On January 6, the Church remembers André Bessette, the first member of the Congregation of Holy Cross to be canonized a saint.
Greatness in Humility
In 1962, during his first visit to NASA, President John F. Kennedy noticed a janitor walking down a hallway with a broom in his hand. Curious, the President asked him what he did at NASA. The man replied with quiet pride, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
That simple response captured a powerful truth: greatness is not defined by position, but by purpose. The same spirit marked the life of one of the humblest saints of the Catholic Church, an illiterate doorkeeper who nearly died at birth, yet lived into his nineties, and whose funeral drew more than a million mourners.
He was known simply as a friend, a brother, a saint. This man was Saint André Bessette. A humble porter with unshakable faith, he possessed an extraordinary devotion to Saint Joseph. To everyone who came to him with troubles, questions, or suffering, his advice was always the same: “Go to Joseph.”
A Dream for Saint Joseph
His love for Saint Joseph inspired him to dream of building a small shrine in Joseph’s honor. When he approached his superiors, he was told plainly, “We have no money. You will have to raise it yourself.” Undeterred, Brother André began giving haircuts for a small fee and collecting modest donations. Slowly and patiently, a small hut took shape.
That humble beginning grew far beyond anyone’s expectations. Today, that modest chapel has become Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Canada, the largest church in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph. The magnificent ten-storey structure can accommodate thousands of worshippers at Mass and provides space for ten thousand candles. Inside, countless canes and crutches left behind by those who experienced healing bear silent witness to faith, hope, and gratitude.
Early Life and Challenges
Alfred Bessette, later known to the world as Brother André, was born on August 9, 1845, in Saint-Grégoire d’Iberville, Quebec. He was the eighth of twelve children in a poor family. His early life was marked by hardship and loss: his father, a carpenter, died when Alfred was just nine years old, and his mother passed away three years later. Orphaned at the age of twelve, Alfred grew up knowing poverty, insecurity, and struggle.
Physically frail and often ill, Alfred tried his hand at many trades but was unable to hold steady employment. Eventually, he was accepted into the Congregation of Holy Cross as a lay brother. His superiors assigned him what seemed the humblest of tasks, serving as porter, or doorkeeper, at Collège Notre-Dame in Montreal. Brother André later joked about his vocation, saying, “When I joined the community, they showed me the door, and I stayed there for forty years.”
Faith, Prayer, and Humility
Though his role was simple, Brother André’s life of deep faith, compassion, and prayer soon drew attention. He developed a reputation as “the Miracle Man,” as countless people experienced healing through his prayers and his unwavering devotion to Saint Joseph. Thousands came to see him, seeking healing of body, mind, and soul. Yet Brother André never sought attention and remained a humble servant, welcoming all who knocked at the door.
At the heart of Brother André’s spirituality was humility. He was convinced that he was merely an instrument in God’s hands and often said, “I am nothing… only a tool in the hands of Providence.” He never claimed credit for the miracles attributed to him, consistently pointing instead to God’s power and the intercession of Saint Joseph. His life demonstrated that holiness is rooted not in great deeds, but in faithful surrender to God.
Prayer shaped every aspect of Brother André’s day. Even as he welcomed visitors at the door, his heart remained centered on God. Each evening, he spent long hours in the chapel, speaking simply and intimately with God and with Saint Joseph. He encouraged others to pray with the same simplicity, saying, “When you invoke Saint Joseph, you don’t have to talk much. Say, ‘If you were in my place, Saint Joseph, what would you do? Well, pray for this on my behalf.’”
Devotion to Saint Joseph
Brother André’s devotion to Saint Joseph was unshakable. From a young age, he encouraged people to turn to Saint Joseph as a loving father and powerful protector. He often distributed small medals of Saint Joseph and recommended the use of blessed oil from a lamp that burned before Joseph’s statue. For Brother André, Saint Joseph was not distant, but close, attentive, and deeply compassionate.
This devotion gave birth to a dream: the construction of a shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph on Mount Royal. With only a few donations and great perseverance, a small wooden chapel was built in 1904. Over time, as pilgrims continued to arrive in growing numbers, the chapel expanded. Eventually, it became Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, today the largest shrine in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph.
Healing Ministry and Miracles
Brother André’s healing ministry continued throughout his life. Thousands sought his prayers, and the walls of the Oratory still bear witness to healings through the crutches, braces, and other tokens left behind by grateful pilgrims. People spoke not only of physical cures, but also of inner peace, family reconciliations, and profound conversions of heart. For Brother André, these spiritual transformations were the greatest miracles of all.
He remained steadfast in reminding people that he was not the healer. “People say I perform miracles,” he insisted. “It is God, through Saint Joseph, who heals.” For him, the true miracle was not restored health, but a heart turned back to God in faith and trust.
Legacy of Saint André Bessette
Brother André died on January 6, 1937. More than a million people passed by his coffin, a powerful sign of how deeply his quiet life had touched the world. On October 17, 2010, he was canonized a saint by Pope Benedict XVI, formally recognized as a model of holiness for the universal Church.
The legacy of Saint André Bessette continues to inspire today. His life speaks of simplicity, deep trust in God’s providence, loving devotion to Saint Joseph, and compassionate service to others. His message is clear: God does not ask us to be the strongest, the most educated, or the most famous. He asks us to be faithful, humble, and trusting. Like Brother André, each of us can become a door, an open door, through which others may encounter the love and mercy of God.
