I was never very strong.
From the time when I was a little boy, ten years old, I have suffered from
dyspepsia [indigestion]. It seems as if I was always sick from it. I have had
it all during my life, and it still annoys me.
“When I was living with
my uncle and was very young, I could not go to school much because I was always
sick. Once I tried to become a shoemaker, but I could not stand bending over
and being inside the place so much, and my health made me give it up. Then,
after a little while, when I thought I was strong enough, I tried to become a
baker, but again I found that my health would not let me do inside work. It
seems that I was never very strong.”
So much for the physical
deficiencies of little Alfred Bessette. Now let us tell of the one great
strength which made this peasant weakling such an exceptional boy — his
astonishing holiness.
Father André Provençal
During the canonical
proceedings for his cause, Father Henri Bergeron, C.S.C., related a comment
made to him by Brother André’s sister: “Ah, if you only knew my brother in his
youth! On Sunday he passed the greater part of the afternoon in the church.”
We should not quickly
pass over this statement without reflection. Sunday was probably the only day
of the week on which the boy had no assigned chores. It was most likely the
only time he had to play with other children in the village, but Alfred chose to
stay in prayer for “the greater part of the afternoon.” This is truly heroic in
a child.
It was during this time
that he came into contact with the priest who proved to be the worthy spiritual
tutor of a saint, Father André Provençal, the Curé of Saint Césaire. It was
Father Provençal who instructed little Alfred for his first Holy Communion. It
was Father Provençal who inspired devotion to Saint Joseph. And it was also
this holy parish priest who put Brother André on that road which, for him,
would end in perfection — the road to a religious vocation.
Even in his youth,
Brother André practiced severe penances. His aunt, Madame Nadeau, several times
had to take away instruments of mortification from the boy. A leather belt
pierced with tacks and worn around the waist, an iron chain, and sleeping on
the floor were all penances that his poor aunt had to forbid for fear of his
health. Little Alfred never disobeyed; when he was told not to practice one
penance, he simply adopted another. Some may think these penances were just
childish excess which would fade away with maturity, but they continued
throughout his lifetime, making him a truly mortified religious.
Penance is nothing
without prayer, though. And here was the true sign of the lad’s holiness: He relished
being united with God in prayer. 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, absorbed in prayer for hours at a
time. It was during these years that he started what was to be his lifelong
habit — long, deep conversations with Saint Joseph. In his Epistle to the
Philippians (3:20), Saint Paul said, “Our conversation is in Heaven.” For our
little French Canadian pauper, these words were not a pious platitude, but a
beautiful reality.
To the U.S. and Back
About the year 1863, when
he was eighteen years old, he emigrated to the United States, thinking that the
milder climate of New England and the opportunities for better employment would
benefit his frail health. He settled in Connecticut and worked in various towns
including Hartford, alternating higher paying, but more strenuous, factory
labor with less difficult, lower paying, farm work. Not much is known about
this period except that his vagabond existence never changed; it seemed he
would always be a wanderer.
Many years later, Brother
André related an incident from his laboring years: One day, while working in a
field, he stopped momentarily to rest. As he leaned on his rake for support, he
asked Saint Joseph where he would die. At that moment, he had not exactly a
vision, but a vivid daydream in which he saw a large stone building with a
cross on top. He had never seen this building before, but received a definite
mental impression of its size, proportion, color and windows, all of which
suggested a barracks. Years later, the vision was confirmed when he became the
brother porter of that very building — the College of Notre Dame in
Côte-des-Neiges.
Biographers have assumed
that, since Brother André actually died in a hospital in Saint Laurent and not
the College of Notre Dame, he misinterpreted his dream. But this is not so, for
the word “death” can have many meanings, naturally as well as supernaturally.
Just as in the case of the Old Testament Joseph, it was in the mystical sense
that this dream was fulfilled. Alfred did die at the College of Notre Dame.
When a priest stood over him and pronounced, “Alfred Bessette, henceforth thy
name will be Brother André,” Alfred Bessette died, cloaked in the black pall of
the religious habit, and Brother André, a religious of the of the Holy Cross
Congregation was born.
We will discuss his
religious vocation soon enough. For now, let us continue with his travels:
After three years in the United States, the young wayfarer returned to his
native country, still a vagabond and, by worldly standards, still a failure.
But he came back weary of the world, for it had nothing to offer him but
distractions from the things of God.
While in New England, his
associates used to marvel at the fact that almost all of his spare time was
spent in prayer. Little did they know that this was only the beginning, for
Alfred wanted to give himself completely. Though as yet he had no plans for the
religious life, he knew that he would have to take leave of worldly affairs to
enter a greater union with his Beloved. It must have been a wondrous thing to
see the pious young man begging for guidance, storming Heaven with petition
after petition, and offering up his many trials and sufferings in an effort to
discern what his true vocation was.
His prayers and
supplications were answered. Not long after his return to Canada, Alfred went
to see his spiritual Father with whom he had kept contact during his travels,
Father Provençal. The same loving, paternal hand which guided Alfred to Saint
Joseph while still a child, also brought him to his vocation. He didn’t have to
take his little one far. Across the street from Father Provençal’s parish
Church was a new building that had been built during the time Alfred was away
from Saint Césaire. The building was a school where some eighty pupils were
taught by six brothers, members of a fledgling religious congregation known as
the Congregation of the Holy Cross. To fully appreciate the next phase of
Brother André’s life, we must learn a little about this noble institution.
Congregation of the Holy
Cross
The religious whom Alfred
met were the spiritual children of two fathers.
In 1820, Father Jacques
François Dujarie founded an association meant to provide sacristans and
teachers for the parish priests of France. Such men were sorely needed, for the
Masonic French Revolution had suppressed the religious orders in France,
depriving the faithful of teachers and the parish priests of the assistance
they needed from brothers and nuns. Many religious were martyred for the Faith
during the Reign of Terror.
Father Dujarie was a
parish priest in a village near Le Mans, France, and founded his association
there. He called these men the Brothers of Saint Joseph. Fifteen years later,
he put his brothers under the care of Canon Basile Moreau, who had just founded
a group of priests called the Auxiliary Priests. Two years after that, in 1837,
the Congregation of the Holy Cross was formed. In 1857, Venerable Pope Pius IX
made Holy Cross an official Congregation of the Church.
Saint John Vianney, the
Curé of Ars, said of the institute, “The Congregation of Holy Cross is destined
after many trials, to perform great works.” Indeed the Congregation did perform
many great works all over the world. Missionary work, teaching, and writing are
all part of the Holy Cross apostolate. It is impossible to go to a theological
library and not find several scholarly books written by Holy Cross priests and
brothers. Many were great poets too. But they were best known for the
Catholicity and academic excellence of their schools. In addition to countless
high schools, the Congregation founded, and still operates, Notre Dame
University in South Bend, Indiana. We do not know just what the particular work
is that the Curé of Ars was referring to, but it is not too unlikely a guess
that he meant the great work of Brother André. For, though this Order has
accomplished much (the early days in Indiana are replete with edifying stories
of astounding zeal and piety), its only candidate for canonization to date is
Brother André.
In 1847, a small group of
religious was sent to Canada to open a foundation in the diocese of Montreal.
The group was led by a Holy Cross priest and included six brothers and two
nuns. They came at the request of the bishop of Montreal, Bishop Bourget, who
went to France to ask Father Moreau for their assistance. These pioneer
religious founded a college in Saint Laurent, in the diocese of Montreal.
Acceptance and Profession
Alfred’s meeting with
these brothers was an event of singular importance. He was impressed by them;
their black habit with Roman collar, cincture and medal of Saint Joseph, their
manly bearing and devotion all attracted him. Nevertheless, he was nervous.
These men were educated; they ran a school — just the six of them — with eighty
children. Alfred was still an illiterate. But Father Provençal soon relieved
him of that worry, assuring his young friend there was a need in the order for
janitors and manual laborers. His fears allayed, Alfred soon came fully to
desire the life which he saw before him in these six men.
On the brothers’ part,
however, there was reservation. Could this frail little one actually live up to
the great rigor of religious life? Could he take the formation that they had
all been through? Was his apparent piety enough to overcome such deficiencies?
These were real concerns for the brothers, though they did not express them to
the lad. They simply answered the questions Alfred asked about their rule,
their history, and their devotion to the Holy Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Without
discouraging him, they said nothing to indicate any desire that he join them.
Alfred was not at all put
off by the brothers’ lack of enthusiasm. As was already his common practice, he
sought Divine Assistance to overcome this challenge and prayed all the more.
Then, in 1870, he made up his mind that, if they would have him, he would join
the Congregation. They accepted him into the novitiate in Côte-des-Neiges, and
he took the habit of the order. The novice master, Father Gastineau, gave him a
great welcome. Perhaps he was expecting much of the new arrival, because before
Brother André got to the novitiate, the novice master received a letter from
Father Provençal which said, “I am sending a saint to your Congregation.”
Brother André was a good
novice, well liked by his superiors and respected by the brothers. During the
novitiate he progressed in the spiritual life under his spiritual director,
Father Hupier, and in the religious life under his novice master, Father
Gastineau. He also learned to read, a skill which he applied with great fervor
to the Holy Scriptures and the Imitation of Christ, as well as to the lives of
the saints. As part of the Holy Cross religious formation, novices were
required to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount. But Brother André didn’t
stop there. In later years, he memorized the Passion of Our Lord as it is
contained in each of the four Gospels, being able to recite the entire Passion
word for word according to whichever Evangelist he wished. In addition to this,
he had whole sections of many spiritual books memorized.
As it would happen, one
area of his life which did not improve during the novitiate was Brother André’s
miserable health. It was so bad that he was not allowed to make his temporary
vows as a Holy Cross brother. There was even talk of dismissing him from the
community. Naturally, this upset the frail little servant of God, who wanted to
work out his salvation as a religious. Desperate to save his vocation, he took
advantage of a visit by Bishop Bourget, the bishop of Montreal, to the college.
Overcoming his timidity, the novice knocked on the door of the prelate’s room
and, once admitted inside, threw himself at the feet of his Excellency. In
tears, he explained the situation. Towards the end of the conversation, the
young brother humbly declared, “My only ambition is to serve God in the most
obscure tasks.” The bishop, having heard all he needed, said, “Don’t be afraid,
child. You will be admitted to the religious profession.” He was true to his
word; Brother André made his profession on August 22, 1872.
Our Lady’s Porter
His first assignment was
as porter of the College of Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur in Côte-des-Neiges, the
same college where he spent much of his novitiate. This was the position he
held for nearly forty years. As is common in the lives of all of the saints —
and, indeed, in the lives of all men — there was never a time when he was
without crosses, some of them serious. His superior at the College, Father
Louage, was not particularly impressed by Brother André and oftentimes
disciplined him in what seemed to be an unfair manner. Because of this, Brother
André was given the name “the lightning rod of the college” by the other
religious, who said, “He receives the bolts of Father Louage.” In all of this,
the pious religious persevered without the slightest protest, wishing to unite
his sufferings to Christ’s instead of wasting them by complaining.
It was soon after his
assignment at the college that those supernatural phenomena which marked the rest
of his life started to happen.
Miracles
God, knowing that men do
not think often enough of their final end, nor of Him, nor of the truths of
religion, gives human nature external signs of His presence and the truth of
His religion. Our Lord Himself, when the disciples of Saint John the Baptist
approached him, asking if He were the Messias, said, Go and relate to John what
you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Culminating with His own miraculously prolonged passion and His glorious
Resurrection, Our Lord gave ample proof of His Divinity. In addition to His own
miracles, He promised His Apostles that signs would follow their preaching. He
was true to this promise: But they going forth preached every where: the Lord
working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed. (Mark 16:20)
As is plain from Church History and the lives of the saints, the divine
foundation of the Church was proved by miracles in every age.
Since Our Lord’s time,
then, there have been sufficient — and oftentimes more than sufficient —
extraordinary proofs for all to know the One True God and His One True
Religion. And so, in this age of great intellectual pride, God manifests his
mercy again to an unbelieving people to give them more than ample opportunity
to save their souls.
As for Brother André, the
public nature and frequency of the miracles he worked make them impossible to
dispute. He cured many of the students at the college, so many that he
developed a reputation as a great miracle worker.
One day, as the pious
porter was scrubbing the floor in the parlor of the college, a lady came to see
him, having heard of his reputation. She was so afflicted with rheumatism that
she could only walk with the assistance of two men supporting her by holding
each arm. Her request to Brother André was simple enough: “I am suffering from
rheumatism. I want you to heal me.” Not looking up from the floor he was still
busily scrubbing, Brother André said to the men assisting her, “Let her walk.”
The woman walked out unassisted.
As the school’s
doorkeeper, Frère André saluted and bid farewell to the many guests who came to
the college. Having a keen interest in their spiritual welfare and a symphetic
ear for their problems, the little doorman could often tell who was in need of
his prayers or counsel. One day he noticed on the face of a guest — the father
of a boarding student — a preoccupied, strained expression. When Brother André
learned that the man was worried about his sick wife, he told him, “But she is
not so sick as you think. At this very moment she became better.” The man was
quite cynical, for he knew that his wife had been ill for many years. Yet upon
arriving home, his wife greeted him at the door, perfectly healthy, in good
spirits, and inquiring about the couple’s children. The man later learned, upon
speaking with his wife’s nurse, that she had asked to be taken out of bed
exactly when Brother André pronounced the words, “At this very moment, she
became better.”
Father Henri-Paul
Bergeron, a Holy Cross Priest who knew Frère André, gives an account in his
book, The Wonder Man of Mount Royal, of an event that recalls some of those
recorded in the Gospels:
“One day as he was going
along Bienville Street in Montreal, a sick woman was brought to him.
Immediately all of the sick of the neighborhood, children, men and women, were
brought out until the whole street was filled with the sick and the infirm.
Brother André attended to all with kindness, and his chauffeur. . . making his
way through the crowd, remarked:
‘How wonderful; it is
like a scene from the life of Our Lord: everyone rushed forth to beg for favors
and cures.’
‘Perhaps so’ replied the
Brother, ‘but God is surely making use of a very vile instrument.'”
