Canonization for Bro. André

Steps, The Chapel of Brother André, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Montreal Canada. These steps show the wear of Brother André's path to and from this room in the loft of the chapel. Brother André was loathe to accept any credit at all for the efficacy of his prayers: “I am only the wire that transmits blessings,” he said.

Brother André’s Room, The Chapel of Brother André, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Montreal Canada. In the chapel loft is a little room where Brother André lived for many years. These humble quarters have remained exactly as Brother André left them. The furnishings are simple – the oil stove on which he cooked his own meals, his chair and books. Brother André’s focus was on spiritual life and service to others.

The Oratory, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Montreal Canada. Brother André’s hope for a more substantial shrine to St. Joseph stimulated donations large and small from many of the people whose lives had been touched by him. The Congregation of Holy Cross already owned property that was suitable. Construction on what would become known as St. Joseph’s Oratory began in 1914. A crypt church seating 1,000 was completed in 1917. The grand basilica towering above that church took another 50 years to complet...

The Oratory and Saint Joseph Statue, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Montreal Canada. Today, the Oratory is a world-famous pilgrimage destination, attracting more than 2 million visitors a year, among them Pope John Paul II. It is the world’s largest shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph, patron of laborers and families.