It was eight years ago this week that Canada’s Br. André Bessette was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. The humble Holy Cross brother who was instrumental in the construction of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal died Jan. 6, 1937 at the age of 91. Over his remarkable life and in the years since, he has been credited with many miraculous healings. During the six days after his death, up to a million people filed past his coffin, surrounded by hundreds of crutches and canes from pilgrims who attested to his gifts. Here is an excerpt from The Register of Jan. 21, 1937:
As The Catholic Register marks its 125th year, we will dig into our archive to unearth interesting stories from the pages of the past. This week, we revisit St. André Bessette, the humble Holy Cross brother who was the prime mover in the building of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal and is credited with countless healings through his devotion to St. Joseph. He died on Jan. 6, 1937 (his feast day is Jan. 7) at the age of 91 and was made a saint in 2010. The following article appeared in The Catholic Register on Aug. 25, 1927, shortly after Br. André turned 83 years old.