On another occasion, when
the porter was in the infirmary, he saw a student sick in bed. He told the boy,
who had been ordered to rest by the school doctor, to get up. “You’re not sick,
you lazy bones! Go and play with the others.” This the boy did, in perfect
health and good cheer. The story of the incident soon spread around the
college. Teachers, the doctor, students and parents alike marveled at the
miracles wrought by the confident prayer of the young brother.
We say that the miracles
were wrought by the prayers of the brother. Perhaps, if he were here, he would
rebuke us for saying this. He never claimed that he worked a single miracle. In
his humility he gave all the credit to Saint Joseph, in whose power Brother
André had infinite confidence. In fact, any attempt to credit him with miracles
brought a stern reprimand from the normally kind religious. One day a visitor
said to him, “You are better than Saint Joseph. We pray to him and nothing
happens, but when we come to see you we are cured.” The brother was so incensed
at the slander of the Holy Patriarch that he screamed, “Get out of here. It is
Saint Joseph who cured you, not I. Get out! Throw him out!” The incident shook
the frail constitution of the holy man so much that he spent three days sick in
bed.
If miracles are proof of
the True God and His True Religion, then the miracle workers chosen by God are
going to have enemies, just as God Himself did when He dwelt amongst us. It
didn’t take long, then, for Brother André to acquire enemies of his own.
Many parents who sent
their boys to the school were alarmed at the activities of its brother porter.
Large numbers of sick were coming to the school where their children not only
went to classes, but boarded as well. These pathetic masses — many of whom had
contagious diseases — crowded about the train station across from the college.
In their quest to see Frère André they constantly filed in and out of the very
building where the students were housed. The just concerns of the parents,
coupled with ill feelings (perhaps jealousy) of many at the college, spelled
trouble for the porter. And worse yet, many physicians, whose hatred of
religion was deposited upon the little man they styled a “fake healer,” added
their venom to the rising fury. Soon Brother André had a mob of hostile enemies
complaining to his superiors, the bishop, and even the public health officials.
The Bishop of Montreal —
at this time, Bishop Bruchesi — dismissed the multitudes who came to complain
to him. But this did not mean he was unconcerned. He scheduled an appointment
with Brother André’s superiors, many of whom were not convinced of the divine
origin of the miracles. During the meeting, the bishop asked whether Brother
André would cease his activities if told under obedience. The reply came, “He
would obey blindly.” To this the bishop said, ” Then let him alone. If this
work is from God, it will live; if not, it will crumble away.”
Not only was the Bishop
won over by the porter’s virtue; even the public health officials, who were
forced to investigate the goings on at the college, came back from their
meeting with him impressed at his common sense and stability. The enemies of
Brother André failed, and Bishop Bruchesi’s statement was proven true: the work
was from God and it did live.
The Oratory of Saint
Joseph
In the midst of all of
the excitement, the brother’s heart became fixed on one holy ambition: the
erection in Montreal of a shrine to Saint Joseph.
Brother André was not the
first to conceive such an idea. Years before, in 1855, the saintly Bishop
Bourget had written in the decrees of the Second Plenary Council of Quebec:
St. Joseph, then, must
have a church which will in a certain sense supply the service of all the
others, and in which he may receive every day the public honors due to his
eminent virtues . . . We wish to consecrate whatever is left to us of strength
and life in the task of having him honored in such a church and of making that
church a place of pilgrimage whither the faithful will come to visit him. . .
This is the same bishop
whom we reported earlier saved Brother André’s vocation nearly twenty years
after writing these words. Perhaps he knew that the holy little novice who
pleaded with him was the humble instrument through which the Patron of Canada
would finally have a worthy shrine built. But even Bishop Bourget was not the
first to express the desire that such a shrine be built. Father Moreau had
dreamt of a place of pilgrimage to Saint Joseph in the very early years of the
Holy Cross Congregation in France. He thought of using the novitiate at
Charbonnière, near Le Mans, for such a site. Both men were dead and buried
before the Oratory was started, but both had a hand in its foundation all the
same.
The shrine was in the
thoughts and prayers of the porter for quite some time before he dared ask
permission to build such a thing. He let only a handful of privileged friends
know of his holy aspiration. Every once in a while he would let out a stray
remark impressing on the hearer the need for a chapel to Saint Joseph. Some of
these occasions came with certain signs of the divine origin of the brother’s
dream. One of his confreres told him of a strange phenomenon in his cell: It
seemed that every time this religious put his statue of Saint Joseph facing his
bed, he came back to find the statue turned around, facing the Mount Royal.
Laughing, Frère André told his confrere, “It is not strange at all; it simply
means that Saint Joseph wants to be honored on the mountain.”
Certainly Brother André
wanted Saint Joseph honored on the mountain. In 1890, he took a young student
with him on one of his regular Thursday meditation walks. Taking the student up
to the mountainside across the street from the school, he told him, “I have
hidden a medal of Saint Joseph here. We will pray that he will arrange the
purchase of this land for us.” For six years he persevered in prayer for that
intention, and in 1896, his prayers were rewarded. The Holy Cross Congregation
purchased the land, fearing that such a prime piece of real estate would
attract a club or resort which would be an unwholesome distraction so near the
students. After the land was purchased, Brother André put a statue of Saint
Joseph in a little cave on his chosen site. Placing a bowl in front of the
statue, he planned on collecting alms from Saint Joseph’s petitioners, alms
which would be used to build a chapel.
The building of the
shrine was a complex thing. It would be a distraction in this short biography
to go into all of the details of what was completed and when. Indeed, at times
the biographies of the Blessed read more like architectural manuals than the
life of a saint. This is because the life of the little brother was so
intimately connected with the building of this shrine that one cannot be
discussed without the other. To put it simply, what started out as a fifteen-by
eighteen foot chapel in 1904 became a minor basilica in 1955, and was completed
— interior and all — in 1966. In his lifetime, the shrine became big enough to
warrant having a full-time guardian, a job to which Brother André was appointed
in 1909. For the present, however, we would rather discuss the life of the holy
builder than the building itself.
From the moment that he
conceived the idea to the day he died, the Oratory of Saint Joseph was a sacred
task which Blessed André pursued with burning zeal. Everything that he could do
in the confines of religious obedience to make the shrine a reality, he did
immediately.
In his days as porter in
the college, he also became the school’s barber, a position which gave him
opportunity to give holy counsel to the boys. When the students paid him the
small fee for their haircuts, Brother André would set the money aside for the
shrine.
Miracles in the U.S.A.
The determination that
our brother had to build the shrine to Saint Joseph took him well beyond the
confines of Montreal to find the money needed for the project. He toured many
cities in the United States and Canada in this holy pursuit. Many of the
French-Canadian towns around Boston, including the industrial cities of Lowell
and Fitchburg, were on his itinerary. In these forays, he made the rounds of
factories to beg contributions from their workers.
Even today can be found
residents of these areas who vividly recall the visits of the saint. A
religious in our own order once met such a privileged resident, who related the
story of a young couple with an infant diagnosed as having a brain tumor. Upon
learning of the child’s malady, Blessed André took the baby into his arms,
gently rubbing the afflicted infant’s head. The moving scene of the aged
Brother caressing the infirm baby was more than just a tender moment; the
child, it was later discovered, was completely cured.
Another episode in his
American travels saw the conversion of a young non-Catholic named Henry Paine.
Mr. Paine had pierced his hand with ice tongs and it was so infected that the
doctors talked of amputating the affected member. The young man promised his
Canadian visitor that that he would convert if he was healed. At the touch of
Frère André’s hand, the pain left. Almost immediately, the hand was completely
cured. Mr.Paine kept his promise: he did indeed convert; and soon after, he
married a Catholic young lady.
The miracles wrought at
the Oratory were many and spectacular. Still there were critics. Many cynics
doubted the efficacy of St. Joseph’s oil, medals and novenas for healing bodily
illnesses. Others took the cures for granted, thinking that it was the good
work of the kindly brother, who, like any other humanitarian, had no other aim in
mind than taking away people’s suffering. But for Blessed André, the working of
miracles had one end and one end only: Faith.
Zeal for Souls
Many of the people who
sought cures from Frère André were good Catholics; but others were heretics and
unbelievers of all kinds. One of the witnesses at his cause for beatification
said, “As to heretics, schismatics and also unbelievers, Brother André treated
them with more kindness and sympathy than the Catholics. He wanted to gain the
confidence of such people. When the right time came he talked to them of the
goodness of God and of religion. . . He profited by the visits of Protestants
and unbelievers to slide in a good word to them, an evangelical word.”
It was by this kind of
work that the guardian of the Oratory wrought thousands of conversions, many
among lapsed and lukewarm Catholics, but also among Protestants, Freemasons and
Jews. Brother André looked upon the humility of the non-Catholic, in coming to
a Catholic brother for a cure, as the beginning of faith. In this he was
imitating Our Lord Himself. When the father of the possessed boy in Saint
Mark’s Gospel begged for a cure, Jesus told him that all things were possible
to those who had faith. And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with
tears said: I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. Like Our Lord, Blessed André
took every opportunity to give the gift of faith to the unbeliever. About this,
the Blessed said, “Those who are cured quickly often are people who have no
faith or little faith. On the other hand, those who have solid faith are not
cured so quickly, for the good God prefers to allow them to suffer that they
will be sanctified even more.”
Devotional Life
In early life, our
diminutive porter acquired the habit of frequent, long, and devout prayer. As
he advanced in years, this habit never waned. During the daytime, which he
typically spent cleaning and doing other chores, Frère André received many
visitors. At night he frequently visited hospitals, oftentimes returning with
crutches to add to the growing collection in the Oratory. After such a day, he
would spend much of the night in prayer. One of his intimates said about this,
“Frequently, after his sick calls, he invited me to sleep in his cell over the
primitive chapel. More than once I struggled against sleep in order to watch
him. Towards morning I fell asleep while he remained in prayer. When I awoke,
about five o’clock, I often noticed his bed had not been touched.”
Though he is known for
his tremendous devotion to Saint Joseph, all those who knew him said that
Blessed André’s central devotion was to the Passion of Our Lord. Many times, he
would turn a worldly conversation into an emotional narration of Our Lord’s
sufferings, often bringing those present, including himself, to tears. Because
of this devotion, the good brother led Friday Stations of the Cross every week
at the Oratory, hoping one day to construct a large set of stations around the
Basilica’s exterior.
His devotion to Our Lady
was quite conspicuous too. Logically, with such a love of the Passion, he often
invoked Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows, the title under which she is the Patroness
of the Holy Cross Congregation. Frequently he walked around with Our Lady’s
Rosary in his hand; and in visiting the sick or raising funds for the Oratory,
he would take advantage of the car ride to recite not one but several Rosaries.
In his simplicity, he spoke of the Virgin as a child would: “If you consider
all the saints, you will see that all of them had a devotion to the Blessed
Virgin; Her intercession is most powerful, she is the Mother of God and the
Mother of men.”
The piety that he had
toward the Patron of the Universal Church was simple and childlike too: “When
you invoke Saint Joseph, you don’t have to speak much. You know your Father in
heaven knows what you need; well, so does His friend Saint Joseph.” “Tell him,
‘If you were in my place, Saint Joseph, what would you do? Well, pray for this
in my behalf.'” To the people who came to him with their troubles — and
thousands did — the friend of Saint Joseph recommended the use of sacramentals,
like Saint Joseph’s oil or a Saint Joseph medal. Most of all, he recommended
persevering and confident prayer, usually prescribing a novena to his powerful
benefactor.
A typical example of the
favors wrought through the intercession of Saint Joseph is this one: A girl at
a convent school not far from Quebec was severely injured when another child
struck her in the right eye with an oar. The doctors tried to save the eye, but
paralysis of the optic nerve set in, causing the girl to lose her sight. The
sisters at the school had heard of the cures at the Oratory and procured a medal
of Saint Joseph which had been blessed there. They decided to make a
novena. For nine days, all the Sisters and students received Holy Communion and
prayed to the foster-father of Jesus, applying the medal to the child’s eye.
There was no progress at all during the course of the novena, but they remained
confident. On the ninth day, after everyone had received Holy Communion, the
child opened her eye to see the chapel’s statue of Blessed Joseph. Before the
cure, the seriousness and permanence of the damage had been verified in writing
by two competent ophthalmologists. Later, these two declared that the eye was
perfectly cured, with no trace of injury. Neither could explain the cure.
Though Brother André was
given the grace to heal others, he was constantly sick himself. He suffered
from stomach illness all of his life. As a result, he could eat little more
than a mixture of flour and watered-down milk, or sometimes bread soaked in the
same. To him, these sufferings were an opportunity for reaching greater
sanctity. As we shall see, his final sickness provided him with many such
opportunities. When asked if he was in great pain, he said, “Indeed I am, but I
thank God for giving me the grace to suffer; I need it so much!”
The Death of a Saint
In the ninety-first year
of a life dedicated to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the miracle man sensed his
imminent departure from this vale of tears. Late in 1936, he told one of the
priests in his order that Christmas of that year would be his last in this
life. Once, when he passed the tiny hospital of Saint-Laurent, he commented,
“What a fine place for patients to prepare for death.” At 8:30 in the evening
of December 31, the wonder worker who cured so many was himself admitted to
that very hospital for what the physician thought was a mild heart attack, but
was later diagnosed as acute gastritis.
He spent his dying days
as he had spent his whole life, unconcerned with his own sufferings — which
were great, considering that he refused any pain medication — and constantly
praying for others. He offered up his prayers and mortifications for Catholic
Spain, then being torn asunder by civil war, prior to General Franco’s defeat
of the Communists. He also prayed for the Holy Father, Pope Pius XI, who was
sick and near to death. With friends at the side of his own deathbed telling
him how much he was still needed, the good brother said, “There is one who is
far more necessary than Brother André in this world: that is the Pope. If the
Holy Father passed away, it would be disaster; he still has much to
accomplish.”
The Pontiff lived for two
more years, years in which he did accomplish much, addressing problems all over
the globe: the Germans losing their faith to Nazism, the Mexicans being
oppressed by an evil Masonic government, and the even more horrible menace of
Communism. On March 19, 1937 — the Feast of Saint Joseph — the Holy Pontiff
published Divini Redemptoris, an encyclical letter condemning Communism. As if
in gratitude for his own recovery and with great confidence in the mighty
Patriarch, towards the end of the encylical Pius wrote,
. . .We place the vast
campaign of the Church against world Communism under the standard of Saint
Joseph, her mighty Protector.
