Born Alfred Bessette on August 9, 1845, in Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville, Quebec, Canada, Saint André Bessette’s early life was marked by poverty, hardship, and chronic illness. He was the eighth of twelve children born to Isaac Bessette, a carpenter, and Clothilde Foisy. Tragedy struck early when his father died in a logging accident when Alfred was just nine, and his mother succumbed to tuberculosis three years later, leaving him an orphan at the tender age of twelve. With little formal education and a perpetually frail constitution, he struggled to find steady employment, working a variety of manual labor jobs including as a farmhand, factory worker, baker, and shoemaker in various towns across New England and Canada. His poor health often led to his dismissal from these positions, a challenge that would follow him throughout his life, yet it also fostered a deep reliance on divine providence and a profound spiritual life.

Despite his persistent ill health and lack of formal schooling, Alfred harbored a deep spiritual longing, nurtured by his devout upbringing and a particular devotion to Saint Joseph. He felt a strong call to religious life but faced repeated rejections from various religious orders due to his physical weakness and perceived intellectual limitations. It was only through the persistent advocacy of his parish priest, Father André Provençal, who recognized Alfred's sincere piety and unwavering faith, that he was finally accepted on a probationary basis by the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal at the age of 25. Upon entering the novitiate in 1870, he was given the religious name Brother André. His superiors, still hesitant about his suitability, noted his frail health and apparent lack of talents, assigning him the most humble of tasks.

Brother André was assigned the unassuming role of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College, a school run by the Holy Cross brothers, a position he held for four decades. His daily duties were mundane: greeting visitors, answering the door, running errands, and cleaning. Yet, he approached each task with immense prayerfulness, humility, and a deep sense of serving Christ in every person who came to the door. It was in this humble capacity that his extraordinary spiritual gifts began to manifest. People, many of whom were ill, began to seek him out, drawn by his gentle demeanor and reputation for holiness. He would often advise them to pray to Saint Joseph and sometimes anoint them with oil from a lamp burning before a statue of Saint Joseph, encouraging them to have faith.

As more and more individuals claimed to have been miraculously cured through his prayers and intercession, Brother André’s fame began to spread far beyond the college walls. He became known colloquially as the "Miracle Man of Montreal." Yet, he steadfastly refused to take any credit for the healings, always attributing them solely to Saint Joseph's intercession and God's divine power. His consistent refrain was, "I am nothing; only Saint Joseph can heal you." His small doorkeeper's office quickly transformed into a crowded infirmary, with thousands of people flocking to him daily, seeking solace, spiritual guidance, and physical healing. The sheer volume of visitors often caused tension with some of his superiors and medical professionals, who were skeptical or annoyed by the disruption and the unexplainable cures. Despite facing opposition, ridicule, and even accusations of charlatanism, Brother André's faith remained unwavering, and his ministry continued to flourish.

Brother André harbored a lifelong dream: to build a grand shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph. He started with a modest chapel on Mount Royal, initially a small structure built with the pennies and small donations he tirelessly collected. This ambitious project faced immense financial and logistical hurdles, and numerous setbacks, including a lack of funds and official resistance. However, Brother André persevered with unwavering faith, convinced that Saint Joseph would provide. The project grew from a humble chapel to a crypt church, and eventually, through decades of his tireless fundraising and spiritual encouragement, evolved into the magnificent basilica that stands today as Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal. This monumental edifice, a major pilgrimage site, stands as a testament to his profound vision and the power of his simple, yet profound, faith.

Brother André continued his ministry of prayer, healing, and spiritual counsel into his advanced old age, never wavering in his humility or his deep devotion to Saint Joseph. He passed away on January 6, 1937, at the remarkable age of 91. His funeral was an unprecedented event, attended by an estimated one million people, a testament to the profound impact he had on the lives of countless individuals across Canada and beyond. His body rests in the Oratory, and his heart is preserved there as a cherished relic. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 23, 1982, and subsequently canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2010, becoming Canada's first male saint. Saint André Bessette remains a powerful and inspiring example of how profound holiness can be found not in positions of power or academic prestige, but in humble service, unwavering faith, and complete reliance on God's grace through the intercession of the saints. His life continues to encourage millions to place their trust in divine providence and to cultivate a deep, personal relationship with God through prayer and selfless service to others.

Brother André, the humble doorkeeper of Notre Dame College, held a secret dream close to his heart, a vision whispered to him by the gentle breeze that swept over Mount Royal: a magnificent shrine dedicated to his beloved Saint Joseph. Yet, he was a man of no means, no grand titles, and no influence, save for his boundless faith. His superiors, practical men of finance and administration, saw only a frail, uneducated brother with an impossible fantasy. "Brother André," they would sigh, "where will the money come from? How can a simple doorkeeper build a basilica?"

But Brother André was undeterred. He began with what he had: absolute trust in God and Saint Joseph, and a few meager pennies. He placed a small statue of Saint Joseph in a niche on the side of Mount Royal, a solitary beacon of his hope. Beside it, he lit a small oil lamp, a flickering flame that symbolized his unwavering prayer. He would sit there, day after day, year after year, welcoming visitors, offering blessings, and, with a quiet humility, accepting the smallest of donations. A penny here, a nickel there – each coin a testament to someone's faith, or perhaps, their simple pity for the tenacious brother.

One day, a wealthy benefactor, observing the brother's tireless efforts and the growing stream of pilgrims, offered a substantial sum. This was a turning point, yet Brother André's response was characteristic of his profound humility. He didn't exult in the gift; instead, he simply said, "It is Saint Joseph who provides. This is His work, not mine." He steadfastly refused to take personal credit, always redirecting praise and gratitude towards the foster father of Jesus.

As the pennies turned into dollars, and the small chapel grew into a crypt church, the challenges mounted. Engineering hurdles, financial crises, and the persistent skepticism of some officials threatened to derail the project. Yet, Brother André would simply point to the small statue, or utter a quiet prayer to Saint Joseph, and somehow, miraculously, solutions would appear. When a wall collapsed during construction, some saw it as a sign of failure. Brother André, however, saw it as an invitation to rebuild stronger, to trust deeper. "Saint Joseph wants it to be solid!" he declared.

Through decades of relentless prayer, humble persuasion, and the accumulation of countless small acts of generosity inspired by his own unwavering faith, the majestic Saint Joseph's Oratory began to rise on Mount Royal. It stands today, not merely as a grand edifice of stone and glass, but as a towering monument to the power of one man's simple, profound faith, a testament that with God, even a mountain can be moved by a single, humble penny.