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At Easter we remember the most beautiful and greatest liberation ever offered to humanity: God raising Jesus his Son from the dead.

That morning I was to preach on the Gospel of the Multiplication of the loaves. Now I didn’t feel like talking about the parallel between the multiplication of the loaves and the Eucharist yet. As I reread the Gospel, another clue emerged with the seven loaves.

We are in a desert place, far from any settlement. For three days a huge crowd has been following Jesus without eating. Jesus is moved by compassion. But how to feed all these people? The apostles have only seven loaves of bread. So Jesus asks them to bring them to him. The disciples comply. Jesus blesses the seven loaves and asks the apostles to distribute them. Not only do they feed the crowd, but they collect seven baskets of leftovers! Because they put their poverty at the service of Jesus, he was able to do wonders.

In the spring of 2020, the Museum of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal was scheduled to present an exhibition entitled “Solargraphy in the Cityville“.

However, the exhibition did not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Oratory closed its doors on March 19, 2020, the same day as Saint Joseph’s Day!

The previous year, Fabrice Lassort, a French artist-photographer, had come to Montreal on several occasions to carry out a project in collaboration with the Marguerite-Bourgeoys Historic Site and its Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel as well as Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal.

Since I started working at the Oratory almost five years ago, one thing I have noticed is that for many people, pilgrims and employees alike, the Oratory is a family story. During our archival exhibitions, many people have approached us to tell us how their grandparents participated in the construction of the Oratory, how an elderly uncle was healed by Brother André, or their fond memories of visits with their parents in the 1950s.

This year, Lent begins on March 2^nd with Ash Wednesday. A period of forty days is proposed to us to live a spiritual journey that will lead us to the great feast of the Resurrection, that of Easter. We begin this period with an invitation to be converted and to believe in the Good News of the Gospel.

On the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis, in his message, writes: “The theme chosen for this day, ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful‘ (Lk 6:36), directs our gaze first of all to God, ‘rich in mercy’ (Eph 2:4), who always looks upon his children with a father’s love, even when they stray from him. In fact, mercy is, the name of God, which expresses his nature, not in the manner of an occasional feeling, but as a force present in all that he accomplishes. He is both strength and tenderness. The theme of this day presents us with a comforting image of God, a God full of mercy, tenderness and forgiveness.

We are sometimes asked if marriages have been celebrated at Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. Because of its status in the Roman Catholic Church, the shrine cannot celebrate marriages. Thus, unlike the archives of a parish church, the shrine does not keep marriage records. But then, why do some people persist in claiming to know someone who was married at the Oratory?

It is sometimes disconcerting for researchers who frequent the shrine archives to note that Brother André’s name is rarely mentioned in the official publications of the Oratory. He does appear here and there, but only on very rare occasions and no article is specifically dedicated to him.

The National Week dedicated to Natural and Close Caregivers will take place from November 7 to 13. Let’s honor the courage of these exceptional people and recognize their social value.

Hat in hand, luggage in tow, Saint André Bessette is flying off to Rome this fall.
The Generalate of the Congregation of Holy Cross will welcome Brother André precious keepsakes from Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. A framed photograph of Brother André with an authentic signature, together with one of his hats, will represent the Oratory’s founder at the exhibition of the Congregation’s holy men.

They will include: Blessed Basile-Antoine Moreau (founder), Venerable Father Patrick Peyton, as well as Most Rev. Theotonius Amal Ganguly, Most. Rev. Vincent McCauley and Brother Flavien Laplante, all of whom have become Servants of God after the Vatican acknowledged their causes.

The Oratory’s archives contain a unique treasure: a collection of 10,000 photographs, taken mainly at the Oratory and dating from 1904 to 1980. Created by the religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross, as part of their duties at the shrine, this collection presents different aspects of the Oratory’s history: the evolution of the site, the life of Brother André, the employees, important visitors, small and large events, etc. These were subdivided into 307 thematic series a few decades ago.

We seem to be on the way out of this long period marked by the pandemic, even if the path remains uncertain and the fear of new waves still present. We have all been affected by this crisis and we understand the importance of healing the wounds caused by these difficult times.

People who suffered from this disease needed medical attention and a shorter or longer healing time. But, all of us need to heal from the isolation, the estrangement, the loss of the landmarks that give direction to our life. We need to experience these moments of brotherhood again: of celebration of life or of support in the ordeal of the death of relatives or friends.