Homily: January 6 - St. Andre Bessette

Today is just the second time we are celebrating Holy Cross Brother Andre Bessette as a Saint, as he was just canonized on October 17, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter’s in Rome.  He was born in 1845, the 8^th of 10 children, yet both of his parents died, and he was orphaned at the age of 12, and he received very little formal education.  However, in 1870 he entered the novitiate for the Congregation of the Holy Cross and chose the name Brother Andre, after his childhood priest, Fr. Andre Provencal who encouraged him to enter the order.

For forty years, Brother Andre had the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger.

St. André often prayed with the sick, whom he met at the door, to St. Joseph as an intercessor. Soon many miraculous healings were attributed to his prayers and large crowds came to see him.

The opening prayer even made reference to Saint Andre’s devotion to St. Joseph to whom he always gave credit for the miraculous healings.

St. André's strong faith and devotion eventually led to the building St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal— Canada’s largest church.

Andre died at age 90 on January 6, 1937, of natural causes and was buried in the Oratory. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 23, 1982. In his homily that day, The Holy Father said this of Brother André:

"A daily crowd of the sick, the afflicted, the poor of all kinds-those who were handicapped or wounded by life-came to him. They found in his presence a welcome ear, comfort and faith in God. Do not the poor of today have as much need of such love, of such hope, of such education in prayer?"

Br. André liked to say, "When I first came to the college, I was shown to the door ... and I remained there for forty years!"  Yet, from that humble position, he brought God’s comfort to so many—he showed the loving face of God to so many.

We mustn’t discount the ways in which God wishes to use us in humble ways to bring his light to those in darkness today.

As we prayed in the opening prayer, may God “help us through his intercession to follow his example of prayer and love” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.