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The Roland-Gauthier Archives and Documentation Centre has 245 documents about Brother André. Of these, 119 are biographies, sometimes in 2 copies, written by about forty different authors (including translations).
At first glance, such a diversity of biographies may come as a surprise, but it is best explained by understanding how a Cause works.
Fig. 1 – Section of the library reserved for the biographies of Brother André and some of the books about him. The blue binder, bottom right, contains 27 books that are too small or thin to fit in the rows. Photo: Martin Brideau.
Among the conditions that can help to have a Cause accepted by Rome and accelerate its outcome is a person’s notoriety.
We pray to Saint Anthony of Padua when we have lost something, because we know him and know what he can do.
A biography is therefore a very effective tool to make a person known. This is why the Oratory and the Office of the Cause have generously distributed this type of work on Brother André to various bishops and cardinals, and even to popes!
Fig. 2 – Letter of thanks from Pope Pius XI, signed by his secretary. CARDG C001/3400.
Like many individuals who become public figures during their lifetime, Brother André had biographies written about him many years before he passed away. It was in 1922 that Colonel George Henry Ham published a book entitled The Miracle Man of Montreal.
In it, he recounts Brother André’s life and the beginnings of the Oratory, as well as details about miracles. Thus, the first biography of a French-speaking Catholic brother was written by an English-speaking Protestant.
Three years later, it was the turn of an American, William H. Gregory, to publish a biography with a similar structure. It was not until a few months after the death of Brother André that a third biography was published, Brother André As He Was, by T. Francis Cashen, CSC.
However, it was the fourth biography, published in 1938, that became the best known and printed: Le frère André (Brother André, The Wonder Man of Mount Royal), by Father Henri-Paul Bergeron, CSC. This biography was reprinted, republished and updated regularly until 1996, in addition to having been translated into many languages. In French alone, there are more than 300,000 copies and 11 editions!
Fig. 3 – Brother André and Colonel Ham. CARDG, 3-5.
Fig. 4 – In order not to harm the Cause of Brother André, a warning appeared in Bergeron’s biography.
Many other biographers have taken an interest in Brother André. However, it is more difficult to know their success. In several cases, the desire to give the writings a more local color or to adopt a more modern tone is expressed. Some also wanted to produce an abridged version that would be easier to produce, transport and sell in less developed countries or to a less literate clientele. Among these authors was one of the vice-postulators of the Cause, Bernard Lafrenière, CSC, who, among other things, helped write a biography and a comic strip.
The biography Le frère André (1845-1937) et l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, published by Canon Étienne Catta in 1965, is considered to be the ultimate reference. It was specifically commissioned by the Oratory, which wanted it to be more complete than the other biographies. Its author thus benefited from exclusive access to the documents of the Cause, to various religious archives and was able to conduct interviews with 117 people who knew Brother André. The final result is a book of 1181 pages, including 14 pages listing the sources. Given its nature, it was printed in a more limited edition than others, making it a relatively rare book. The book was given to some dignitaries on special occasions. At the beatification of Brother André, Pope John Paul II received a copy with a personalized binding.
Fig. 5 – Copies of Canon Catta’s biography and sources.
As you browse through Brother André’s biography section, you will notice their variety, from the big thick brick to the booklet that fits in the palm of your hand. But if Brother André’s life is presented in very serious works, it is also accessible to the youngest through comic strips and children’s albums.
Fig. 6 – Illustrated album by Françoise Deroy-Pineau and Robert Julien, distributed at the Oratory Gift Shop.
As in the case of the pious images, the biographies were first published in French and English, but translations into various languages soon appeared during the 1940s. These translations were either commissioned by the Office of the Cause or proposed by authors. In addition to translations, some authors also presented original works in their own language.
Fig. 7 – Biographies in various languages. Top row: Portuguese; Polish; Croatian; Creole; Vietnamese; Kinyarwanda (official language of Rwanda and also spoken in neighboring countries); Korean. Bottom row: Bengali (language of Bangladesh); German; Flemish; Armenian; Japanese; Malayalam (language spoken in South India); Ukrainian.
Sources :
– Correspondence from the Office of the Cause concerning biographies.
– Robillard, Denise, 2005, Les merveilles de l’Oratoire, pp. 277-279.
– L’Oratoire, September 1982, p. 7.
It is recounted that during his expedition to the Hurons in 1615, Samuel de Champlain was accompanied by the Franciscan Recollet, Father Joseph Le Caron, who celebrated the first mass in Huron country on August 12, 1615 and named this first mission, at Quienonascaran, after Saint Joseph. In 1624 (around July 16 through August 15), Father Le Caron entrusted this new colony to the care of Saint Joseph as he wrote in his memoirs: “Sixteen hundred and twenty-four, we made a great solemnity…, by a vow we made to Saint Joseph whom we chose as the patron saint of the country and protector of this nascent Church.” (Annales de Saint Joseph, 13ème Année, Janvier 1924, p. 11).
Brother André, a listening heart. A man of prayer and great simplicity, he embodied John the Baptist’s words to Jesus: “He must increase but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). His reputation as a miracle worker and saint spread quickly. Yet the humble religious man never even sought recognition, let alone glory. He never stopped calling himself “the instrument of Saint Joseph,” his companion in spiritual life.
Hope cannot be taken for granted. It’s easier to despair, to let ourselves fall into sadness or weariness. How many are discouraged? Consciously or not, we sometimes forget Hope and wonder: “What’s the point? What’s the point in going on?”