Like Our Blessed Lord on
the Cross, his faithful imitator spoke many words of piety and holy resignation
to God’s will during his final agony: “My God how I suffer. . . Heaven is so
beautiful that it is worth all the trouble with which one prepares for it.. . .
How good God is. . . How beautiful. . . How powerful. . . Mary, Sweet mother,
mother of my sweet Savior, be merciful to me and help me . . . Saint Joseph. .
. ”
The name of his holy
patron was the last intelligible word issued from the holy lips of Blessed
André.
Immortality
So Brother André died as
he had lived, suffering heroically, praying fervently, and even working great
cures. The purely spiritual mission of his life became more evident when,
during the exposition of his body — which lasted a week — confessionals were
filled with repentant sinners who had been away from God’s grace too long. Not
only at the Oratory, but all over Montreal sinners were returning to God in
great numbers as more than one million people streamed past his poor little
coffin. Some of these people had been sworn enemies who had spurned the miracle
worker as a fake, having dubbed him, “the old fool on the mountain.” The “old
fool’s” prayers very well may have saved many of these from an eternity without
God, just as they may have saved Canada from the clutches of Communism.
Today, the mortal remains of Blessed Brother André lie in a black marble sepulcher in the back of the Oratory, the shrine he dedicated his life to erecting for Saint Joseph. In front of the Basilica towers a statue of Saint Joseph holding the Child Jesus. The millions who file past it every year see on its stone pedestal the words which the saintly old guardian calls out from heaven:
ITE AD JOSEPH — GO TO
JOSEPH!
SOURCE : http://catholicism.org/br-andre.html
Statue
de Saint Frère André, University of Notre Dame
Blessed André Bessette (AC)
(also known as Alfred Bessette)
Born at Saint Gregoire (near Montreal), Quebec, Canada, on August 9, 1845; died
January 6, 1937; beatified by John Paul II on May 23, 1982. Alfred Bessette,
later known as Brother André, knew hardship early in his life. The father of
this sickly boy died when Alfred was ten; his mother, who fostered Alfred's
faith and his devotion to the Holy Family, followed her husband two years
later. Until his aunt and uncle left Canada to seek their fortune during the
California Gold Rush, Alfred found a home with them. Unfortunately, his health
was too fragile to travel into the frontier; thus, at the tender age of 14,
Alfred was left alone in the world to earn his way through menial jobs.
During the Civil War, he
worked alternately in mills and on farms in New England depending on the state
of his health at any given time. At this time Alfred learned English. After the
war, Alfred returned to Montreal where he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross
in 1870 with the encouragement of Father André Provençal, who had observed
Alfred spending whole nights in prayer and sent a note with the postulant saying,
"I am sending you a saint."
The hardships Alfred
Bessette had endured affected even his vocation. His poor health made it
doubtful that he would be allowed to make his religious vows. Because he had to
work at menial jobs from his youth, he was illiterate and, therefore, not
capable of contributing much to the charism of the teaching order. Bishop
Bouget of Montreal intervened with the assurance that Alfred could pray, an
invaluable asset to any order. Thus, the same year the Saint Joseph was proclaimed
"Patron of the Universal Church" on December 8, Alfred was admitted
to the Holy Cross Order as Brother André on December 27.
Brother André spent the
next 67 years of his life as a lay brother serving in such menial positions as
porter, gardener, baker of the altar bread, and janitor of Notre Dame College.
In the meantime André gained a reputation for working miraculous cures that
drew millions of pilgrims to Montreal to see him. His own health was so
precarious that he was often unable to complete his daily duties. Nevertheless,
he practiced austerities such as living mainly on bread and water.
From his childhood
Brother Bessette had a strong devotion to Saint Joseph and spent his life
promoting devotion to the foster-father of Jesus. He often recommended that
those seeking a healing rub themselves with a medal of Saint Joseph or the
saint's oil, which came from the sanctuary lamps as a visible sign of faith.
He built Saint Joseph's
Oratory in Montreal in 1904. The popularity of the oratory grew because of the
many healings attributed to the intercession of Brother André and Saint Joseph.
By the time of his death, the oratory, known as the "Lourdes of
Canada," had become one of the most popular shrines in North America
(Delaney).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0106.shtml
Monument
du Frère André à Mont-Saint-Grégoire
BESSETTE, ALFRED, named Brother
André, lay brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross and charismatic
figure; b. 9 Aug. 1845 in the parish of Saint-Grégoire
(Mont-Saint-Grégoire), Lower Canada, son of Isaac Bessette and Clothilde Foisy;
d. 6 Jan. 1937 in Notre-Dame-de-l’Espérance hospital in Ville
Saint-Laurent (Montreal).
Alfred Bessette was the
ninth of 13 children (four of whom died in infancy). He was so frail when he
was born that the curé baptized him “conditionally” the following day,
completing an emergency ritual performed at his birth. In the fall of 1849
Isaac Bessette sold his property in Saint-Grégoire and bought a parcel of land
nine miles to the southeast, in Farnham, near the Rivière Yamaska. As the
father of a family living in poverty, he worked at various trades: joiner,
carpenter, cooper, cartwright. On 20 Feb. 1855 a tree he was chopping
down fell on his chest and killed him. Left alone with her children, Clothilde
made sure they had a Christian education and passed on to them the traditional
veneration of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Still suffering from
the shock of her husband’s death, she wasted away and died of tuberculosis on
20 Nov. 1857.
Alfred was 12 years old.
He was taken in by his maternal aunt Marie-Rosalie and her husband, Timothée
Nadeau, who lived in Saint-Césaire. He took lessons in catechism, and was
confirmed by the first bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe, Jean-Charles Prince*, on
7 June 1858. Because of his poverty and delicate health, his studies
were cut short; he would only be able to sign his name and read printed
characters. To earn a living, Alfred worked at transporting construction
materials. When his uncle Timothée set out for California in search of gold in
1860, the mayor of Saint-Césaire, Louis Ouimet, took the youth in to work on
his farm. After that, Alfred engaged in various trades in Farnham, Saint-Jean
(Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), Waterloo, and Chambly. In 1862 he was back in
Saint-Césaire, employed as an apprentice baker and cobbler. This wide variety
of work experiences did nothing to improve his condition. According to
witnesses, he could not digest anything, but he was always praying. Since his
early childhood in Farnham, Alfred’s behaviour had worried his acquaintances.
In spite of his weak condition, he denied himself dessert and he wore a leather
belt studded with iron points around his waist. He would kneel in prayer
frequently, intensely, and for long periods at a time; he could be found with
his arms stretched out at his sides, in front of a crucifix, at church, in his
room, or in a barn.
Hoping to find work
fitting his constitution, Alfred took the train to New England in
October 1863. Thousands of his compatriots, attracted by its prosperity,
had gone there already, including some of his brothers, sisters, and
acquaintances. The young 18-year-old, who found factory work almost more than
he could bear, shifted between jobs in cotton mills and work on farms. He was hired
in Connecticut (Moosup, Putnam, Hartford, and Killingly), Massachusetts (North
Easton), and Rhode Island (Phenix). Alfred was reserved by nature and, worn out
after a day’s work, would shut himself up in his room and pray.
After looking for
suitable work for four years without success, Bessette returned to Canada in
1867 and settled in Sutton, where his sister Léocadie and his brother Claude
lived. He soon went back to Farnham, where the local priest, Édouard Springer,
hired him to take care of his horse and garden and do difficult chores around
the presbytery. When Springer moved to another parish in 1868, Bessette went
back to live at the home of Louis Ouimet in Saint-Césaire. Noticing his piety,
Ouimet mentioned it to his curé, André Provençal. When questioned about his
desire to enter the religious life, Alfred pleaded that he was too ignorant.
Abbé Provençal overcame his reluctance by assuring him that he would find the
prayerful environment he needed and useful work in the Congregation of Holy
Cross, which the priest had put in charge of a school in his parish in 1869.
On 22 Nov. 1870
Bessette showed up at the Collège Notre-Dame, in Côte-des-Neiges (Montreal),
where the Congregation of Holy Cross had recently opened its noviciate.
Provençal had written a letter of recommendation the previous month to the
master of novices, Julien-Pierre Gastineau, telling him that he was sending a
saint to his community. On 8 December Pope Pius IX declared
St Joseph to be the patron saint of the universal church. On 27 December
Bessette took the name of André, in honour of Father Provençal, and he and
another postulant donned the religious habit. He was appointed the school’s
doorman, a position he would hold until mid July 1909. He also had to keep
the premises clean, do the shopping, and give alms to the poor. In addition, he
acted as barber and as nurse to sick students, handled the mail, and
transported parcels for the students, whom he sometimes accompanied on the days
when they went on outings. The congregation’s superiors hesitated, however, to
accept him into the religious life in 1872 because of his poor health. When
Bessette had a conversation with Bishop Ignace Bourget*, who
had himself brought the congregation to Canada [see Joseph-Pierre Rézé*; Jean-Baptiste Saint-Germain*], he
was reassured. Soon afterwards, the new master of novices, Amédée Guy,
recommended him by saying: “If this young man becomes unable to work, he will
at least be able to pray well.” Permitted to take his temporary vows on
22 Aug. 1872, Brother André made his final vows on
2 Feb. 1874, at the age of 28 years and six months.
Some of the visitors whom
Brother André, as doorman, welcomed at the school asked him to pray for them in
their illnesses. Others invited him to visit them at home. He would pray with
them, and give them a medal of St Joseph, to whom he had early sworn a
particular veneration, as well as a few drops of the olive oil that was burning
before the saint’s statue in the school chapel, advising them to rub it on
themselves confidently. More and more people began declaring that they had been
entirely or partly cured in this way. The first known account, written by
Désiré-Michel Giraudeau, named Brother Aldéric, who reported his own cure as
well as that of several others, was published in Paris in 1878 in
the Annales of the Association de Saint-Joseph. The little brother’s
reputation – he was barely five feet tall – as a saintly miracle worker spread
by word of mouth. The school authorities eventually began to worry about the
growing flood of visitors. Parents, colleagues, and even the school physician
complained to the town’s religious and health authorities about the presence of
sick people so close to the students. Some called Brother André a charlatan, a
mere anointer. Around 1900 he was asked to see the sick in a shelter that had
been built across from the school, at the streetcar stop, for the students’
parents. He took his visitors to pray before a statue of St Joseph that he
had set up in a niche on Mount Royal. The land, which had been purchased in
1896 by the Collège Notre-Dame, was named Parc Saint-Joseph; the lower part was
cultivated and the upper part was used for recreational purposes. Brother
André’s cherished project was to build a chapel to St Joseph there. With
the support of his friends – a number of whom had had their wishes granted
after praying with him – he finally obtained permission to build it. The school
authorities and Archbishop Paul Bruchési of Montreal
stipulated, however, that any expenses incurred should be borne by those
seeking help. Thanks to spontaneous donations in cash and in kind (for example,
statues, vases, liturgical vestments, a bell), the rudimentary sanctuary was
inaugurated on 16 Oct. 1904.
From 1905 to 1908 the
celebration of Ascension Thursday and a September procession marked the opening
and closing of the pilgrimage season. After meeting a number of times in 1907,
the zealous supporters of St Joseph’s Oratory constituted themselves a
committee on 9 Sept. 1908, naming it the Comité de l’Oratoire
Saint-Joseph de la Côte-des-Neiges. The flood of pilgrims was so great that the
chapel would have to be enlarged four times between 1908 and 1912. Each time,
the generosity of the public would make it possible to pay for the work in full
and on time. The committee remained in existence until mid July 1909, when
the authorities of the Collège Notre-Dame took over the administration of the
oratory, with Brother André as its custodian. A religious association, the
Confrérie de Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, was officially constituted by
Archbishop Bruchési on 21 Nov. 1909, and it included laity, both men
and women, friends of Brother André, and contributors to St Joseph’s Oratory
and its works. They were convened by the rector of the oratory, provincial
superior Georges-Auguste Dion*,
for an hour of prayer on the third Sunday of every month at
3:00 p.m. This was the occasion for reporting on the affairs of the
sanctuary: letters received, requests for prayers or masses, cures, various
small items about the development and activities of the oratory. By 1910
Brother André had a secretary to answer the mail addressed to him.
In 1912 the board of
St Joseph’s Oratory was organized; it consisted of three priests and three
Holy Cross brothers, including Brother André. The monthly magazine Annales
de Saint-Joseph began publication in Montreal that same year. Its purpose
was to promote the veneration of St Joseph, publicize the work of the
oratory and the missions of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Bengal, and
comment on the social concerns of the day. An English edition would come out in
1927. A team of brothers and priests wrote articles and columns; a group of
selected authors, such as Félix Leclerc*, Guy Mauffette*, Alfred DesRochers*, Françoise
Gaudet-Smet [Gaudet*], and
Marie-Antoinette Grégoire-Coupal, as well as the illustrators
Edmond-Joseph Massicotte*,
Jacques Gagnier*, and Gui Laflamme,
would add their contributions later. The magazine was still being published in
the early 21st century under the name L’Oratoire. From 3,600 in 1912, the
circulation would grow to 122,000 in 1932.
There was a growing
stream of visitors to the sanctuary. In 1913, under pressure from lay people
and with the encouragement of Archbishop Bruchési, a proposal for a basilica
was set in motion, with plans drawn up by architects Louis-Alphonse Venne and
Dalbé Viau. The
funds needed to finance the construction of the crypt, some $80,000, had
already been raised through donations from the faithful. Construction began in
1914, and the crypt – the first stage of the project – was inaugurated on
16 Dec. 1917, but less than a year later the sanctuary, which could
seat 1,000, proved too small. The number of visitors continued to increase
throughout the 1920s, during which time, in accordance with the wishes of the
archbishop and his coadjutor, Bishop Georges Gauthier, the sanctuary
became the centre of the religious activities of the archdiocese. Associations
of every kind – social movements, Catholic trade unions, religious
confraternities – got into the habit of making pilgrimages and holding
gatherings there, which drew thousands of people. Annual visits to the oratory
were organized in parishes and educational institutions.
