All articles by David Bureau

Naturally, every novena celebrated at Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal has its own story…

Although Saint Brother André’s Original Chapel was inaugurated in the fall of 1904, it was used on a seasonal basis during the first five years of its existence. The Feast of St. Joseph wasn’t celebrated until 1909, and it was noticed that at the time, the Ascension (40 days after Easter) seemed to draw the most pilgrims.

Frequent reference has been made to the magnitude of the funeral that followed the death of Brother André, on January 6, 1937. For an entire week, hundreds of thousands of people came to pay their respects and attend the funeral in the burning chapel of the Oratory’s crypt. The crowd was so large that it could take up to four hours to reach the coffin. And you couldn’t linger for long in front of Brother André’s body. According to reports from that time, there were 110 visitors per minute! ¹

It was on December 27, 1870, just a few weeks after arriving at Collège Notre-Dame, that young Alfred Bessette entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Holy Cross¹. Dressed in the Brothers’ cassock with a double cincture around his waist, Alfred took his vows of commitment before the novice master, Father Julien Gastineau, CSC. It was during this ceremony that he took the name of Brother André.

We recently found trace of someone who played a key role in Saint Brother André’s religious life: Father Joseph André Provençal (1817-1889).

Discover architectural drawings and sketches from the very beginnings of the conceptual work on the Basilica and the Crypt Church. Full article in French here

This little-known research centre has maintained a low-key presence at the heart of the sanctuary for nearly 70 years. Discover its work dedicated to “josephology”.

Few pilgrims know that back in the day, the Crypt Church, now centenarian, used to house the tomb of Saint Brother André. Read the article in French, by David Bureau.

The Crypt Church will be one hundred years old in December 2017. Read about its Casavant Organ in the french blog article here : Un orgue centennaire.

Saint Brother André was known to welcome without distinction all visitors, from the humblest to the most fortunate. He also maintained many friendships, some of which are surprising…

On the eve of the feast of the patron saint of Ireland, let’s see what our archives tell us about the Irish presence in the shrine…

Brother André’s passing on January 6, 1937, sent shockwaves through Quebec society. It also spawned a support network for the continuation of his work, which is still in operation today… Read the full article in French.

A preview of our Archives Center’s record of theatrical activities by Father Émile Legault, CSC and the Jongleurs de la Montagne troup… Article in French only available here