St. Andre Bessette Jan. 6th

  

Today is the memorial of Saint Andre Bassette, who is especially known for his great devotion to St. Joseph. Andre was a religious brother of the congregation of the Holy Cross. He dreamed of building a great church in honor of St. Joseph, on Mount Royal in Montreal, Canada. The dream became a reality as St. Joseph’s oratory was eventually built there. He had the gift of healing and would take oil, which burnt in front of the statue of St. Joseph and anoint people with it. Many were healed by the oil, and through the prayers of Andre and St. Joseph. He attributed the answer to his prayers always to St. Joseph. He was a porter, who answered the door for the religious community, a messenger, and was assigned to scrubbing floors and washing windows. He was simple in his intellect and had a great sense of humor and deep humility.

Several families in Wichita recently came to understand the power of praying to St. Joseph. The father of one of the families, was required to work in another state for his employer, and so had to leave his family for several weeks on an irregular basis. He was greatly distressed, as he missed being with his family. After months of praying, he spoke to a priest and asked what he should do. The priest suggested the family pray to St. Joseph. In less than a week, he was offered a job in Arizona.

The second family had the same distress, requiring the father to be away from his family for several weeks as well. This especially affected the children. One of the children was recently diagnosed with a genitive disorder, and so the family had extra stress. The family prayed, asking God for help, but there was no answer to their prayers. The wife told a priest about the problem, with her husband’s job, and the priest recommended prayer to St. Joseph. In less than a week, the father was offered a job as well. And you guessed it, in the same state of Arizona. Surprisingly, the job was within 50 miles from the other family, whom they were friends, from the same parish.

In order for a blessed to become a saint, a miracle is required. The stunning recovery of a child who was involved in a traumatic street accident in 1999 was submitted to the diocesan tribunal in February 2005, the year when Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal celebrated its 100th anniversary. The report of this recuperation was submitted to the Vatican committees. Unanimously, the doctors, the theologians and then the Holy Father agreed that it was a scientifically unexplainable healing, and was attributed to Blessed Brother André because the child’s parents as well as friends of the family had addressed their prayers to him, hoping that the impossible might take place.

Andre Bessette was canonized in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Sometimes, the Lord does not answer our prayers, because he desires to honor the saints. Today let us pray to St. Joseph. Ask him for something specific and perhaps, the adopted Son, of St. Joseph, will answer our prayers in order to honor His earthly father. St. Joseph, Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!