Visitors came not only
from Quebec, but also from Ontario, New Brunswick, western Canada, and the
United States. Brother André received them every day from
9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. In the evenings, friends drove
him to the homes of people who were too ill to travel. Since one person alone
could not answer the 200 or 300 letters he received daily, a secretariat was
set up. In 1920 Brother André instituted the observance of a holy hour in the
crypt on Fridays at 8:00 p.m., which soon came to be followed by a visit
to the stations of the cross. The faithful came by the hundreds to these
evenings of prayer. The idea of atonement, put forward by the religious
authorities to counter the threat of socialism and communism as well as the
wars in Europe, gave rise to various lay initiatives. Beginning in 1926, for
example, Édouard-L.-H. Barsalo organized a pilgrimage on foot to attend the
first mass of the year at the oratory; hundreds, and then thousands of people
answered the call.
By 1915 Brother André’s
superiors were letting him take a short rest twice a year. He used the time to
visit relatives and friends in Sutton, Saint-Césaire, and Quebec City, but also
in the United States (especially New England) and in Ontario (Toronto, Sudbury,
and Ottawa). His reputation as a saint and miracle worker preceded him.
Stationmasters announced his arrival and crowds gathered as he got off the
train and at the doors of the hotels or presbyteries where he was staying. Each
time, cases of healing were reported in the local newspapers. He always came
back with offerings given in gratitude for favours received. There was a
growing popular demand that the plan for a basilica be acted on, and in 1927
Gauthier authorized a financial campaign to raise the necessary funds.
Meanwhile, work continued on developing the land, building roads and parking
lots, and providing service facilities.
The wonders that were
worked at St Joseph’s Oratory drew the attention of the press, especially the
English-language papers. In 1922 George Henry Ham*,
a lobbyist for the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, published in the Toronto
magazine Maclean’s a report he had written after visiting Brother
André and meeting people whom he was said to have healed. The article aroused
so much interest that Ham immediately followed it by publishing in Toronto the
first biography of Brother André, The miracle man of Montreal, which was
translated at once by Raoul Clouthier and published in Montreal as Le
thaumaturge de Montréal. In the same year, Arthur Saint-Pierre* was
commissioned to write the history of the sanctuary; L’oratoire
Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, which came out in Montreal, would go through
numerous editions.
After showing a great
deal of reluctance towards his project of a shrine, Brother André’s superiors
were finally won over by the sincerity, simplicity, and conviction of the man
who based his cause, not on any claim to miracles or visions, but only on his
veneration for St Joseph. To this special devotion were added the love of
God, constant reading of the Gospel, and worship of the Holy Family and the
Sacred Heart. He used to tell the story of the Passion of Christ to his
intimate friends with such emotion that they were moved and transformed by it.
He prayed and walked the stations of the cross with them. He asked them all to
pray. Among those who accompanied him diligently were Jules-Aimé Maucotel, whom
he called his counsellor and who actively assisted in organizing ceremonies;
Azarias Claude, a wealthy merchant who became his right hand and chauffeur; and
Joseph-Olivier Pichette, who at 25 had been told by his physician that he would
soon die, and who attributed his recovery to long prayers with the miracle
worker.
Years before his death,
Brother André was already the symbolic figure of St Joseph’s Oratory. His
charisma, his smiling face, wrinkled and radiating kindness, and his simple
humour could win over even the most indifferent. He showed good judgement with
his visitors, but also boundless charity; he welcomed everyone who came,
regardless of social condition or religion. Although he liked to laugh, he also
had moments of impatience, especially when someone gave him the credit for
favours received. “It is not I who heals,” he would say, in tears. “It is
St Joseph.”
Alfred Bessette died on
6 Jan. 1937. His body lay in state in the oratory – which was kept
open day and night – until 12 January. An initial funeral service was held
in the cathedral in Montreal, and a second one at St Joseph’s Oratory. More
than a million people came from all over to pay tribute to him, to weep for
him, and to pray beside him. Brother André was beatified by Pope John-Paul II
on 23 May 1982 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on
17 Oct. 2010.
The most complete
bibliography for Brother André can be found in Étienne Catta, Le frère
André (1845–1937) et l’oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal (Montréal et
Paris, 1965). Denise Robillard, Les merveilles de l’oratoire:
l’oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, 1904-2004 (Montréal, 2005), updates
Catta’s work by adding the titles which have appeared in the last 40 years. For
supplementary information, the most recent biography of Brother André is
useful: Laurent Boucher, Brother André: the miracle man of Mount
Royal (Montreal, 1997).
BANQ-CAM, CE604-S11,
10 août 1845. Le Devoir, 7 janv. 1937.
© 2005–2017 University
of Toronto/Université Laval
L'Oratoire Saint-Joseph à Montréal
È uno dei miei amici in Paradiso. Aveva più di novant’anni all’inizio del 1937, quando anche lui fra’ Andrea Bessette si accorse di essere assai vicino all’incontro con Dio. Sospirò: «Viene il grande misericordioso Dio!». In mezzo ai suoi dolori disse ancora: «Quanto soffro, mio Dio, quanto soffro!».
Un sacerdote che lo assisteva gli domandò perché non si rivolgesse a S. Giuseppe per la sua guarigione. «Non posso chiedere nulla per me! - rispose con serenità – ma quanto più il grande ha fatto per me!». Le sue ultime parole, il giorno dell’Epifania del Signore, 6 gennaio 1937, e pure mercoledì, sacro a S. Giuseppe, furono: «Maria Ss.ma, mia buona Madre, e madre del mio Salvatore, sia misericordiosa verso di me e mi assista!». Poi: «S. Giuseppe, S. Giuseppe». La sua anima vedeva Dio.
Dal 6 al 12 gennaio 1937, nell’arco di pochi giorni, un milione di pellegrini salì silenziosamente sul monte Royal, presso Montreal, in Canada, a rendere omaggio alla salma dell’umile frate, che in vita era stato un grande taumaturgo.
Che fosse morto un santo, un santo da porre sugli altari, non c’era dubbio alcuno già allora.
Un Santo per la vostra Comunità
Alfredo Bassette era nato a Saint Gregoire d’Iberville, presso Montreal (Canada) il 9 agosto 1845, ottavo di 12 fratelli. A 12 anni, rimane orfano di entrambi i genitori. Sua madre gli ha lasciato come tesoro più prezioso una fede vivissima in Gesù, l’Uomo-Dio, l’Amico incomparabile di ogni anima che confida il Lui. Alfredo viene affidato a degli zii. Il suo parroco, don Andrea Provençal, si prende cura di lui e approfondisce in lui un grande amore a Gesù Eucaristico.
Don Provençal lo incoraggia a rivolgersi sempre nella preghiera a S. Giuseppe, padre putativo di Gesù e patrono del Canada: «Egli ti ascolterà e ti benedirà. In seguito lo pregherai per tanti benefici, perché S. Giuseppe davanti a Dio è onnipotente». Da allora, Alfredo ama rifugiarsi spesso in chiesa presso il santo tabernacolo e l’immagine di S. Giuseppe.
Appena dodicenne già si guadagna da vivere lavorando come calzolaio, come fornaio, come servo presso un’azienda agricola e come fabbro. È piuttosto fragile di salute e a 15 anni è colpito da una gastropatia che lo accompagnerà per tutta la vita. Da questo tempo della sua adolescenza, aiutato dal suo parroco, intesse un intenso rapporto con Dio: ogni giorno la Via Crucis e diversi rosari, la Confessione e la Comunione regolare e frequente. Mentre lavora intrattiene colloqui confidenziali con S. Giuseppe, cui affida tutto se stesso.
A 20 anni, Alfredo si reca a lavorare negli Stati Uniti e S. Giuseppe rimane il suo intercessore e modello presso Gesù: è sicuro che non sbaglierà ad affidarsi a Colui che custodì i Tesori più grandi: Gesù e Maria SS.ma: «Custodirà anche me, è sicuro!». Si interroga spesso: «Che cosa farò della mia vita?». per sei mesi prega S. Giuseppe per trovare chiarezza. Don Provençal lo consiglia di ritornare in Canada: «Padre, dice Alfredo, ho deciso che mi farò frate». Tutti e due si inginocchiano, nella chiesa a ringraziare S. Giuseppe per il dono della vocazione.
Per qualche tempo, lavora ancora come operaio parlando così spesso ai suoi amici del suo Santo Protettore che essi lo chiamano "il folle di S. Giuseppe". Don Provençal scrive ai Frati della Congregazione della S. Croce a Montreal: «Vi mando un santo per la vostra Comunità». Quelli, a cominciare dai superiori, si convincono subito della sua santità, appena lo hanno ammesso al noviziato il 27 dicembre 1870. Prende il nome di fra’ Andrea, in onore del suo parroco e direttore spirituale.
Trascorso un anno, non lo si ammette ai voti, perché fra’ Andrea è troppo fragile di salute. Lui allora, promette a S. Giuseppe di erigere un grande santuario in suo onore, se non sarà mandato via dal convento: «Accetto i lavori più umili, pur di consacrarmi a Gesù con i santi voti». In quei giorni, passa nella comunità della S. Croce il Vescovo di Montreal, Mons. Bourget e fra’ Andrea gli confida la sua preoccupazione e il suo progetto di costruire un santuario a S. Giuseppe. Mons. Bourget è quasi sgomento di sapere che quel ragazzo porta nel cuore lo stesso desiderio che ha lui e proprio per questo aveva chiamato dalla Francia i Frati della S. Croce.
«Lei pensa che S. Giuseppe possa permettere che la mia promessa non si realizzi e che io debba rinunciare alla mia vocazione» domanda fra’ Andrea al Vescovo. Il quale gli risponde: «Figlio mio, non temere nulla: tu sarai ammesso alla professione».
Il taumaturgo
Il 22 febbraio 1872, fra’ Andrea fa i voti temporanei: il 2 febbraio 1874, i voti perpetui. É molto felice di appartenere a Gesù per sempre, nella Congregazione dedicata alla Sua Croce: umile frate laico, perché sacerdote non lo sarà mai. Un piccolo del Vangelo, cui vengono svelati e aperti i segreti del Padre, come ai piccoli prediletti da Gesù.
«Terminato il noviziato – racconterà lui stesso – i superori mi affidarono la portineria e lì sono rimasto per 40 anni, senza muovermi». Nella stretta portineria del Collegio di Notre-Dame, è sempre pronto a soccorrere i poveri e a dare ascolto a insegnanti, genitori e studenti. È molto amato da quelli che scoprono la sua anima candida, la sua bontà superiore.
Qualcuno approfitta della sua bontà. Certi confratelli non lo considerano troppo: sa appena leggere e scrivere o poco più. Fra’ Andrea si adatta a tutto: suona le campane al mattino, aiuta nella lavanderia, fa il barbiere agli studenti e pure l’infermiere. Alla sera tardi, lava i pavimenti e i corridoi, perché all’indomani dev’essere tutto splendente.
A mezzanotte, quanto gli altri già riposano, lui prega in cappella la Via Crucis, il Rosario, le preghiere al "suo" S. Giuseppe. Comprende sempre di più che quella sua vita nascosta e un po’ canzonata sarà feconda di bene e di santità, come era stato per altri fratelli laici: S. Pasquale Baylon, S. Martino dei Porres, S. Giovanni Macias… Egli sarà come loro. Intanto chi si raccomanda alle sue preghiere viene esaudito da Dio. Molti cominciano a guardarlo, come "il frate santo". Certi malati, guariscono per le sue preghiere: sì, a S. Giuseppe "perché lui è onnipotente presso Dio".
Nel marzo 1885, un Padre del convento si lamenta con lui: «La mia gamba peggiora sempre più. Per la festa di S. Giuseppe non potrò scendere in cappella». Andrea gli risponde: «Padre, esiste un rimedio molto semplice: reciti una novena a S. Giuseppe con grande fiducia. Anch’io dirò la novena con lei». Il 19 marzo 1885, il Padre miracolato celebra la S. Messa all’altare di S. Giuseppe.
Poco dopo, Andrea strofina la medaglia di S. Giuseppe sul collo di un ragazzo malato di difterite: «Fannullone – esclama – scendi dal letto, ché sei guarito». E così avviene. Il reparto dei malati rimane occupato da 40 pazienti agonizzanti, affetti da vaiolo. I medici non sanno più che fare, ma fra’ Andrea si inginocchia in mezzo a loro e ad alta voce supplica S. Giuseppe. Guariscono tutti.
Il costruttore
Si diffonde la voce dei suoi "miracoli". La portineria si riempie di persone in cerca di aiuto. Ma qualcuno lo considera "un ciarlatano", come il dottor Giuseppe Charette, uno dei suoi avversari più accaniti. Ma Andrea lo contraccambia guarendogli la moglie agonizzante e un collega medico, gravemente claudicante. «Lei è convinto che S. Giuseppe può ottenere questo miracolo da Gesù?» domanda. «Sì», risponde il medico zoppo. «Allora posi le stampelle e cammini bene». Come avviene.
A chi gli chiede di pregare per ottenere grazie o miracoli, lui risponde spesso con l’invito a cambiare vita, a confessarsi, a vivere in amicizia con Gesù: «Poi tutto sarà possibile, se credi». A chi si meraviglia, risponde: «Non sono io che guarisco, è S. Giuseppe, è Gesù stesso. Abbiate fede in loro».
Non ha dimenticato il progetto della chiesa in onore di S. Giuseppe. Per finanziare l’opera, fonda la Confraternita di S. Giuseppe e la rivista "Annali di S. Giuseppe". I soldi li manda la divina Provvidenza. Nel 1904 viene inaugurato il primo piccolo oratorio. Fra’ Andrea si trasferisce per sempre in quel luogo. Ogni giorno riceve 700 visitatori e spesso non trova il tempo per mangiare. Di notte prega per tutti, passando lunghe ore in preghiera. Alcuni notano attorno a lui una grande luce.
Si sta innalzando a Montreal il più grande santuario del mondo dedicato a S. Giuseppe. Molte persone – spiega l’anziano frate – si sono affidate alla mia preghiera: devo chiedere tante conversioni, guarigioni e grazie. Voglio elencare tutti i nomi e non lo posso fare se dormo». A 80 anni, si presta ancora a far da questuante nelle città americane per il suo santuario. Quando arriva, viene assalito da folle entusiaste, da molti fotografi e i giornali parlano di lui e delle guarigioni sensazionali che opera la sua preghiera.
