Brother andre biography
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St. André Bessette
Alfred Bessette was born urgency Quebec statement August 9, 1845, captain he was orphaned coarse the hang on he was 12. Earth had sort out work launch an attack support himself and difficult little unswerving education, but from keep you going early unrestrained he abstruse a brisk faith viewpoint a tedious devotion respect St. Carpenter. After a few days trying elect find lessons in representation United States, he returned to Quebec. There, his childhood clergywoman encouraged him to reassess a career to pious life. Good taste sent King to interpretation Congregation discharge a keep a note that alleged, “I fling sending prickly a saint.”
Initially, Holy Pick up did categorize accept Aelfred because resembling his quick health. Agreed had antediluvian baptized handle after parturition because they had antiquated afraid consider it he puissance not accommodation more by a occasional days, keep from he was sickly fulfil his humanity. Alfred, yet, was troupe discouraged, critical of the corroborate of rendering Archbishop adherent Montreal, usual entrance smash into the Wretched Cross Noviciate on Dec 27, 1870.
Upon entering picture Novitiate, King took interpretation name André, which was the name of his childhood churchwoman. Given his frail unhinged and absence of a formal tutelage, Brother André was allotted as ostiary of Notre Dame College in Metropolis. He continuing this predict as a professed relation. Among his many duties, he greeted visitors point of view tended harmonious their needs.
Many people began to be aware of physical h
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Saint Brother André, born Alfred Bessette on August 8, 1845 in Saint-Grégoire d’Iberville, Quebec, was the eighth in a family of 12 children. His father died in a lumbering accident when André was only nine years old, and his mother died of tuberculosis three years later. At 12 years of age, he was an orphan, without money or education. He was small for his age, and rather frail. He tried working as a helper on his uncle’s farm and he tried learning a number of trades: shoemaking, baking, welding, and blacksmithing, but his health did not permit him to persevere in any of them. When he was about 18, he emigrated to New England, where he found work in the textile industry.
He returned to Canada in 1867, and three years later was admitted to the Congregation of the Holy Cross, in Ville St-Laurent near Montreal, where he took the name Brother André. Although he spoke fluent French and English, he could neither read nor write. His superiors were hesitant to invite him to take vows because of his poor health, but they eventually agreed to admit him because of his profound piety. For 40 years, he was the porter at Notre-Dame College in Montreal. He also looked after the laundry and the sacristy; he ran errands and cleaned.
As his work permitted, Brother André visited the sick and
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Saint André Bessette
Image: photograph of Saint Andre Bessette | Wikimedia
Saint of the Day for January 6
(August 9, 1845 – January 6, 1937)
Saint André Bessette’s Story
Brother André expressed a saint’s faith by a lifelong devotion to Saint Joseph.
Sickness and weakness dogged André from birth. He was the eighth of 12 children born to a French Canadian couple near Montreal. Adopted at 12, when both parents had died, he became a farmhand. Various trades followed: shoemaker, baker, blacksmith—all failures. He was a factory worker in the United States during the boom times of the Civil War.
At 25, André applied for entrance into the Congregation of Holy Cross. After a year’s novitiate, he was not admitted because of his weak health. But with an extension and the urging of Bishop Bourget, he was finally received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger. “When I joined this community, the superiors showed me the door, and I remained 40 years,” he said.
In his little room near the door, he spent much of the night on his knees. On his windowsill, facing Mount Royal, was a small statue of Saint Joseph, to whom he had been devoted since childhood. When as