Spend the summer with Saint Brother André

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Director, Welcome and Pilgrimage Services

July 25, 2019 Brother André, Faith, Nature, Pilgrimages and Devotions, Spirituality

Now that summer is here, we can’t help but think of vacations, festivities, pleasure, sun and warmth. It is also a special time to begin a spiritual process of self-reflection that will open up a new place in your life.

A pilgrimage is a special opportunity to get to know yourself and the Other. At the Fifth European Congress of Pilgrimages and Shrines in Lourdes in September 2007, Jean-Yves Baziou, Professor at the Catholic University of Lille, wrote: “Pilgrimage is a change in one’s life that is characterized first and foremost by a process of self-transformation after tearing oneself away from the usual environment and lifestyle.”

When speaking of places of pilgrimage in the Catholic world, we immediately think of Rome, the Holy Land, Santiago de Compostela and the great Marian shrines, such as Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe, etc.

There are no great or small pilgrimages. There are only opportunities to cut yourself off from your daily existence and set out in search of a balance and a deepening of your spiritual life.

A visit to the Oratory during the summer, whether you are a believer or not, is recommended. There are so many things to do and so much to discover! My favourite places for this summer are the Votive Chapel and the Garden of the Way of the Cross. When you come to visit Saint Joseph’s Oratory, I can promise you it’s worth taking the time to visit these two areas.

In this place of beauty, peace, meditation and pilgrimage, founded by Saint Brother André, I’ll be waiting for you!

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Blog category: Brother André

The Readings of Saint Brother André

November 11, 2024 Brother André, History, Religious Heritage

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.

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Death, a passage to Eternal Life

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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.

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A Glimpse at the Year 1924

October 17, 2024 History, Religious Heritage, Spirituality

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.

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