Nel 1936, la costruzione rustica della Chiesa è completata ed è assicurato il completamento dell’edificio. «Non c’è bisogno di me – dice fra’ Andrea con gioia – posso andarmene». È noto in mezzo mondo, ma uno dei suoi amici ha detto di fra’ Andrea: «Non credo che si rendesse conto della grandezza della sua fama e del suo compito. Dovunque andava, sceglieva volentieri l’ultimo posto e per quanto riguardava i miracoli diceva: «Non è colpa mia. Dio ne è responsabile…. e S. Giuseppe».
Ma noi lo sappiamo: l’ultimo posto è un regno, nello stile di Gesù.
Fra’ Andrea, come S. Giuseppe, aveva solo cercato "gli interessi di Gesù".
Ora lo veneriamo: Sant Andrea Bessette. S. Andrea di S. Giuseppe.
Chapelle du Frère André, Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, Montréal
Chapelle du Frère André, Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, Montréal
Autel,
Chapelle du Frère André, Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, Montréal
Era l’ottavo figlio di Isacco Bessette e Clotilde Foisy, a nove anni divenne orfano del padre ed a dodici della madre, mentre lui crebbe con disturbi allo stomaco, che non gli permettevano di cibarsi come gli altri.
Fu preso in casa della zia materna Marie-Rosalie Foisy, coniugata con Timoteo Nadeau; dove le condizioni economiche non erano floride, pertanto sapeva appena leggere e scrivere e dovette lavorare ben presto per guadagnarsi da vivere.
Il suo stato di salute malferma, non gli permise di avere un lavoro stabile, infatti dal 1858 al 1870 cambiò vari mestieri nella provincia del Québec, con un intervallo dal 1863 al 1867 quando lavorò, sempre saltuariamente negli Stati Uniti, specie nel campo della filatura.
Alfredo Bessette fu molto devoto di S. Giuseppe, che aveva come lui provato la povertà, il lavoro e l’esilio. Poi ritornò in Canada e qui il suo parroco poté constatare che la sua permanenza negli Stati Uniti, non aveva fatto cambiare la sua inclinazione religiosa e la sua fede; quindi gli consigliò di entrare nella Congregazione della Santa Croce.
Alla fine del 1870 entrò nel Noviziato dei Fratelli della Santa Croce, prendendo il nome di fratel Andrea; questa Congregazione era stata fondata in Francia da padre Basile Moriau, comprendendo padri, fratelli e sorelle ed era arrivata in Canada nel 1847, su invito del vescovo Bourget, per restaurare il sistema scolastico di lingua francese, che più di un secolo prima nel 1759, gli inglesi avevano abolito ma senza mai riuscire ad assimilare la popolazione cattolica e francese.
Il suo parroco inviò un messaggio ai suoi superiori, che diceva: “Vi mando un santo”; il suo noviziato si prolungò più degli altri, per le sue condizioni di salute, venendo poi ammesso alla professione religiosa il 22 agosto 1872.
Gli fu dato il compito di portinaio del Collegio di Notre-Dame di Montréal, dove restò per quarant’anni; soleva dire con quell’umorismo che lo distingueva: “Per 40 anni alla porta, ma non mi hanno mai messo fuori!”.
Pur essendo un giovane portinaio, fu sempre di mente vivace e sensibile, con capacità di giudizio e senso dell’umorismo e divenne ben presto il rifugio dei poveri, dei malati e degli afflitti, i quali si affidavano alle sue preghiere.
Già a 30 anni operò delle guarigioni straordinarie; la stampa il 9 maggio 1878 riportò la notizia di cinque guarigioni, attribuite alle preghiere di qul piccolo frate Andrea. Tutto ciò scatenò l’affluenza di migliaia di ammalati e bisognosi, che l’attorniavano giorno e notte.
A tutti fratel Andrea raccomandò la devozione a s. Giuseppe, la fiducia in Dio; frizionava con l’olio della lampada che ardeva davanti alla statua del santo, le membra dei fedeli, i quali partivano sollevati nell’animo e spesso anche nel corpo.
Nel 1894 fratel Andrea ottenne il permesso dai superiori di erigere una piccola cappella in legno, dedicata a S. Giuseppe, sul fianco del Mont-Royal che sovrasta la città di Montréal e di fronte al Collegio e che venne inaugurata nel 1904.
Anche questa cappella divenne meta di numerosi pellegrinaggi, per cui nell’estate del 1905, i superiori nominarono fratel Andrea, custode della cappella. I numerosi prodigi di guarigioni e le conversioni degli spiriti si moltiplicarono, meritandogli l’appellativo di “taumaturgo”, inoltre la cappella diventata un Santuario dedicato a S. Giuseppe, ebbe un grande sviluppo, con un fermento religioso di tanti fedeli, attratti dal carisma di fratel Andrea; le autorità ecclesiastiche e civili, non interferirono nella sua opera apostolica.
Nel dicembre 1917 fu inaugurata una cripta e la benedizione della pietra angolare di una chiesa superiore, che dopo molte interruzioni e difficoltà, diventò il più grande santuario in onore di S. Giuseppe, padre putativo di Gesù e uno dei centri religiosi più frequentati del mondo.
Spronò sempre la costruzione del grande Santuario, terminato il 15 maggio 1955, ma non poté vederlo finito perché morì il 6 gennaio 1937, all’età di 91 anni; la sua morte fu un lutto nazionale.
Nel 1951 fu aperta la causa per la sua beatificazione e venne proclamato beato il 23 maggio 1982 da papa Giovanni Paolo II.
E' stato canonizzato a Roma da papa Benedetto XVI il 17 ottobre 2010.
Autore: Antonio Borrelli
Cari religiosi di Santa
Croce.
Vi ringrazio per la
vostra calorosa accoglienza. Avrei voluto intrattenermi più a lungo con voi per
parlare non soltanto del beato fratello André, ma anche dell’apostolato dei
padri e dei fratelli di Santa Croce, in Canada e in tutti i Paesi dove voi curate
l’educazione cristiana dei bambini, dei giovani, degli studenti, e vi occupate
delle altre necessità spirituali nel campo dell’azione cattolica o in quello
editoriale. Per questi servizi sociali, per questa testimonianza ecclesiale,
formulo voti ferventi a favore di tutta la vostra congregazione. Fin
dall’inizio i vostri fondatori si erano posti sotto la protezione della Sacra
Famiglia e specialmente di san Giuseppe. Ed è stato uno dei più umili fra di
voi, il portinaio del collegio, André Bessette, che ha portato al grado più
alto la fiducia nell’intercessione di san Giuseppe. “Pauper servus et humilis”,
il fratello André viene ora elevato al rango dei beati. In questo memorabile
luogo di Montréal, in questo grandioso oratorio, che è nato dalla sua ardente
devozione, invece di fare un discorso, vi invito ad unirvi alla mia preghiera a
san Giuseppe e al beato André.
San Giuseppe, con te,
attraverso di te,
noi benediciamo il Signore.
Egli ti ha scelto fra
tutti gli uomini
per essere il casto sposo di Maria,
colui che sta alla soglia del mistero della sua maternità divina,
e che, dopo di lei,
accoglie questa maternità nella fede come opera dello Spirito Santo.
Tu hai dato a Gesù una
paternità legale
nella stirpe di Davide.
Tu hai costantemente
vegliato sulla Madre e il Bambino
con affettuosa premura
per permettere di compiere la loro missione.
Il salvatore Gesù si è
degnato di sottomettersi a te,
come ad un padre,
durante la sua infanzia e la sua adolescenza,
e ricevere da te gli insegnamenti per la vita umana,
mentre tu condividevi la sua vita
nell’adorazione del suo mistero.
Continua a proteggere
tutta la Chiesa,
la famiglia nata dalla salvezza portata da Gesù.
Proteggi in particolare
il popolo canadese
che si è posto sotto il suo patronato.
Aiutalo ad avvicinarsi a
sua volta al mistero di Cristo
nelle disposizioni di fede, di sottomissione e di amore
che furono le tue.
Guarda alle necessità
spirituali e materiali
di tutti coloro che ricorrono alla tua intercessione.
In particolare delle famiglie
e dei poveri di ogni forma di povertà:
per mezzo tuo sono sicuri di raggiungere lo sguardo materno di Maria
e la mano di Gesù che li soccorre.
E tu, beato fratello
André Bessette,
portinaio del collegio e custode di questo oratorio,
apri alla speranza
tutti coloro che continuano a sollecitare il tuo aiuto.
Insegna loro la fiducia
nella virtù della preghiera,
e, con essa, il cammino della conversione e dei sacramenti.
Attraverso l’aiuto tuo e
di san Giuseppe,
Dio continui a diffondere le sue grazie
sulla congregazione di Santa Croce,
su tutti coloro che frequentano questo oratorio,
sulla città di Montréal
sul popolo del Québec,
su tutto il popolo canadese,
sulla Chiesa intera.
© Copyright 1984 -
Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Copyright © Dicastero per
la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima, Varsity Hills, Loyola Heights, Quezon City Family Rosary Crusade Patrick Peyton Congregation of Holy Cross or Congregatio a Sancta Cruce (C.S.C.) Basil Moreau Blessed Father Basil Anthony Marie André Bessette List of barangays of Metro Manila, Legislative districts of Quezon City Districts 3, Barangays of Quezon City, Barangay Loyola Heights (Katipunan), Quezon City along Katipunan Avenue corner Aurora Boulevard
OMELIA DEL SANTO PADRE BENEDETTO XVI
Cari fratelli e sorelle!
Si rinnova oggi in Piazza San Pietro la festa della
santità. Con gioia rivolgo il mio cordiale benvenuto a voi che siete giunti,
anche da molto lontano, per prendervi parte. Un particolare saluto ai
Cardinali, ai Vescovi e ai Superiori Generali degli Istituti fondati dai nuovi
Santi, come pure alle Delegazioni ufficiali e a tutte le Autorità civili.
Insieme cerchiamo di accogliere quanto il Signore ci dice nelle sacre Scritture
poc’anzi proclamate. La liturgia di questa domenica ci offre un insegnamento
fondamentale: la necessità di pregare sempre, senza stancarsi. Talvolta noi ci
stanchiamo di pregare, abbiamo l’impressione che la preghiera non sia tanto
utile per la vita, che sia poco efficace. Perciò siamo tentati di dedicarci
all’attività, di impiegare tutti i mezzi umani per raggiungere i nostri scopi,
e non ricorriamo a Dio. Gesù invece afferma che bisogna pregare sempre, e lo fa
mediante una specifica parabola (cfr Lc 18,1-8).
Questa parla di un giudice che non teme Dio e non ha
riguardo per nessuno, un giudice che non ha atteggiamento positivo, ma cerca
solo il proprio interesse. Non ha timore del giudizio di Dio e non ha rispetto
per il prossimo. L’altro personaggio è una vedova, una persona in una
situazione di debolezza. Nella Bibbia, la vedova e l’orfano sono le categorie
più bisognose, perché indifese e senza mezzi. La vedova va dal giudice e gli
chiede giustizia. Le sue possibilità di essere ascoltata sono quasi nulle,
perché il giudice la disprezza ed ella non può fare nessuna pressione su di
lui. Non può nemmeno appellarsi a principi religiosi, poiché il giudice non
teme Dio. Perciò questa vedova sembra priva di ogni possibilità. Ma lei
insiste, chiede senza stancarsi, è importuna, e così alla fine riesce ad
ottenere dal giudice il risultato. A questo punto Gesù fa una riflessione,
usando l’argomento a fortiori: se un giudice disonesto alla fine si lascia
convincere dalla preghiera di una vedova, quanto più Dio, che è buono, esaudirà
chi lo prega. Dio infatti è la generosità in persona, è misericordioso, e
quindi è sempre disposto ad ascoltare le preghiere. Pertanto, non dobbiamo mai
disperare, ma insistere sempre nella preghiera.
La conclusione del brano evangelico parla della fede:
«Il Figlio dell’uomo, quando verrà, troverà la fede sulla terra?» (Lc 18,8).
E’ una domanda che vuole suscitare un aumento di fede da parte nostra. E’
chiaro infatti che la preghiera dev’essere espressione di fede, altrimenti non
è vera preghiera. Se uno non crede nella bontà di Dio, non può pregare in modo
veramente adeguato. La fede è essenziale come base dell’atteggiamento della
preghiera. E’ quanto hanno fatto i sei nuovi Santi che oggi vengono proposti
alla venerazione della Chiesa universale: Stanisław
Sołtys, André Bessette, Cándida María de Jesús Cipitria y Barriola, Mary of the
Cross MacKillop, Giulia Salzano e Battista Camilla Varano.
Święty Stanisław Kazimierczyk, zakonnik z XV wieku, i
dla nas może być przykładem i orędownikiem. Całe Jego życie było związane z
Eucharystią. Najpierw przez kościół Bożego Ciała na Kazimierzu w dzisiejszym
Krakowie, gdzie u boku matki i ojca uczył się wiary i pobożności; gdzie złożył
śluby zakonne u Kanoników Regularnych; gdzie pracował jako kapłan, wychowawca,
opiekun potrzebujących. Przede wszystkim jednak był związany z Eucharystią
przez żarliwą miłość do Chrystusa obecnego pod postaciami chleba i wina; przez
przeżywanie tajemnicy Jego śmierci i zmartwychwstania, która w sposób bezkrwawy
dokonuje się we Mszy św.; przez praktykę miłości bliźniego, której źródłem i
znakiem jest Komunia.
[Traduzione: San Stanisław Kazimierczyk,
religioso del XV secolo, può essere anche per noi esempio e intercessore. Tutta
la sua vita era legata all’Eucaristia. Anzitutto nella chiesa del Corpus
Domini in Kazimierz, nell’odierna Cracovia, dove, accanto alla madre e al
padre, imparò la fede e la pietà; dove emise i voti religiosi presso i Canonici
Regolari; dove lavorò come sacerdote, educatore, attento alla cura dei
bisognosi. In modo particolare, però, era legato all’Eucaristia attraverso
l’ardente amore per Cristo presente sotto le specie del pane e del vino;
vivendo il mistero della morte e della risurrezione, che in modo incruento si
compie nella Santa Messa; attraverso la pratica dell’amore al prossimo, del
quale fonte e segno è la Comunione.]
