THE CANONIZATION
OF BROTHER ANDRÉ

It took no less than seventy years to conclude the canonization process of Brother André, the founder of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. Brother André, born Alfred Bessette, passed away on January 6, 1937, at the age of 91. He was canonized by the Catholic Church on October 17, 2010.

At the time of his death, and even long before, there was no doubt in people’s minds that this religious figure was a saint. One million people attended his funeral in Montréal to pay their final respects. The little brother who had done so much good was honored with an unparalleled communal embrace, a testimony to boundless and unwavering affection. But more needed to be done for his sanctity to be recognized and to serve as a model in the Universal Church.