The story of Brother Andre of Montreal, just canonized on October 17, 2010

[mdgspencer]

Unimpressive, sickly, and unimportant, Brother Andre was made a door-keeper in Montreal by his order. But with his deep devotion to Saint Joseph he performed thousands of miracles in the name of Saint Joseph. And during his lifetime, his great inner gifts from God became apparent. See
www.osv.com/tabid/7621/itemid/7013/In-Focus-Brother-Andre-Bessette-Strong-in-spirit.aspx

You also might like to go to another thread in this forum on his canonization, “Canonization Canada’s First 21st Century Saint.”

 

[Fair_Lady]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

 

[seagal]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

What’s sad? He had a hard life but I’m sure he would never have called it a sad life.

 

[Isaiah_41]

It is so wonderful to hear the story of Brother Andre’ (Saint Andre’). I love that he was devoted to the “Quiet man in the background”, beloved St. Joseph. St Joseph pray for us! Help us to be good fathers and examples to our children…amen.

 

[NJJMBVB]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

He’s a Saint. I think that being a follower of Jesus Christ is assumed. Perhaps the article was focusing on a distinguishing factor of this saint?

 

[rlg94086]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

As someone else explained, his love for Christ was part of his devotion to St Joseph. As a Holy Cross brother, he devoted his whole life to Jesus Christ.

You don’t believe in the Communion of Saints? How sad.

The brother was assigned another job — this time by God — of healing infirmities of body and of soul; much to the amazement — and sometimes animosity — of his brethren. He never took credit for any of the numerous healings, but adamantly said the miracles came from St. Joseph, who healed** through God’s power**. By 1890, crowds of people were coming to see the man everyone thought was a saint.**

…

“For Brother André, St. Joseph could obtain anything from his Son. All that was needed was to ask him!” writes Dubuc.*

 

[Timothy17]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

I would hardly call being in Heaven “sad”

I am sure Catholic Canadians are just as happy as I to hear of St. Andre’s cannonization, and to learn of this special person. I hope his example fuses into our nation

Pax,
Tim

 

[Mijoy2]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

Didn’t take long to find this: Brother Andre was bringing other to Christ through Joseph.

Our beautiful faith encourages us to commune together as we worship Jesus and intercede for one another in this worship. Isn’t it beautiful?

Gospel Portrait of St. Joseph
Throughout the first chapters of the Gospels of Luke and of Matthew, we come to know St. Joseph through his actions and through his silence.
He is the just man chosen by God to care for the only two sinless humans in all of history: the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Divine Son, Jesus. The mere fact of his constant proximity to Jesus and Mary draws us to contemplate his virtues and to ask him to teach us how we can also keep our gaze always "on Jesus and Mary, on Mary and Jesus."

 

[Neil_Anthony]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

It’s not mentioned because it goes without saying! St. Joseph is revered because he did a good job as Jesus’ father. It’s all about Jesus.

 

[Alan55]

I read the article. This man appears to have been devoted to St. Joseph. No mention of being a follower of or devoted to Jesus Christ. How sad.

How rude and judgmental! Since you seem skeptical that Catholics would be followers of Jesus Christ, and need evidence, the following description of Br. Andre may help clarify things:

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.

It is true that Br. Andre had a great devotion to St. Joseph, the father of Jesus. However, he was obviously deeply Christian, devoted to Jesus.

 

[Fair_Lady]

How rude and judgmental!

I’m sorry that you found my statement rude and judgmental. It certainly wasn’t intended to be. I was making an observation that nothing had been written about his faith in Jesus Christ. I found that odd because that is the one and only thing that makes one a saint is faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone of us who has a faith is Christ as Lord and Savior is a saint.

 

[LilyM]

I’m sorry that you found my statement rude and judgmental. It certainly wasn’t intended to be. I was making an observation that nothing had been written about his faith in Jesus Christ. I found that odd because that is the one and only thing that makes one a saint is faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone of us who has a faith is Christ as Lord and Savior is a saint.

Well, nothing has been written about the fact of his being male either, you think he wasn’t? or that his masculine gender wasn’t a central and defining feature of him as a person? Or that anyone who knows him isn’t aware that he was male and that his masculine gender was critically important? Of course it was important, and of course people are well aware of its importance - EVERYONE’s gender is a critical part of who they are as a person.

It wasn’t said because it needs no saying. Like 2+2=4 needs no saying except for those who are severely lacking in mathematical skills - the huge majority of people progress well beyond needing to be told it!

The article clearly assumes we aren’t like children who need to be told that 2+2=4, or that saints are persons who are utterly devoted to Christ. (By the way, I notice for all your mentions of Christ you didn’t mention the equally grave necessity of devotion to Father and Holy Spirit. We worship a God consisting of THREE persons, not just one, after all)

 

[the_phoenix]

Unimpressive, sickly, and unimportant, Brother Andre was made a door-keeper in Montreal by his order.

Given his humility, Brother Andre is probably up in heaven chuckling slightly at
the direction this thread has been going.

That said, I’m very happy to hear of Brother Andre’s canonization!

 

[wynnejj]

Brother Andre is descended from an early French Canadian “Bessette” family, as is my mother. We have in our living room a bust of Brother Andre that my grandmother on my father’s side had picked out of the trash because she liked his kindly face, not really knowing anything about him. Who would have guessed that her son would marry into the same Bessette family?

 

[David2010]

You also might like to go to another thread in this forum on his canonization, “Canonization Canada’s First 21st Century Saint.”

I think he is Canada’s only saint, isn’t he? I cannot think of another. (If I am mistaken, somebody please educate me).

 

[Dale_M]

I think he is Canada’s only saint, isn’t he? I cannot think of another. (If I am mistaken, somebody please educate me).

Well, there is St. Marguerite d’Youville, who was born in Varennes, Quebec.
vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19901209_youville_en.html

And St. Margeurite Bourgeoys, although born in France, is credited with co-founding the city of Montreal.
vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19821031_bourgeoys_en.html

There are also 8 Jesuit martyrs, from France, who died in New France.
cbc.ca/news/background/catholicism/cdnsaints.html

BTW, I didn’t know any of this until just recently.

 

[Fair_Lady]

I think he is Canada’s only saint, isn’t he? I cannot think of another. (If I am mistaken, somebody please educate me).

Actually, there are many saints in Canada. Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in Him for their salvation, is a saint.