Frère André Bessette, originaire du Québec, au Canada,
et religieux de la Congrégation de la Sainte-Croix, connut très tôt la
souffrance et la pauvreté. Elles l’ont conduit à recourir à Dieu par la prière
et une vie intérieure intense. Portier du collège Notre Dame à Montréal, il
manifesta une charité sans bornes et s’efforça de soulager les détresses de
ceux qui venaient se confier à lui. Très peu instruit, il a pourtant compris où
se situait l’essentiel de sa foi. Pour lui, croire signifie se soumettre
librement et par amour à la volonté divine. Tout habité par le mystère de
Jésus, il a vécu la béatitude des cœurs purs, celle de la rectitude
personnelle. C’est grâce à cette simplicité qu’il a permis à beaucoup de voir
Dieu. Il fit construire l’Oratoire Saint Joseph du Mont Royal dont il demeura
le gardien fidèle jusqu’à sa mort en 1937. Il y fut le témoin d’innombrables
guérisons et conversions. «Ne cherchez pas à vous faire enlever les
épreuves» disait-il, «demandez plutôt la grâce de bien les supporter».
Pour lui, tout parlait de Dieu et de sa présence. Puissions-nous, à sa suite,
rechercher Dieu avec simplicité pour le découvrir toujours présent au cœur de
notre vie! Puisse l’exemple du Frère André inspirer la vie chrétienne
canadienne!
Cuando el Hijo del Hombre vendrá para hacer justicia a
los elegidos, ¿encontrará esta fe en la tierra? (cf. Lc 18,18). Hoy
podemos decir que sí, con alivio y firmeza, al contemplar figuras como la Madre
Cándida María de Jesús Cipitria y Barriola. Aquella muchacha de origen
sencillo, con un corazón en el que Dios puso su sello y que la llevaría muy
pronto, con la guía de sus directores espirituales jesuitas, a tomar la firme
resolución de vivir «sólo para Dios». Decisión mantenida fielmente, como ella
misma recuerda cuando estaba a punto de morir. Vivió para Dios y para lo que Él
más quiere: llegar a todos, llevarles a todos la esperanza que no vacila, y
especialmente a quienes más lo necesitan. «Donde no hay lugar para los pobres,
tampoco lo hay para mí», decía la nueva Santa, que con escasos medios contagió
a otras Hermanas para seguir a Jesús y dedicarse a la educación y promoción de
la mujer. Nacieron así las Hijas de Jesús, que hoy tienen en su Fundadora un
modelo de vida muy alto que imitar, y una misión apasionante que proseguir en
los numerosos países donde ha llegado el espíritu y los anhelos de apostolado
de la Madre Cándida.
“Remember who your teachers were – from these you can
learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” For
many years countless young people throughout Australia have been blessed with
teachers who were inspired by the courageous and saintly example of zeal,
perseverance and prayer of Mother Mary McKillop. She dedicated herself as a
young woman to the education of the poor in the difficult and demanding terrain
of rural Australia, inspiring other women to join her in the first women’s
community of religious sisters of that country. She attended to the needs of
each young person entrusted to her, without regard for station or wealth,
providing both intellectual and spiritual formation. Despite many challenges,
her prayers to Saint Joseph and her unflagging devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, to whom she dedicated her new congregation, gave this holy woman the
graces needed to remain faithful to God and to the Church. Through her
intercession, may her followers today continue to serve God and the Church with
faith and humility!
Nella seconda metà del secolo XIX, in Campania, nel
sud dell’Italia, il Signore chiamò una giovane maestra elementare, Giulia
Salzano, e ne fece un’apostola dell’educazione cristiana, fondatrice della
Congregazione delle Suore Catechiste del Sacro Cuore di Gesù. Madre Giulia
comprese bene l’importanza della catechesi nella Chiesa, e, unendo la
preparazione pedagogica al fervore spirituale, si dedicò ad essa con generosità
e intelligenza, contribuendo alla formazione di persone di ogni età e ceto
sociale. Ripeteva alle sue consorelle che desiderava fare catechismo fino
all’ultima ora della sua vita, dimostrando con tutta se stessa che se “Dio ci
ha creati per conoscerLo, amarLo e servirLo in questa vita”, nulla bisognava
anteporre a questo compito. L’esempio e l’intercessione di santa Giulia Salzano
sostengano la Chiesa nel suo perenne compito di annunciare Cristo e di formare
autentiche coscienze cristiane.
Santa Battista Camilla Varano, monaca clarissa del XV
secolo, testimoniò fino in fondo il senso evangelico della vita, specialmente
perseverando nella preghiera. Entrata a 23 anni nel monastero di Urbino, si
inserì da protagonista in quel vasto movimento di riforma della spiritualità
femminile francescana che intendeva recuperare pienamente il carisma di santa
Chiara d’Assisi. Promosse nuove fondazioni monastiche a Camerino, dove più
volte fu eletta abbadessa, a Fermo e a San Severino. La vita di santa Battista,
totalmente immersa nelle profondità divine, fu un’ascesa costante nella via
della perfezione, con un eroico amore verso Dio e il prossimo. Fu segnata da
grandi sofferenze e mistiche consolazioni; aveva deciso infatti, come scrive
lei stessa, di “entrare nel Sacratissimo Cuore di Gesù e di annegare nell’oceano
delle sue acerbissime sofferenze”. In un tempo in cui la Chiesa pativa un
rilassamento dei costumi, ella percorse con decisione la strada della penitenza
e della preghiera, animata dall’ardente desiderio di rinnovamento del Corpo
mistico di Cristo.
Cari fratelli e sorelle, rendiamo grazie al Signore per il dono della santità, che risplende nella Chiesa e oggi traspare sul volto di questi nostri fratelli e sorelle. Gesù invita anche ciascuno di noi a seguirlo per avere in eredità la vita eterna. Lasciamoci attrarre da questi esempi luminosi, lasciamoci guidare dai loro insegnamenti, perché la nostra esistenza sia un cantico di lode a Dio. Ci ottengano questa grazia la Vergine Maria e l’intercessione dei sei nuovi Santi che oggi con gioia veneriamo. Amen.
© Copyright 2010 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
André (Alfred) Bessette
(1845-1937)
BEATIFICAZIONE:
- 23 maggio 1982
- Papa Giovanni
Paolo II
CANONIZZAZIONE:
- 17 ottobre 2010
- Papa Benedetto
XVI
- Piazza San Pietro]
RICORRENZA:
- 6 gennaio
Frate professo della
Congregazione della Santa Croce, apostolo di San Giuseppe, fece edificare
un insigne santuario in suo onore
"Non cercare di sbarazzarti delle prove, ma chiedi la grazia di sopportarle bene"
Il Beato Alfred
Bessette è nato a Saint-Grégoire nel sud di Montreal, ha lavorato a
Saint-Césaire, è emigrato negli Stati Uniti per un periodo di tempo come tanti
giovani del suo periodo per partecipare allo sviluppo delle industrie della
Nuova Inghilterra.
Tanti dei suoi compagni
hanno adottato questa nuova terra di accoglienza e sono diventati
franco-americani, hanno tenuto il loro cognome francese e un po’ della loro
cultura. Il giovane Alfred è tornato al suo paese. Si è avvicinato a colui nel
quale aveva una fiducia totale e che rappresentava il dono di se stesso che
desiderava per lui: il curato André Provençal. Quest’ultimo un giorno si è
detto: «So dove mandarlo ». Scrisse quindi ai religiosi della congregazione di
Santa Croce che insegnavano ai bambini della Côte-des-Neiges, di fronte al
Monte Royal dicendo « Vi mando un santo…».
Il giovane operaio
timido, analfabeta, vede aprirsi una porta che desiderava senza nemmeno
crederci: diventerà un religioso! Senza sapere come servirà il Dio che riempiva
la sua vita dalla sua infanzia, si abbandonava a lui. Soprattutto a San
Giuseppe: suo amico, suo confidente da tanto tempo. Diventa fratello André.
Se l’inizio sembra
banale, simile alla vita di tanti giovani, ciò che segue è unico ed
eccezionale. Si è visto raramente nella storia nord americana, un cammino cosi
straordinario. Al punto che mille cose sembrano quasi incredibili
nell’evoluzione di una vita, di una fama, di una piccola cappella. Lungo la sua
vita e grazie ai pellegrini che riceveva, fratello André ha acquisito una
reputazione di taumaturgo uguale a nessun’altra.
Il fratellino, il
ragazzino gracile e malato è morto il 6 gennaio 1937, all’età di 91 anni. Un
milione di persone sono venute a ringraziarlo per la sua presenza nella loro
vita. Fratello André rimane da quel giorno fedele a milioni di altre persone.
Non ha mai smesso di dire a coloro che lo invocavano: « Pregate San Giuseppe…».
UOMO, SANTO
Una storia che piace
tanto: quella di un ragazzino che proveniva da una famiglia disagiata, che si è
battuto per crescere ma soprattutto per sopravvivere, convinto che un angelo lo
proteggeva, accanendosi a perseguire il cammino che cercava, aprendo il suo
cuore a tutti quelli che lo avvicinavano, finalmente riconosciuto e acclamato
come il santo che arricchiva la vita di coloro che lo avvicinavano.
Ma questa volta, non é né
un romanzo né una fantasia del cinema. Ma è la storia vera di un uomo delle
nostre parti, dalla vita cosi semplice e meravigliosa, che è diventato l’amico
di milioni di persone senza mai attribuirsi il minimo potere, il minimo merito.
È grazie alla sua fiducia in qualcuno di più grande, di più potente di lui che
poteva dare sollievo ai suoi visitatori. Spesso dava sollievo al loro corpo ma
sempre al loro cuore. Amava e faceva amare. Portava a Dio quelli che sapevano
accogliere nella loro vita il suo grande amico, San Giuseppe. La storia di un
santo di oggi, incarnato nella nostra storia dove è rimasto presente e vivo.
SOURCE : https://www.causesanti.va/it/santi-e-beati/andre-bessette.html
%2C_ON.jpg)
The
Saint Joseph Memorial Park in Saint Joseph (Huron County). The park contains a
statue of Saint Joseph and Saint Frère André Bessette.
Den
hellige Andreas Bessette (1845-1937)
Minnedag: 6.
januar
Den hellige Andreas (fr:
André) ble født som Alfred Bessette den 9. august 1845 i den lille landsbyen
Saint-Grégoire-d'Iberville fire mil sørvest for Montréal i det som da het
Canada East (fr: Canada-Est), den sørlige delen av det som siden 1867 har vært
provinsen Québec. Han var den åttende av tolv barn av tømmermannen Isaac
Bessette og hans hustru Clothilde Foisy. Den nyfødte gutten var så svak at man
fryktet for hans liv, så jordmoren foretok straks en nøddåp. Dagen etter mottok
han kondisjonal dåp i kirken (dåp i tilfelle den første var ugyldig).
Høsten 1849 solgte Isaac
Bessette sin eiendom i Saint-Grégoire og kjøpte et stykke land femten kilometer
lenger sørøst, i Farnham nær Rivière Yamaska. Dit flyttet han sammen med
familien. Som en familiefar som levde i fattigdom, arbeidet han i ulike yrker:
som snekker, tømmermann, bøkker (tønnemaker) og vognmaker. Han arbeidet også
som tømmerhogger. Men den 20. februar 1855 omkom han da et tre han felte, falt
oppå brystet hans. Hans hustru satt igjen som førtiårig enke med ti barn (to
var døde). Hun sørget for at de fikk en kristen oppdragelse og innpodet dem den
tradisjonelle kanadiske andakten for Jesus, Maria og Josef. Men hun kom seg
aldri av sjokket etter mannens død, og den 20. november 1857 døde også hun av
tuberkulose.
Barna ble da spredt blant
slektninger, og den tolvårige Alfred kom til sin mors søster, Marie-Rosalie
Foisy, og hennes mann Timothée Nadeau, som bodde i Saint-Césaire. Han fikk
katekismeundervisning og ble fermet (konfirmert) av den første biskopen av
Saint-Hyacinthe, Jean-Charles Prince, den 7. juni 1858. Men på grunn av dårlig
helse og familiens svake økonomi ble det ikke mer skolegang, og han var bare i
stand til å skrive sitt eget navn og lese trykte bokstaver.
Det var nødvendig at
Alfred tidlig fant seg et arbeid for å kunne betale for seg hos onkelen og
tanten, og med onkelens medvirkning prøvde han seg i mange yrker. Først
arbeidet han med å transportere byggematerialer. Da hans onkel Timothée dro av
gårde til California i jakt på gull i 1860, tok borgermesteren i Saint-Césaire,
Louis Ouimet, den unge gutten inn for å arbeide på sin gård. Etter det prøvde
Alfred seg i forskjellige fag i Farnham, Saint-Jean (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu),
Waterloo og Chambly. I 1862 var han tilbake i Saint-Césaire som skomaker- og
bakerlærling. Men denne store variasjonen i arbeidserfaring gjorde ingenting
for å forbedre hans fysiske tilstand. Han var ikke i stand til å fordøye noe,
på grunn av de kroniske magesmertene hadde han ikke noe hell med seg i noen av sine
yrkesforsøk.
Men hos tanten ble hans religiøse fundament, som var
lagt av hans fromme mor, enda dypere, og han ba hele tiden. Marie-Rosalie
ble imidlertid forskrekket da hun oppdaget hvilke botsøvelser han påla seg
selv. Han spiste aldri dessert og bar et lærbelte med jernpigger rundt livet.
Han knelte ofte i bønn, intenst og i lang tid av gangen, og han kunne finnes
med hendene strukket ut til siden, foran et krusifiks, i kirken, i sitt rom
eller i en låve. Han hadde en stor hengivenhet for den hellige Josef. Det undret
derfor ingen at man ofte så gutten i bønn foran den vakre Josef-statuen i
sognekirken.
Alfred håpet å finne et
arbeid som kunne forenes med hans fysiske tilstand, så i oktober 1863 tok han
toget til New England i det nordøstre USA. Tusenvis av hans landsmenn hadde
allerede dratt dit, tiltrukket av velstanden, inkludert noen av hans brødre,
søstre og venner. I New England gikk fabrikkene for fullt for å dekke behovene
til nordstatshæren i den amerikanske borgerkrigen. Alfred lærte seg engelsk,
men han fant fabrikkarbeidet nesten mer enn han kunne klare og byttet mellom
arbeid på tekstilfabrikker og på gårder i New England. Han var hyret i
Connecticut (Moosup, Putnam, Hartford og Killingly), Massachusetts (North
Easton) og Rhode Island (Phoenix). Alfred var reservert av natur, og utslitt
etter en hard dags arbeid, pleide han å stenge seg inne på sitt rom og be.
