The most unexpected people can be saints. Andre Bessette was sickly al his life. He failed at every job he tried. He could barely read or write. Yet he became famous and well loved for his holiness.
Andre, the eighth of twelve children, was born near Montreal, Canada, and baptized Alfred. His parents, who were French-Canadian, died early. Andre was adopted when he was 12 years old and became a farmhand. Later he tried being a shoemaker, a baker, and a blacksmith, but he was unsuccessful. Then Andre joined the Congregation of the Holy cross, but at the end of a year, he was told to leave because of his bad health. However, a wise bishop convinced the community to allow Andre to remain. Brother Andre became the doorkeeper at the College of Notre Dame and served in that position for 40 years.
Andre had a statue of Saint Joseph on the windowsill in his room. Andre spent many hours praying during the sight. Soon it was discovered that Andre had healing powers. He would visit the sick, pray with them, rub them with oil, and they would be cured. Before long, throngs of people were coming to him for healing and spiritual direction. Andre would say, ‘It is Saint Joseph who cures. I am just his little dog.’ Andre ministered to people eight to ten hours a day. In the meantime four secretaries were kept busy handling the 80,000 letters Andre received each year.
The Holy Cross community had tried for many years to buy a piece of land nearby. Andre buried a medal of Saint Joseph on the property, and suddenly the owners sold the land. Then Andre raised money to build first a small chapel there and then a church. For years he cut students’ hair for five cents and saved the money. At the church he received visitors. Cured people left behind their crutches and canes. It took 50 years to build Saint Joseph’s Oratory, which is probably the world’s main shrine to Saint Joseph. More than 2 millions people visit the oratory every year.
Andre let God work through his weakness to accomplish great things. He became known as ‘the Miracle Man of Montreal.’ He was beatified in 1982.
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