Page 14 - Michael Journal 2020 March

During the Great Depression,

enlargement of the shrine was
stalled for lack of funds. Undaunt-
ed, Brother Andre advised, “Put a
statue of St. Joseph in the middle
of the building. If he wants a roof

over his head, he’ll get it.” The
shrine which stands there today
is the largest church in the world
dedicated to St. Joseph, attracting
some two million visitors a year.

Gospel begged for a cure, Jesus told him that all things
were possible to those who had faith. And immedi-
ately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said:
“I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.” Like Our Lord,
Blessed Andre took every opportunity to give the gift
of faith to the unbeliever. About this, the Blessed said,
“Those who are cured quickly often are people who
have no faith or little faith. On the other hand, those
who have solid faith are not cured so quickly, for the
good God prefers to allow them to suffer that they will
be sanctified even more.”
Devotional life
doubted the efficacy of St. Joseph’s oil, medals and In early life, our diminutive porter acquired the
novenas for healing bodily illnesses. Others took the habit of frequent, long, and devout prayer. As he ad-
cures for granted, thinking that it was the good work vanced in years, this habit never waned. During the
of the kindly brother, who, like any other humanitarian, daytime, which he typically spent cleaning and doing
had no other aim in mind than taking away people’s other chores, Brother Andre received many visitors.
suffering. But for Blessed Andre, the working of mir- At night he frequently visited hospitals, oftentimes re-
acles had one end and one end only: Faith. turning with crutches to add to the growing collection
in the Oratory. After such a day, he would spend much
Zeal for Souls of the night in prayer. One of his intimates said about
Many of the people who sought cures from this, “Frequently, after his sick calls, he invited me to
Brother Andre were good Catholics; but others were sleep in his cell over the primitive chapel. More than
heretics and unbelievers of all kinds. One of the wit- once I struggled against sleep in order to watch him.
nesses at his cause for beatification said, “As to heret- Towards morning I fell asleep while he remained in
ics, schismatics and also unbelievers, Brother Andre prayer. When I awoke, about five o’clock, I often no-
treated them with more kindness and sympathy than ticed his bed had not been touched.”
the Catholics. He wanted to gain the confidence of Though he is known for his tremendous devo-
such people. When the right time came he talked to tion to Saint Joseph, all those who knew him said that
them of the goodness of God and of religion... He Blessed Andre’s central devotion was to the Passion
profited by the visits of Protestants and unbelievers of Our Lord. Many times, he would turn a worldly con-
to slide in a good word to them, an evangelical word.” versation into an emotional narration of Our Lord’s
It was by this kind of work that the guardian of sufferings, often bringing those present, including
the Oratory wrought thousands of conversions, many himself, to tears. Because of this devotion, the good
among lapsed and lukewarm Catholics, but also brother led Friday Stations of the Cross every week at
among Protestants, Freemasons and Jews. Brother the Oratory, hoping one day to construct a large set of
Andre looked upon the humility of the non-Catholic, in stations around the Basilica’s exterior.
coming to a Catholic brother for a cure, as the begin- His devotion to Our Lady was quite conspicuous
ning of faith. In this he was imitating Our Lord Himself. too. Logically, with such a love of the Passion, he often
When the father of the possessed boy in Saint Mark’s invoked Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows, the title under u

www.michaeljournal.org MICHAEL March/April 2020 15