Alfred kunne knapt lese
og skrive og skulle komme til å være sykelig hele livet. Også i New England
måtte han gi opp. Etter forgjeves å ha lett etter passende arbeid i fire år
uten suksess, vendte han tilbake til hjemlandet da den nye kanadiske
føderasjonen ble dannet i 1867. Han slo seg ned i Sutton, hvor hans søster
Léocadie og hans bror Claude bodde. Men han dro snart tilbake til Farnham, hvor
den lokale presten Édouard Springer ansatte ham til å ta vare på sin hest og
hage og utføre vanskelige oppgaver rundt på prestegården. Da Springer flyttet
til et nytt sogn i 1868, dro Alfred tilbake for å bo i hjemmet til Louis Ouimet
i Saint-Césaire.
Ouimet la merke til hans
fromhet og nevnte den for sin helgenaktige sogneprest, André Provençal. Han
mente at den unge mannen hadde ordenskall, selv om Alfred selv mente at han var
alt for uvitende. Abbé Provençal overvant hans nøling ved å forsikre ham om at
han ville finne det bønnefylte miljøet han trengte samt nyttig arbeid i
kongregasjonen «Brødrene av Det hellige Kors» (Congregatio a Sancta Cruce –
CSC), som sognepresten hadde gitt ansvaret for en skole i sitt sogn i 1869.
Den 22. november 1870
dukket Alfred Bessette opp i Collège Notre-Dame i Côte-des-Neiges i Montréal,
hvor kongregasjonen nylig hadde åpnet sitt novisiat. P. Provençal skrev
søknaden for ham og sendte med ham et introduksjonsbrev til novisemester
Julien-Pierre Gastineau, hvor det sto: «Jeg sender dere en helgen». Den 8.
desember utpekte den salige pave Pius IX (1854-78) den hellige Josef til
skytshelgen for Universalkirken. Den 27. desember tok Alfred Bessette
ordensnavnet Andreas (fr: André) i takknemlighet mot sogneprest André
Provençal, da han og en annen postulant ble ikledd ordensdrakten.
Mot slutten av novisiatet
nølte de overordnede med å akseptere broder Andreas' inntreden i ordenslivet på
grunn av hans svake helse. Andreas fryktet at han ville bli avvist, og han ba
da den hellige Josef om hjelp og lovte at han ville bygge en helligdom til ham
dersom han fikk avlegge løftene. På den tiden avla biskop Ignace Bourget av
Montréal et besøk hos patrene av Det hellige kors, som han selv hadde fått til
Canada. Broder Andreas overkom da sin naturlige ydmykhet og ba om en samtale
med ham. Han fortalte biskopen om sin store bekymring for å bli avvist, om sin
hengivenhet for Josef og om løftet han hadde avlagt om å bygge en helligdom for
ham på høyden tvers overfor kollegiet. Biskopen ble rørt over denne store
hengivenheten til Josef, som han selv delte, og han planla selv å bygge en
kirke til ære for Josef og gjøre den til senteret for et stort valfartssted.
Det var for å virkeliggjøre denne planen at Patrene av Det hellige kors var
kommet fra Le Mans i Frankrike.
Biskopen insisterte på at
broder Andreas måtte få avlegge løftene, og den nye novisemesteren, Amédée Guy,
anbefalte ham også med ordene: «Dersom denne unge mannen blir ute av stand til
å arbeide, vil han i det minste være i stand til å be godt». Dermed fikk
Andreas likevel lov til å avlegge løftene som legbror den 22. august 1872. Han
avla sine endelige løfter den 2. februar 1874, 28 ½ år gammel.
Etter at novisiatet var
over med avleggelsen av de første løftene, ble «Frère André», som han ble kjent
som, utnevnt til portner for kollegiet Notre Dame du Sacré-Coeur. Det var en
skole for gutter mellom syv og tolv år. Stillingen som portner hadde han i
nesten førti år, til midten av juli 1909. Hans jobb var å være dørvakt, ønske
gjester velkommen, finne menneskene de skulle besøke, vekke dem som gikk på
skolen og levere post. Senere spøkte han: «Ved slutten av novisiatet viste mine
overordnede meg døren, og der ble jeg i førti år».
Han hadde også andre
oppgaver, som å holde området rent og gjøre innkjøp, og han var også barberer,
gartner og sykepasser for elevene, og noen ganger fulgte han dem på turer på
fridagene deres. Alt sitt arbeid utførte han med stor nestekjærlighet og
tålmodighet, og han ble en hjelper og trøster for mange elever ved kollegiet.
En annen av hans oppgaver var almisseutdeler, og han tok seg villig av de
fattige og syke som kom til porten for å få trøst, råd og hjelp. To sider av
hans spiritualitet var karakteristiske: Hans dype hengivenhet for St. Josef og
hans engasjement for de fattige og lidende.
Hans store tillit til St.
Josef inspirerte ham til å anbefale kulten for denne helgenen til alle dem som
var plaget på et eller annet vis. På sine mange besøk til de syke i deres hjem,
pleide han å anbefale dem i bønn til St. Josef, gi dem en Josefsmedaljong og et
par dråper olje fra lampen som alltid brant foran alteret for St. Josef i
kollegiets kapell, som han anbefalte dem å salve seg med i stor tillit til St.
Josef. Etter fem år som portner begynte broder Andreas å utvikle er stadig
større ry som undergjører, og historier om hans helbredende evner begynte å
versere i Montreal. Folk hevdet at de var blitt helbredet gjennom bønnene til
den gode broder og St. Josef, og de var takknemlige over at deres bønner var
blitt hørt. Broder Andreas nektet hardnakket å ta noen ære for disse helbredelsene,
og selv om han vanligvis var en mild mann, var han kjent for å bli rasende på
dem som antydet at han hadde helbredende evner.
Den første kjente
beretningen om helbredelser ble skrevet av Désiré-Michel Giraudeau med
ordensnavnet broder Aldéric, som fortalte om sin egen helbredelse i tillegg til
flere andres. Den ble utgitt i Paris i 1878 i annalene til Association de
Saint-Joseph. Den lille broderens ry – han var knapt 150 centimeter høy – som
en hellige undergjører spredte seg fra munn til munn. Skolens myndigheter
begynte etter hvert å bekymre seg for den voksende strømmen av besøkende.
Foreldre, kollegaer og til og med skolelegen klaget til byens religiøse og
helsemessige myndigheter om nærværet av syke personer så nær studentene. Noen
kalte broder Andreas en sjarlatan og kvakksalver.
Som ung mann hadde broder Andreas hatt en drøm hvor
han så en kirke i uvanlige omgivelser. Senere gjenkjente han
stedet som toppen av Mont Royal, som ligger tvers overfor kollegiet Notre-Dame
i sentrum av Montréal og har gitt byen sitt navn. Det var opprinnelig en bratt
høyde bevokst av tett skog. I mange år hadde ledelsen for Brødrene av Det
hellige Kors prøvd å kjøpe en tomt der, men eierne nektet å selge. Da klatret
broder Andreas og andre opp og plantet Josef-medaljonger der, og snart ga
eierne etter og en tomt ble kjøpt i 1896. Dette er årsaken til at mange i
engelskspråklige land som ønsker å kjøpe eller selge sitt hjem, nå påkaller St.
Josef.
Rundt år 1900 ble broder
Andreas bedt om å begynne å møte de syke i et skur som var blitt bygd tvers
overfor skolen for studentenes foreldre ved et trikkestopp. Han tok med de
besøkende for å be foran en statue av St. Josef som han hadde satt opp i en
nisje på Mount Royal. Tomten som var kjøpt i 1896 av Collège Notre-Dame, fikk
navnet Parc Saint-Joseph. Den nedre delen ble dyrket, mens den øvre delen ble
brukt til rekreasjon.
Broder Andreas' store plan
var å bygge et kapell for St. Josef på denne høyden, og i 1904 overrasket den
59-årige Andreas erkebiskop Paul Bruchési av Montréal ved å be om tillatelse
til dette. Ved hjelp av støtte fra sine venner – mange av dem hadde blitt
bønnhørt etter å ha bedt sammen med ham – fikk han til slutt tillatelse til å
bygge. Men erkebiskopen nektet å pådra seg gjeld, og han og skolens myndigheter
ville bare tillate at broder Andreas bygde for de pengene han hadde. I mange år
hadde han samlet inn penger ved å klippe elevene på kollegiet for 5 cent
stykket, og i tillegg hadde han småpenger fra en liten boks han hadde satt opp
i et piknikskur på toppen av høyden ved siden av en statue av Josef med et
skilt: «Donasjoner til St. Josef». Takket være spontane donasjoner i penger og
gjenstander som statuer, vaser, liturgiske klær og en klokke, fikk han til
slutt noen hundre dollar. Dem brukte han til å bygge et lite trekapell som
målte 4 ½ x 5 ½ meter. og den rudimentære helligdommen ble åpnet den 16.
oktober 1904. Dette kapellet står i dag som det var i 1908.
Broder Andreas fortsatte
å samle inn penger og kom tilbake til erkebiskopen for å be om tillatelse til
mer bygging. Erkebiskopen ga ham tillatelse til å bygge så lenge han hadde
penger. Andreas startet med å bygge et tak for alle menneskene som kom for å
høre messe ved kapellet, og senere kom vegger, oppvarming og en brolagt vei opp
høyden, et herberge for pilegrimer og til slutt et sted hvor broder Andreas og
andre kunne bo og ta seg av helligdommen og pilegrimene som kom dit.
Fra 1905 til 1908 ble
begynnelsen og slutten på valfartssesongen markert med seremonien på Kristi
Himmelfartsdag og en prosesjon i september. Etter å ha møttes flere ganger i
1907 konstituerte de nidkjære tilhengerne av St. Josefs oratorium seg som en
komité den 9. september 1908 og ga den navnet Comité de l'Oratoire
Saint-Joseph de la Côte-des-Neiges. Strømmen av pilegrimer var så stor at
kapellet måtte utvides fire ganger mellom 1908 og 1912. Hver gang gjorde
offentlighetens sjenerøsitet det mulig å betale for arbeidet fullstendig og i
tide. Komiteen fungerte til midten av juli 1909, da myndighetene ved Collège
Notre-Dame tok over administrasjonen av oratoriet og utnevnte broder Andreas
til guardian for helligdommen. Samtidig sluttet han i embetet som portner og
flyttet over til helligdommen.
Snart var han opptatt på
heltid der. Hans omsorg for dem som trengte åndelig legedom og støtte, fikk ham
til å tilbringe åtte til ti timer daglig med å ta imot klienter. En religiøs
forening, Confrérie de Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, ble offisielt
konstituert av erkebiskop Bruchési den 21. november 1909, og den inkluderte
legfolk, både menn og kvinner, venner av broder Andreas og bidragsytere til St
Joseph's Oratory og dets arbeid. De ble innkalt av rektor for oratoriet,
provinsialsuperior Georges-Auguste Dion, til en times bønn på den tredje
søndagen hver måned klokken 15. Dette var anledningen hvor det ble rapportert
om helligdommens affærer: mottatte brev, anmodninger om bønner eller messer,
helbredelser samt ulike småsaker oratoriets utvikling og aktiviteter. Broder
Andreas ble etter hvert så kjent at det i 1910 måtte ansettes sekretærer for å
svare på de 80.000 brevene han fikk hvert år.
I 1912 ble styret for St Joseph's Oratory etablert,
bestående av tre prester og tre brødre fra Det hellige kors, inkludert broder
Andreas. Det månedlige magasinet Annales de Saint-Joseph begynte
å utgis i Montréal samme år. Dets formål var å fremme venerasjonen av St.
Josef, publisere oratoriets arbeid og kongregasjonens misjon i Bengal samt
kommentere tidens sosiale spørsmål. En engelsk utgave kom til i 1927. Et team
av prester og brødre skrev artikler og spalter, mens en gruppe utvalgte
forfattere, som Félix Leclerc, Guy Mauffette, Alfred DesRochers, Françoise
Gaudet-Smet [Gaudet] og Marie-Antoinette Grégoire-Coupal, i tillegg til
illustratørene Edmond-Joseph Massicotte, Jacques Gagnier og Gui Laflamme,
skulle senere komme til å bidra. Magasinet ble fortsatt utgitt på begynnelsen
av 2000-tallet under navnet L'Oratoire. Fra 3 600 i 1912 økte opplaget til
122 000 i 1932.
Det var en voksende strøm
av besøkende til helligdommen. Mennesker fra hele Canada kom til broder Andreas
for åndelig veiledning eller for å bli helbredet. Tusenvis av helbredelser er
tilskrevet ham, men selv sa han alltid at det var St. Josef som sto for
miraklene. Til tross for økonomiske vanskeligheter mistet broder Andreas aldri
motet eller troen.
I 1913 var det så store
menneskemengder som kom for å besøke Andreas og be til St. Josef, at det ble
bestemt å bygge en stor kirke (basilika) for å møte deres behov. Beslutningen
ble tatt under press fra legfolket og med oppmuntring av erkebiskop Bruchési.
Et forslag ble laget av arkitektene Alphonse Venne og Dalbé Viau. Det ble
bestemt å begynne med krypten og deretter bygge en basilika oppå den. Pengene
til byggingen av krypten, rundt $ 80 000, hadde allerede blitt samlet inn
gjennom de troendes donasjoner. Byggingen startet i 1914, og den 16. desember
1917 ble den nye kryptkirken med plass til tusen personer åpnet. Den brukes
fortsatt til daglige hverdagsmesser.
Men etter mindre enn et
år viste denne kirken seg å være for liten. Antallet besøkende fortsatte å
stige gjennom 1920-tallet, og i denne tiden ble helligdommen i tråd med ønskene
til erkebiskopen og hans koadjutor, biskop Georges Gauthier, senteret for den
religiøse aktiviteten i erkebispedømmet. Foreninger av alle slag, sosiale
bevegelser, katolske fagforeninger, religiøse brorskap, fikk for vane å foreta
valfarter og holde samlinger der, noe som trakk tusenvis av mennesker. Årlige
besøk til oratoriet ble organisert i menigheter og utdanningsinstitusjoner.
