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Pope Francis has placed the Jubilee Year 2025 under the sign of Hope. He invites all followers of Christ to be pilgrims of Hope in a living, personal and communal encounter with Christ, “our hope” (cf. 1 Tim 1:1) and “door of salvation” (cf. Jn 10:7.9).

St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal is part of this ecclesial dynamic, and has chosen “With Joseph, let us walk in Hope” as the theme for the 2025 novena.

For the 2025 Novena to Saint Joseph, we continue our little story of the votive chapel.

One of Brother André’s greatest wishes was to have a small chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph on the side of Mount Royal. Having placed a small statue of Saint Joseph in the hollow of a tree, along with medals bearing his likeness, he enjoyed visiting the spot with a friend to pray. After obtaining permission from Father Dion, his superior, to build the small chapel, Brother André, with the help of a few friends and Brother Abondius, was able to open it a few months later, on October 18, 1904.

In a few weeks, we will experience the Novena to Saint Joseph of 2025. On this occasion, crowds of people will visit the Votive Chapel. An iconic space of the Oratory, with its thousands of lanterns, its history is fascinating.

Over the years, the Oratory Museum has enriched its collections primarily through donations. In 2024, the sanctuary was fortunate to acquire a work by the renowned artist Miyuki Tanobe. A Japanese-born painter who has lived in Quebec since the early 1970s and the recipient of many prestigious awards, her work is displayed in Japan, Europe, and North America.

They are sometimes called spicilèges, but it would be more accurate to refer to them as clipping albums. These are typically large binders containing newspaper or magazine clippings on a specific theme. Unsurprisingly, the clipping albums preserved in the archives of the Oratory focus on the sanctuary, Brother André, or Saint Joseph.

It has often been said that Saint Brother André was ignorant and that he could barely read and write. The reality is more complex. While he left behind very few writings, aside from some postcards to family members, he could certainly sign his name, and the few books found in his room after his death demonstrate his interest in pious readings. The fingerprints he left on certain passages of these books and the numerous intimate witnesses of his life confirm this. But what books are we talking about? Let’s discover them together.

Every year, on November 2nd, the Catholic Church invites us to a time of reflection and prayer to commemorate our deceased loved ones, commonly referred to as “All Souls’ Day.” This day is not merely a moment of remembrance ; it serves as a profound reminder of the unbreakable communion that binds us to our departed loved ones. It is not a sterile nostalgia focused on the past, but rather an authentic spiritual encounter, a mystical synergy with those who have already entered the beyond, in the unwavering hope of the resurrection promised by Christ.

In October 2024, quietly and without fanfare, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal will celebrate 120 years of existence. When you think about it, it’s quite overwhelming: the sanctuary has endured an entire century! Almost a hundred years ago today, the chronicler of the magazine Les Annales de Saint-Joseph, Father Émile Deguire, c.s.c., took pleasure in reflecting on the twentieth year of the sanctuary’s activities.

In 1999, Father Mario Lachapelle, c.s.c., had the opportunity to invite Brother Ubald Parr, c.s.c., the dean of staff at the Oratory and now deceased, to give a presentation about his vocation in Holy Cross and his memories of his encounters with Brother André to the group of Associates of Holy Cross.

In 2024, we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Canada’s dedication to Saint Joseph. Many religious institutes and congregations in Quebec have a deep affection for him, often tracing it back to the very beginnings of their existence. We have invited them to share with us the role that Saint Joseph plays in their history.

In 2024, we celebrate the 400th anniversary of Canada’s dedication to Saint Joseph. Many religious institutes and congregations in Quebec have a deep affection for him, often tracing it back to the very beginnings of their existence. We have invited them to share with us the role that Saint Joseph plays in their history.