BLESSED BROTHER ANDRÉ’S CANONIZATION
Holy Cross of San Antonio will celebrate a mass on Thurs., Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the Holy Cross Convocation Center for the Canonization of Blessed Brother André Bessette, C.S.C., [1845-1937]. A reception will follow. Students will have early release at 11 a.m.
Statement from Congregation of Holy Cross
The Congregation of Holy Cross is happy and proud to report that the Canonization of Brother André Bessette, C.S.C., will take place in Rome on October 17, 2010. The welcomed announcement of his Canonization was proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI. Affectionately known as “The Miracle Man of Montreal,” there was much rejoicing by the faithful who longed in anxious anticipation for this announcement.
By the proclamation of Canonization the Catholic Church is publicly acknowledging that Brother André led a life characterized by heroic virtue and holiness. At the time of the announcement by Pope Benedict, the Canadian Provincial Superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Father Jean-Pierre Aumont, C.S.C., said that, “The announcement of the canonization is a wonderful gift which will be received with delight by his numerous friends who have benefited from his intercession and who have been his supporters for many decades. For the religious of Holy Cross, it represents more than ever a source of inspiration, a model of faith and trust in God and in the human condition. He shows us how to envision great things and how to look toward the future!”
Blessed Brother André’s Story
Alfred Bessette was born on August 9, 1845. He was frail at birth and experienced poor health throughout his life. Maintaining employment was difficulty. Even his eventual acceptance into the Congregation of Holy Cross was tentative. But from early life he had a deep loyalty to prayer, especially devotion to St. Joseph.
In 1870 at the age of 25 years Alfred Bessette was admitted into the Brothers of Holy Cross at St. Joseph’s Novitiate in Montreal. He was given the name André. Despite his poor health, Brother André faithfully fulfilled his duties as housekeeper, doorkeeper and infirmarian. These responsibilities provided opportunities for contact with the many visitors and students at the College of Notre Dame in Montreal. He led visitors in prayer, in visits to the Blessed Sacrament and in recitation of the rosary. Along with the growing crowds, word spread about cures and favors received through Brother André’s intercession. Whenever favors and cures were attributed to his intercession, Brother André refused the compliments and immediately directed the appreciation to St. Joseph. Such events characterized his life. All the while he was most faithful to his personal and common prayer with his Holy Cross Community.
During his lifetime Brother André faithfully strived to see the construction of an oratory dedicated to St. Joseph. He died on December 31, 1937. It was not until 1967, 30 years after his death, that St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal was completed.
St. Gregoire is a small community in the Canadian Province of Quebec. It is here that Alfred Bessette was born on August 9, 1845. It is a farming community and Isaac Bessette, his father worked his small farm to support the family. Alfred was the eighth of twelve children. Due to poor health, already two children had died. The family was devoutly Catholic and because of his frail health, Alfred was baptized shortly after birth. His mother Chlothilde raised the children in prayer with deep reliance on the rosary and on St. Joseph.
Alfred’s father suffered a fatal accident in 1855 and two years later his mother died from tuberculosis. By age twelve years Alfred Bessette was an orphan. The children were scattered and Alfred was sent to live with an aunt’s family. His poor health interfered with any consistent employment. Attempting to find suitable employment led him to jobs on both sides of the United States – Canada border. He tried farming, shoemaking, baking and many other jobs. All were short lived. He was sick. He was weak.
Alfred’s faithfulness to prayer and especially prayer to St. Joseph were intensifying despite his poor health. From early childhood he was guided in prayer by Father Provençal. Father Provençal’s parish in St. Cesaire was across from a recently built school conducted by the Brothers of Holy Cross. Alfred was very impressed by these Brothers but his health and his lack of education caused doubt that he would be accepted. It was the assurance by Father Provençal that there was a need for Brothers in roles other than teaching. With his assistance and that of Bishop Bourget of the Diocese of Montreal, in 1870 and at the age of 25 years, Alfred Bessette was admitted to the Congregation of Holy Cross as a novice. He was given the name of Brother André. This is the same year that Pope Pius IX proclaimed St. Joseph as the patron of the universal church.
As a novice Brother André was assigned various tasks such as barber, doorkeeper, housekeeper and other similar responsibilities. In addition to faithfully fulfilling all assignments and community prayers, he spent hours in private prayer. Even so, his full acceptance into the Congregation was uncertain due to his poor health. But, on August 22, 1872, he was allowed to profess first vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross. This was the beginning of his journey in the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Brother André’s first assignment was to serve as porter of the College of Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur. This assignment naturally allowed him to meet students, parents and visitors throughout the day. More than meet, it afforded him the opportunity to escort them to their destinations including the chapel to offer prayers with them. His compassion and exhortations to prayer were soon recognized as special. There was no hesitation to recommend prayers and petitions to St. Joseph. Brother André was adamant in attributing all favors or wishes received were through the intercession of St. Joseph. As crowds grew so did controversy. Some complained that severely sick visitors could spread their illnesses, especially contagious diseases. Some doubted claims of cures and even suspected superstition. But positive outcomes soon reached the upper hand.
Besides service to all who visited, Brother André deepened his personal spiritual life. He identified his suffering health with the sufferings of Christ. His daily prayers, his visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the Way of the Cross, devotions to Mary and to St. Joseph were essential to his spiritual life. It was this realization that personal holiness required more than the granting of or reception of favors. This realization was the inspiration that motivated him to promote the building of an oratory dedicated to St. Joseph.
During his life as a Brother of Holy Cross he did see the beginnings of an oratory. Growth was slow and intermittent. But he did not see the completed structure. He died on December 31, 1937. It was not until 1967, 30 years after his death, that St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal was completed.
Brother André was beatified in 1982 by Pope John Paul II. In February of 2010 Pope Benedict XVI announced that Brother André will be canonized on October 17, 2010.
Holy Cross of San Antonio is an independent Catholic co-educational middle and high school. The Brothers of Holy Cross founded the school in 1957 steeped in tradition and education. Holy Cross serves as the only co-educational college preparatory school centrally located in San Antonio’s Westside. Based on the principles of the Brothers of Holy Cross, the school’s educational mission helps break the cycle of poverty and opens doors to higher education.