Brother André to become saint
Montreal's beloved Holy Cross brother considered a healer by Catholics
Pope Benedict XVI has approved Brother André, the founding cleric of St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal, for sainthood.
The announcement came after Pope Benedict XVI held a consistory, a formal meeting with Roman Catholic cardinals, at the Vatican on Friday morning.
Brother André was one of six candidates being reviewed for sainthood. All six will be formally canonized on Oct. 17 at the Vatican.
Sainthood was also approved for Mother Mary MacKillop, the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Australia's outback; Stanislaw Soltys, a 15th-century Polish priest; Italian nuns Giulia Salzano and Battista Varano, and Spanish nun Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola.
Brother André was tremendously popular among French-Canadians and gained a reputation for miraculous cures that endured after his death.
He will become the 11th saint in Canada, according to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, including eight from the country's earliest days.
For Cardinal Archbishop of Montreal Jean-Claude Turcotte, Friday's announcement by the Vatican has its own modern-day significance.
'This is a long-awaited moment of which we are proud.' — Cardinal Archbishop of Montreal Jean-Claude Tucotte
"This morning, there were two news stories," Turcotte said at a press conference at St. Joseph's Oratory, which is tucked into the slope of Mount Royal, overlooking the city. "The first, obviously, is the Olympics: we won a gold medal.
"This is also a gold medal."
Turcotte went on to praise Brother André as "a humble man" whose "faith could move mountains."
"This is a long-awaited moment of which we are proud," he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper also welcomed the news of Brother André's canonization.
"His canonization confirms the devotion of the countless people who came to him for help during his life, the million who attended his funeral and the two million who visit St. Joseph’s Oratory every year," Harper said in a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.
"Brother André’s life shows us the power of faith and the importance of concern for the sick and others in need."
Montreal Archbishop Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte will comment about the announcement at a St. Joseph Oratory news conference Friday.
Founded Montreal landmark
Brother André was born Alfred Bessette on Aug. 9, 1845, to a large Catholic family in the town of St-Gregoire-d'Iberville, Que.
| What does it take to be declared a saint? 1. Investigation: A postulator (advocate) examines the nominee's life, writings, and religious acts. That evidence is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a special panel of theologians and cardinals. If the case has merit, they are declared "venerable" — a role model of Catholic virtue. 2. Beatification: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must verify a miracle before beatification. Miracles are considered as extraordinary events produced by God, acting through others and verified by witnesses. 3. Canonization: The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints must be presented with evidence of a second posthumous miracle. |
After joining the Holy Cross Congregation in 1874, he worked as a porter and barber at a boys school run by the order, and it was there that his reputation as a healer and miracle-worker took hold.
His dream was to build a shrine to St. Joseph on the side of Montreal's Mount Royal. He started with a tiny chapel in 1904, which over the years grew to become the giant landmark church that now towers over the city.
Brother André was laid to rest there when he died in 1937 at the age of 91. His heart is stored in a reliquary inside the Oratory and is an object of contemplation for pilgrims.
Efforts to have him recognized as a saint started in the 1940s, and he was declared venerable in 1978. He was beatified in 1982 after a case of healing in 1956 was recognized officially by the Vatican as a miracle. Over the years, millions of people have signed petitions asking for his sainthood.
Last December, Pope Benedict XVI attributed to him a second miracle healing described as scientifically inexplicable, a requirement of sainthood. Details of the miracle have not been disclosed to the public.
With files from The Canadian Press