Saint André Bessette: Humble Servant

“Let not the wise boast of his wisdom, nor the strong boast of his strength, nor the rich man boast of his riches; But rather, let those who boast, boast of this, that in their prudence they know me.” (Jer 9:22-23) 

The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the invaluable role of the virtue of humility in cultivating a life of faith. Jeremiah understands that humility is what guides us to know God. If one is so in love with their own wisdom, their own strength, their own wealth, they will never know the love of God. Humility is the strength to submit to the will of God, the strength to recognize that God is far greater than oneself.

Our human nature often leads us to hold tightly to our own will and constantly seek control. We want to know how each day will go and want to dictate as much as we can. This so often gets in the way of recognizing God in our lives. Saint André's humble life of service and profound faith demonstrate that we, too, can boast, as Jeremiah spoke in the Scriptures.

True humility, then, is what we are called to. True humility draws us into a closer relationship with God. It clears away the distractions of pride, envy, and selfishness. The problem, however, is understanding what humility looks like. Christ is the most perfect example of humility. God made Himself man so that He could suffer and die for our sins. He did not have to do this, and being God, He could have simply wiped away the debt. Instead, He humbled Himself for our sake. While Christ is the most perfect example of humility, how can one ever strive to be perfectly humble like that? It seems rather daunting, but to make it easier, we can look to the Saints for inspiration. Specifically, Saint André Bessette exemplifies placing others before ourselves and unconditional love of God and of his fellow man. 

Who is Saint André

Saint André was born in a small town in Québec to a poor family. His father was a carpenter and lumberman and did not make very much money. Because of this, he was unable to receive a proper education. In addition to this, he was a very frail and sickly child. When Saint André was nine, his father tragically passed away, and his mother died soon after, leaving him orphaned. This further hindered his already limited education. He spent the rest of his youth being cared for by a few generous neighbors. He attempted to learn a few trades, but having been a sickly child, he was not strong enough to excel in any of these jobs. He moved to America for some time and simply worked in a factory. 

While he did fail to find a meaningful trade, he did not fail to find Christ. A lifelong Catholic, he learned to love Christ and the saints, especially Saint Joseph. Eventually, Saint André returned home to Canada. While there, his parish priest, Father André Provençal, took note of his devotion and sent him to the Congregation of Holy Cross, stating, “I am sending you a saint.” Initially, he was rejected due to his poor health, but he received the endorsement of the local Archbishop and was allowed to become a Holy Cross brother. 

Saint André was given the role of porter at a high school in Montreal because he lacked both education and labor skills. He served generously, meekly, and warmly—welcoming everyone. For those students or visitors who were ill, he would recommend devotion to Saint Joseph. Here and there, they would return and share stories of their healing, and they would thank Saint André for his prayers and his hand in healing them. He, in turn, would tell them not to thank him but to thank Saint Joseph for his intercession.  

Saint André’s devotion to Saint Joseph was so strong that he was determined to build a chapel in his honor on Mount Royal, the tallest hill in Montreal. He sought permission to build and ended up receiving it on the condition that he raise the funds himself. So, Saint André quietly got to work asking for small donations and giving haircuts to the boys who attended the school. After several years, he managed to gather enough funds to construct a modest wooden chapel.

Mighty Works from Humble Beginnings 

Here, many pilgrims would come to him and ask for his prayers for healing. When many were healed, Saint André still attributed it all to the intercession of Saint Joseph. This continued for years. Pilgrims came flooding in, seeking healing; many were healed, and donations trickled in. Saint André continued to be devoted to Saint Joseph and expanded the chapel until it became the basilica we see today. 

Saint André is a perfect example of humble service and a model of faith for all. He did all that he did for the love of Christ. He was uneducated, even after he joined the Congregation of Holy Cross. He wasn’t a master theologian, he wasn’t a great architect who used his gifts for the faith, he wasn’t a charismatic leader, he simply loved Jesus and showed that love to the world. Out of all the thousands of men of the Congregation of Holy Cross—the myriad of doctors, lawyers, professors, and more; it is the humblest among them who today is recognized by the Church as a saint. Simply a humble brother who loved Jesus. 

For more information on St. André Bessette or to plan a pilgrimage to Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal, please visit www.Saint-Joseph.org.

Stephen Driscoll is a recent Stonehill graduate and works with Holy Cross Family Ministries as Family Rosary Mission Assistant. He studied History and Theology at Stonehill and still enjoys learning as much as possible about both subjects. Stephen is an ardent Bruins fan and a lover of all things New England.