Brother André: Steps to Canonization

Church authorities had long realized Brother André was a candidate for canonization, and the first steps in view of his beatification were taken shortly after his death. His earthly belongings were collected so as to be used eventually as relics.

by Bernard Lafrenière
(this author had been Vice Postulator of Brother André's Cause from 1979 to 1994. Father Bernard Lafrenière died on February 2000)

A young priest who was at his bedside when he died, Father Henri Paul Bergeron, CSC agreed to write André's life story. He thus collected a significant amount of first-hand information in his book The Wonder Man. 

According to customary procedure, notices were posted at the entrance of churches, asking that any writings attributed to Brother André be turned over to Church authorities, to prove that these writings were in accord with the Christian faith. But Brother André almost never wrote anything, so this enquiry did not last long. Only a few signatures in his own hand were found, along with two letters written to his family when he entered Holy Cross.

The longest part of the trial for beatification dealt with his way of life. Did he live in faith, hope and charity as a model for Christians? Did he practice and encourage justice, prudence, fortitude, temperance, and other virtues, as a model of Christian life? Was he faithful to his vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Brother of Holy Cross? If so, then the Church would look for miracles, or signs from God, and eventually declare him blessed, and then a saint.

The purpose of calling witnesses to the bar, as before a court, is primarily to collect first-hand information so that the Servant of God may be better known to future generations.

Some 50 witnesses submitted to lengthy questioning in Montréal, in various parts of the Provinces of Québec and Ontario, and in Providence, Rhode Island, since he had spent three weeks there, twice a year, visiting with his family. These answers filled thousands of pages and were deposited in Rome in the summer of 1950. That was the most important part of the procedures. The purpose of everything which followed was only to certify what the witnesses had said.

In Rome, a comparison of the testimony of each of the witnesses was made. Some additional information was sought. The Promoter of the Faith—also called the Devil's Advocate—wrote his objections and questions, and the lawyers for Brother André supplied the answers. Then on November 9, 1960, Pope John XXIII issued the decree introducing the cause in the court of Rome.

The whole study was then redone under the authority of the Pope. Witnesses who were still alive were called to the bar a second time. New witnesses were summoned to answer some more specific questions. This process latest two years, between 1962 and 1964.

The Church takes time in beatification procedures, and wisely so. A law of the Church even specifies that the final study on the virtues of a Servant of God cannot be undertaken before 50 years have elapsed after his death.  Brother André had a dispensation from that law because he was so widely known. His final study was done after 40 years, instead of 50.

Again the Devil's Advocate wrote his remarks and Brother André's lawyers supplied the necessary answers. In the end, nine independent judges had to answer the last question, ''Should Brother André be proposed as a model of Christian living?''

Their usual answer to this question is either ''yes'' or ''no''. But when they say ''yes'', a tradition followed by the judges is to point out a weakness, in their view, and if there is an agreement among them, some further research may be requested. But in the case of Brother André, each one of the nine judges, without even knowing who the other eight were, answered, in Latin: ''Affirmative'', which is a ''yes'', without finding any weak point. That is why people said Brother André made it ''Summa cum laude'', that is ''with the highest honours'', or ''with flying colours''. We have every reason to be proud of Brother André!

Pope Paul VI recognized him officially as an outstanding model of Christian virtues on June 12, 1978. In doing so, he declared him worthy of the title ''Venerable.''

Less than four years later, on May 23, 1982, Pope John Paul II presided over his beatification in the presence of more than 30 000 pilgrims who had gathered in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican. The feast of Blessed Brother André is now celebrated each year, on the 6^th of January.