Brother André

Brother André dedicated his life to fostering faith in Saint Joseph and to comforting ordinary people. His legacy is Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, one of the world’s great Catholic sanctuaries. A simple, uneducated man of great religious devotion, Brother André worked most of his life as the doorkeeper at a Catholic school. Though one of the humblest members of his congregation in Montreal, he had a gift for healing that drew thousands to his door. In 1904, followers gave money and labour to build a little chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph. Saint Joseph’s Oratory, which grew up around that chapel, remains a destination for pilgrims to this day.