Besøkende kom ikke bare
fra Quebec, men også fra Ontario, New Brunswick, det vestlige Canada og USA.
Broder Andreas mottok dem hver dag fra ni om morgenen til fem om ettermiddagen.
Om kvelden kjørte venner ham til hjemmene til mennesker som var for syke til å
reise. I 1920 innførte broder Andreas en times tilbedelse i krypten hver fredag
kveld klokken åtte, noe som snart ble fulgt av en korsvei. Hundrevis og
tusenvis av troende kom til disse kveldene. Ideen om soning, som ble fremsatt
av de religiøse myndighetene for å møte trusselen fra sosialisme og kommunisme
samt krigene i Europa, ga støtet til ulike leg-initiativ. Fra 1926 begynte for
eksempel Édouard-L.-H. Barsalo å organisere en valfart til fots for å delta i
årets første messe i oratoriet, og hundrevis og senere tusenvis fulgte dette
kallet.
I 1915 begynte broder
Andreas' overordnede å la ham ta en kort ferie to ganger i året. Han brukte
denne tiden til å besøke slektninger og venner i Sutton, Saint-Césaire og
Quebec City, men også i USA, spesielt i New England, og i Ontario (Toronto,
Sudbury og Ottawa). Hans ry som undergjører gikk foran ham. Stasjonsmestere
annonserte hans ankomst, og folkemengder samlet seg da han kom av toget og ved
dørene til de hotellene eller prestegårdene hvor han bodde. Hver gang ble det
meldt om eksempler på helbredelser i de lokale avisene. Han kom alltid tilbake
med gaver som var gitt i takknemlighet for de bønnesvar som var gitt. Det var
et voksende folkelig krav om at planene om en basilika skulle gjennomføres, og
i 1927 ga Gauthier tillatelse til en økonomisk kampanje for å samle inn de
nødvendige midlene. I mellomtiden fortsatte arbeidet på området ved at veier og
parkeringsplasser ble bygd, og det ble sørget for servicefasiliteter.
Miraklene som skjedde ved
St Joseph's Oratory vakte pressens interesse, spesielt de engelskspråklige
avisene. I 1922 publiserte George Henry Ham, en lobbyist for The Canadian
Pacific Railway Company, i Toronto-magasinet Maclean's en rapport han
hadde skrevet etter å ha besøkt broder Andreas og møtt mennesker han ble sagt å
skulle ha helbredet. Artikkelen vakte så stor interesse at Ham straks fulgte
den opp ved å utgi i Toronto den første biografien om broder Andreas, The
miracle man of Montreal, som straks ble oversatt av Raoul Clouthier og utgitt i
Montreal som Le thaumaturge de Montréal. Samme år fikk Arthur Saint-Pierre
i oppdrag å skrive helligdommens historie, L'Oratoire Saint-Joseph du
Mont-Royal, som kom ut i Montreal og skulle komme i utallige utgaver.
Etter først å ha vist en
god del tilbakeholdenhet overfor broder Andreas' prosjekt ble hans overordnede
til slutt vunnet over av hans oppriktighet, enkelhet og overbevisningen til en
mann som ikke baserte seg på angivelige mirakler eller visjoner, men på sin
venerasjon for St. Josef. I tillegg til denne venerasjonen kom kjærligheten til
Gud, konstant lesning av evangeliet og kulten for Den hellige familie og Jesu hellige hjerte.
Han pleide å fortelle historien om Jesu lidelse til sine nærmeste venner med
slik følelse at de ble beveget og forvandlet av den. Han ba og gikk gjennom
korsveiens stasjoner med dem og ba dem alle om å be. Blant dem som fulgte ham
flittig, var Jules-Aimé Maucotel, som han kalte sin rådgiver og som aktivt
hjalp til med å organisere seremonier, Azarias Claude, en velstående kjøpmann
som ble hans høyre hånd og sjåfør, og Joseph-Olivier Pichette, som da han var
25 år gammel, var blitt fortalt av sin lege at han snart ville dø, og som
tilskrev sin tilfriskning lange bønner sammen med mirakelgjøreren.
Arbeidene med å bygge en
basilika på høyden ble satt i gang, men den økonomiske depresjonen stanset
arbeidet i 1931. I 1936 innkalte kongregasjonen til et ekstraordinært møte for
å avgjøre om prosjektet skulle fortsette, spesielt siden snø og frost truet med
å skade den uferdige og takløse basilikaen. Provinsialen tilkalte den
nittiårige Andreas og ba om hans mening. Til forsamlingen sa han: «Dette er
ikke mitt verk, men den hellige Josefs. Sett en statue av ham i midten av
bygningen. Hvis han ønsker tak over hodet, vil han ta hånd om det». To måneder
senere hadde kongregasjonen fått nok penger til å fortsette arbeidet. Andreas
var så syk at han måtte bæres opp på høyden for å se statuen i sitt nye hjem. På
slutten av sitt liv ble den sykelige Andreas spurt hvordan han hadde klart å
bli så gammel. Leende svarte han: «Ved å spise så lite som mulig og arbeide så
mye som mulig».
I flere år før sin død
var broder Andreas allerede den symbolske skikkelsen for St Joseph's Oratory.
Hans karisma, hans smilende ansikt, rynkete og strålende av godhet, og hans
enkle humor kunne vinne over selv den mest likegyldige. Han viste god
dømmekraft overfor sine besøkende, men også ubegrenset nestekjærlighet, og han
ønsket velkommen alle som kom, uansett sosial stilling eller religion. Selv om
han likte å le, hadde han også øyeblikk av utålmodighet, spesielt når noen ga
ham æren for bønnesvar. Da pleide han å si mens tårene rant: «Det er ikke jeg
som helbreder. Det er St. Josef».
I 1936 falt han i koma etter et akutt angrep av
magekatarr, og deretter fikk han et slag. Han hadde fryktelige
smerter, men klarte likevel å prise Gud for alt det vakre han hadde opplevd i
livet. De siste månedene av sitt lange liv tilbrakte han i nonneklosteret Vår
Frue av Håp (Notre-Dame-de-l'Espérance) i Ville Saint-Laurent i
Montréal. Frère André døde der den 6. januar 1937 i en alder av 91 år. Hans
legeme lå på lit-de-parade i oratoriet, som ble holdt åpent dag og natt, inntil
12. januar, og det ble anslått at nærmere en million mennesker kom til
oratoriet for å vise ham den siste ære. I tillegg til halve befolkningen i
Montreal kom mennesker med spesialtog fra Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New Hampshire og Vermont. En innledende begravelsesseremoni ble
holdt i katedralen i Montréal og en ny i St Joseph's Oratory. Hans legeme ble
gravlagt i en alkove i et lite minnekapell. Hans hjerte ble fjernet fra kroppen
og utstilt i et relikvar i kirken. Hjertet ble stjålet i mars 1973, men ble funnet igjen i desember 1974.
Skritt for skritt hadde den beskjedne legbroren
Andreas klart å reise en praktfull basilika, 115 meter lang, 70 meter bred og
60 meter høy innvendig – 97 meter fra golvet til toppen av korset på kuppelen. Det
er den største St. Josef-kirken i verden med plass til 2.200 mennesker. Selv
fikk han ikke oppleve å se sitt oratorium ferdig. Kirken er kanskje verdens
viktigste St. Josefs-helligdom, og den ble høytidelig vigslet i 1955 og gitt
rang av en mindre basilika (Basilica minor). I 1967 var byggearbeidene endelig
ferdige.
Broder Andreas ligger i
dag i en enkel grav i basilikaen. Mursteinsbuen over graven ble tegnet av
arkitekten Dom Paul Bellot OSB, og det samme ble den svarte marmorsarkofagen
donert av Maurice Duplessis, statsminister i Quebec og en venn av Frère André.
Fresken bak graven ble malt av kunstneren Henri Charlier og viser broder
Andreas' troskap mot Vår Herres lidelse. Den bærer inskripsjonen: Pauper,
servis et humilis, «en fattig og ydmyk tjener». På den andre siden står en
byste av denne apostelen for St. Josef. Under den er en åpen bok hvor pilegrimer kan slutte
seg til de millioner av andre som har skrevet inn sitt navn til støtte for
broder Andreas' helligkåring.
Allerede i 1941 begynte Brødrene av Det hellige Kors
prosedyren for broder Andreas' saligkåring. Den 11. september 1963
ble hans grav åpnet av det kirkelige tribunalet som drev hans
saligkåringsprosess for å verifisere autentisiteten av hans jordiske rester.
Den 12. juni 1978 ble hans «heroiske dyder» anerkjent av pave Paul VI
(1963-78), og han fikk tittelen Venerabilis («Ærverdig»). Den 27.
november 1981 undertegnet den ærverdige pave Johannes Paul II (1978-2005)
dekretet fra Helligkåringskongregasjonen som godkjente et mirakel på hans
forbønn. Det gjaldt helbredelsen i 1958 av Giuseppe Carlo Audino, som led av
kreft. Han ble saligkåret den 23. mai 1982 av pave Johannes Paul II på
Petersplassen i Roma som den første fra sin kongregasjon.
Den 19. desember 2009
undertegnet pave Benedikt
XVI dekretet fra Helligkåringskongregasjonen som godkjente et nytt
mirakel på hans forbønn, noe som åpnet veien for en snarlig helligkåring. Dette
miraklet skal ha skjedd i USA på Andreas' minnedag den 6. januar 1998, da en
familie ba om hans forbønn for deres sønn, som var skadet i en trafikkulykke. Få
spesifikke detaljer er offentliggjort ettersom familien har bedt om anonymitet,
men medisinske eksperter har stadfestet at helbredelsen ikke kunne forklares av
tradisjonell medisin.
Broder Andreas ble
helligkåret sammen med fem andre søndag den 17. oktober 2010 i St. Peter i Roma
av pave Benedikt XVI. Hans minnedag er dødsdagen 6. januar. Han er den første
helgen fra sin kongregasjon.
Kilder:
Attwater/Cumming, Lodi, Butler (I), Delaney, Ball (1), Ball (4), Holböck (1),
Resch (B1), Index99, KIR, CSO, Patron Saints SQPN, Heiligenlexikon,
en.wikipedia.org, saint-joseph.org, holycrossbrothers.org, biographi.ca,
ewtn.com, alumni.nd.edu, andrehouseaz.org, dailycatholic.org, holycrosscsc.org,
monksofadoration.org, stedwards.edu, stthomasirondequoit.com,
catholicism.org - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden -
Opprettet: 2004-02-04 01:10 - Sist oppdatert: 2010-10-16 15:53
SOURCE : http://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/abesette
.jpg)
Chapelle
du Saint Frère André, Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, Montréal
† 1937 André
Bessette
André (gedoopt Alfred) Bessette (‘Frère
André’), Montréal, Québec, Canada; broederportier; † 1937.
Feest 6 januari.
Hij werd als vijfde van twaalf kinderen op 9 april 1845 geboren te St-Grégoire-d'Iberville in de Canadese provincie Québec, als zoon van een timmerman. Hij was een kind met een uiterst kwetsbare gezondheid. Toen hij negen was, stierf zijn vader; drie jaar later zijn moeder. Hij werd liefdevol opgenomen bij een tante. Bovendien had de pastoor, André Provençal bijzondere zorg voor hem. Toen achtereenvolgens het beroep van schoenmaker, bakker en boer te zwaar voor hem bleken, trad hij op advies van zijn pastoor in bij de religieuze Congregatie van het Heilig Kruis. Op 27 december 1870 werd hij ingekleed; uit dankbaarheid voor de goede zorgen van zijn pastoor koos hij als kloosternaam André.
Vanwege zijn zwakke gezondheid dacht de Congregatie erover hem weg te sturen.
Van pastoor Provençal had hij een grote devotie voor Sint Jozef overgehouden.
De jonge novice beloofde in zijn gebed tot Sint Jozef dat hij voor hem een
bedevaartsoord zou oprichten, als hij tot de geloften werd toegelaten.
Tijdens een visite van de bisschop legde frater André zijn verlangen aan de
bisschop voor. Ook vertrouwde hij hem zijn belofte aan Sint Jozef toe. Dat
trof, want de bisschop liep zelf rond met plannen voor een apart
St-Jozefheiligdom. Hij was onder de indruk van de eenvoud en het eerlijke
enthousiasme van de jongeman en zorgde ervoor dat frater André werd toegelaten
tot de geloften.
De eerste veertig jaar van zijn kloosterleven was hij portier van het college van de paters. Daar werd hij elke dag opgezocht door tientallen mensen; zij legden hem hun nood voor; hij luisterde, bad met hen, en raadde hen aan zich tot Sint Jozef te wenden. Uit de getuigenverklaringen bij zijn zaligverklaringsproces blijkt dat zeer velen vaak op wonderbaarlijke wijze werden verhoord.
Intussen ijverde hij voor de oprichting van een Jozefheiligdom op de berg recht tegenover zijn klooster, de Mont Royal, de berg waarnaar de stad Montréal is genoemd. Hij lag midden in de stad en was indertijd begroeid met bos en dicht struikgewas. Gaandeweg wist Frère André steeds meer zijn plan te verwezenlijken, zodat hij de laatste dertig jaar van zijn leven diende als portier van het Jozefbedevaartsoord op de berg dat intussen is uitgegroeid tot een enorme basiliek, het zogeheten Oratoire de Saint-Josèph; jaarlijks trekken er duizenden pelgrims naartoe.
Hoewel Frère André zijn levenlang een zwakke gezondheid heeft behouden, stonden
toch gebed en naastenliefde voorop. Hij is er bijna tweeënnegentig mee
geworden.
Hij werd op 23 mei 1982 door paus Johannes Paulus II († 2004) zalig verklaard.
Bij die gelegenheid werd de Nederlander Peerke Donders eveneens zalig
verklaard.
[Hb1.1991; Lin.1999; Dries van den Akker s.j./2007.12.19]
© A. van den Akker
s.j.
SOURCE : http://heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/01/06/01-06-1937-andre.php
http://www.saint-joseph.org/en/sanctuary/saint-brother-andre/his-canonization
http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/fr/article-406/Le_fr%C3%A8re_Andr%C3%A9,_fondateur_de_l%E2%80%99Oratoire_Saint-Joseph.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20101017_canonizations_fr.html
