A New Hero for the Church

There was a man named Alfred who was born into a poor French Canadian family in the mid 1800’s. At his birth he was so weak that his parents fearing he might die baptized him. This was just the beginning of a life of great challenges. At age 6 his father was killed by a falling tree, six years later his mother died from tuberculosis. The family now parentless was dispersed.

At age 12, Alfred was forced to leave school to learn a trade and to look for work. He began thirteen years of wandering from job to job with few belongings; he was barely able to write his name or read his prayer book. In spite of his physical weakness, Alfred was determined to work harder and harder.

When he was 25 Alfred wanted to join the Congregation of Holy Cross. Because of his uncertain health, his superiors had doubts concerning his religious vocation. Finally, he was accepted and became a Brother with a new name. He was made a porter, a door keeper, at Notre Dame College. He also washed floors and windows, cleaned lamps, brought in firewood, and worked as a messenger.

Soon the sick and broken-hearted started coming to the door where they were greeted by the Brother. He invited them to pray to St. Joseph to obtain favors. Before long, many people reported their prayers were being answered. Brother quickly told the people, “It is God and St. Joseph who can heal you, not I.”

Not everyone was happy about the numbers of sick people who were coming to the door. Parents of the students, officials in the town, and even some members of his own community wanted him to stop what he was doing because many did not really believe that God was at work through this humble man.  But Brother was determined to help those in need to know and experience the love of the Lord. He would simply ask, "Do you have faith? Do you believe that God can do something for you? Go confess yourself to the priest, go to communion and then come back to see me."

Brother spent his whole life speaking of others to God, and of God to others. It is difficult to say at what point in his life work began and ended, and at what point prayer started and ended: the two seemed to flow so naturally one into the other.  Brother’s whole life was focused on God and others.

This humble, sickly servant of God, who his parents thought would die soon after birth, died in 1937, at the age of 92. During those years he touched countless numbers of people, Newspapers reported that more than a million people attended his wake and burial.

This Sunday, October 17, there will be millions rejoicing on earth and in heaven because this day in the city of Rome our Holy Father Pope Benedict is adding Brother Andre’s name to that special list of heroes of the Church. For on this day this humble Brother will be canonized Saint Brother Andre. May we be inspired by this humble servant of the Lord to focus our lives on loving God and loving others.