At Notre Dame University, Saint Brother André is well known!

In June 2022, I was invited to the city of South Bend, Indiana (USA), to attend a conference on religious archives. The event was held on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. This institution shares some commonalities with Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. First, it was founded by a Father of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Father Édouard Sorin (1814-1893). Like the Oratory, the university was placed under the protection of the Congregation of Holy Cross. But above all, Brother André is very present there.

So it was with the feeling of being on a family visit that I explored the illustrious institution. Not surprisingly, the presence of Saint Brother André is clearly visible on the buildings and inside the chapels that make up the institution.

From “Notre-Dame-du-Lac” to Notre-Dame

Father Sorin was a young French priest at the age of 28 when he arrived in Indiana in November 1842. It was the diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, that called upon Blessed Basile Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, to send brothers to teach in a school for boys. To help his chances, the diocese offered 524 acres of land (a little more than a mile square).

The task was daunting: the diocese was huge and had few priests. The call to the Congregation of Holy Cross seems to have been motivated by a desire to see the brothers take charge of the creation of schools, while Father Sorin was likely to be in charge of ministry in the parishes. It turned out to be quite different.

A first building was erected in 1843 to serve as a house for the community and as the first college for two years. In January 1844, the Indiana legislature officially recognized the work and granted it its charter with the title of university: Université Notre-Dame-du-Lac.

Soon, the church and new buildings were built to accommodate more students.

Central Pavilion, also known as the “Golden Dome”.
Photographer: David Bureau

These events took place when little Alfred Bessette was born on August 9, 1845. He would never attend university but would eventually enter the Collège de Notre-Dame, another institution of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In 1920, he also made a short stay during the General Chapter.

Delegation of friars from the Canadian Province of Holy Cross in 1920. Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal Archives

Works that express gratitude

As soon as you arrive on campus, the Eck pavilion welcomes you with a monumental sculpture of Saint Brother André: well installed in a cornice, holding in his hand an enormous key, the flap of his cassock reveals the Oratory. The choice of the Eck pavilion seems quite appropriate to introduce the holy Brother André since it is the pavilion for the reception of visitors to Notre-Dame. The chickadees also frequent this busy corner of the University, but quiet enough to make their nests…

Near the first and modest building of 1843 stands a second statue in honor of Saint Brother André. The hands of the doorkeeper seem to open as if to let seeds fall to the ground. The pedestal of the statue is made of four pieces of concrete from the steps of the Oratory.

In the Basilica of the Sacred Heart there is a third statue of our porter. The construction of this neo-gothic style church began in 1869 and continued until 1892.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart – interior view.
Photographer: David Bureau

Basilica of the Sacred Heart – exterior view.
Photographer: David Bureau

It is in a side chapel of the choir that stands the statue in every way similar to the one that stands a few streets away, in front of the 1843 building.

The saintly Brother André is surrounded by stained glass windows illustrating the life of the Blessed Virgin. These were made in the 19^th century by a stained glass workshop belonging to the Carmelites of Le Mans and later passed on to private contractors.

As this was an order that could open up a new market, the glaziers wanted to make this particular chapel their calling card. Thus our holy brother André is in the most beautiful chapel of the basilica!

Statue of Saint Brother in the chapel of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Photographer: David Bureau

Finally, on the other side of the choir, facing its humble doorkeeper, the statue of the founder Blessed Father Basile Moreau also enjoys the splendor of the church of Notre-Dame-du-Lac University.

Statue of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Photographer : David Bureau