MONTREAL — Quebecers have been rejoicing for months, ever since the Vatican announced February 19 that their beloved Br. André would be made a saint. Now that Pope Benedict XVI formally canonized St. André Bessette, or St. Brother André (a more intimate title approved for him for local use), the celebrations can officially begin. In ...read more

Canada has its first male Canadian-born Saint! Today’s Canonization marks a momentous occasion for Canadian Catholics and surely one that will go down in history. The Canonization of six new Saints took place this morning at the Vatican. Tens of thousands gathered for the Mass in St. Peter’s Square. Among those gathered were over 5,000 ...read more

We are just hours away from Br. André’s Canonization and the excitement is growing. The team of journalists who have descended on Rome to cover the Synod of Bishops is now torn about what to cover. Canadian flags are popping up everywhere as Canadian media arrive to interview any Canadians who can talk about why ...read more

MONTREAL — Anticipation is high in Montreal with only hours to go before the canonization of Br. André in Rome. “There’s a constant flow of pilgrims coming and going,” said Danielle Decelles, a communications officer at the oratory, October 17 at 1 am. Reams of people continue to stream into the crypt church of St. ...read more

MONTREAL — St. Joseph’s Oratory was overflowing with pilgrims on the eve of Br. André’s canonization in Rome. An estimated 1,500 pilgrims attended the evening mass Oct. 16, which led into a six-hour vigil of prayer, meditation, adoration and song. Every seat in the crypt church was filled for the mass; people stood in the ...read more

This blog was submitted by Father Andrew Gawrych of the Congregation of Holy Cross “Are you going to Rome?” That was the question I heard numerous times over the past couple of weeks at the University of Notre Dame. I live in the undergraduate seminary on campus, and I work as the Associate Director of ...read more

We’re less than 24 hours away from the canonization of Br. Andre Bessette of Montreal. The excitement in Rome is palpable. It can be hard to spot Canadian pilgrims because they don’t all wear Canadian flags on their backpacks. But walking around Rome today with a Canadian flag on our camera, Danielle Jones – Salt ...read more

By François Gloutnay, editor of the Catholic media blog Nouvelles de l’ACPC. On the eve of Br. André’s canonization, cyberspace is swarming with articles related to the event. In addition to Internet-based news media and blogs, groups and individuals will surely contribute to the online fray. On several occasions in the upcoming days, this blog ...read more

MONTREAL — Today, Oct. 16, is the eve of Brother André’s canonization. It is also a day of fine coincidence, call it Providence. It was on this day, in 1904, that the first, small, wooden chapel built by Brother André in honour of St. Joseph on the slope of Mount Royal in Montreal was inaugurated. ...read more

It is Saturday and we arrive to a house in a middle-class neighbourhood of west Amman. There is quite a crowd gathering for the day’s events. Inside, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary have a full-morning planned. In the back room there are dozens of children participating in an activity. They are all Iraqis displaced because ...read more