PEACE OF HEART

One day, I had the pleasure of meeting Armand and his wife. They were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. As a gift, they had asked a friend to take them to the Oratory. Armand’s wife told me with great pride: “The first thing we did, the day after our wedding, was to come here to the Oratory. We’ve always had great confidence in Saint Joseph and Brother André. Armand and I wanted to come here to celebrate.”

Then she tells me about a favor she obtained from Brother André several decades ago, when she was a student. She tells me about the event in great detail, as if it had just happened.

Clearly, the past relationship between Brother André and his visitors is still very much alive. With great interest, I tried to understand this attachment to Brother André and the bonds of trust that endure over time.

Listening to them, I discover once again what attracts and amazes us about Brother André. While carrying out his humble trade as a porter, Brother André knew how to recognize the suffering of the people he came into contact with, and how to offer them comfort and relief. He loved them. And they loved him. “This is perhaps what most distinguished Brother André from all the other illustrious local figures: the others were admired, he was the most loved of all,” writes Jean-Guy Dubuc in his book Le frère André. Of the many people who have sought Brother André’s intercession, not all have been healed, but the majority have been comforted. Brother André helped them discover how much they were loved by God, and how close God wanted to be to them. And they found peace of heart.

Jean-Guy Dubuc writes: “If we wanted to sum up and qualify Brother André’s action during those long years of presence to millions of people, we would have to use the simplest and most banal of formulas: he did them good.” That’s what came out of the exchange with my visitors. They didn’t achieve any exceptional miracles, but their annual visits, and this one in particular, gave them an inner sense of well-being that is more easily felt than expressed. The well-being that comes from knowing that you’re not alone on life’s journey, but that you can count on God, that Father full of tenderness and mercy. The well-being of living under the benevolent gaze of St. Joseph and always being able to count on the intercession of a friend, Brother André. The bonds that have developed over the years have given us peace of mind. This peace of heart is precious in the difficult times of life. It enables us to stand firm and keep our spirits up. In good times, it’s a source of thanksgiving, happiness, serenity and wisdom. It’s also an invitation to share and commit.

Isn’t peace of heart what the many pilgrims and visitors who come into contact with Brother André are still seeking today? Isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Peace of heart! That’s what I wish you in this spring. Following the example of Saint Brother André, may it blossom in you like a splendid garden, and bring wonder and happiness to those who have the good fortune to come into contact with you.