A Community of Love, Unity and Service

St. Joseph

Saint Joseph was by birth of the royal family of David, but was living in humble obscurity as acarpenter, until God raised him to the highest office ever accorded a mortal man, by choosing him tobe the spouse of the Virgin Mother, the virginal father and guardian of the Incarnate Word. Joseph,says Holy Scripture, was a just man. He was innocent and pure, as became the husband of Mary; hewas gentle and tender, as one worthy to be named the father of Jesus; he was prudent and a lover ofsilence, as became the master of the holy house; above all, he was faithful and obedient to divinecalls.

His conversation was with Angels rather than with men. When he learned that Mary bore within Herwomb the Lord of heaven, he feared to take Her as his wife; but an Angel bade him put his fearaside, and all doubts vanished. When Herod sought the life of the divine Infant, an Angel toldJoseph in a dream to fly with the Child and His Mother into Egypt. Joseph at once arose andobeyed. This sudden and unexpected flight must have exposed both him and his little Family tomany inconveniences and sufferings; the journey with a newborn infant and a tender virgin was long,and the greater part of the way led through deserts and among strangers. Yet Saint Joseph allegesno excuses, nor inquires at what time they were to return.

Saint Chrysostom observes that God treats in this way all His servants, sending them frequent trialsto clear their hearts from the rust of self-love, but intermixing with afflictions, seasons of consolation. It is the opinion of the Fathers that when the Holy Family entered Egypt, at the presence of theChild Jesus all the oracles of that superstitious country were struck dumb, and the statues of theirgods trembled, and in many places fell to the ground. The Fathers also attribute to this holy visit thespiritual benediction poured on that country, which made it for many ages fruitful in Saints.

After the death of King Herod, of which Saint Joseph was informed in another vision, God orderedhim to return with the Child and His Mother into the land of Israel, which our Saint readilyaccomplished. But when he arrived in Judea, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded Herod in thatpart of the land, and apprehensive that the son might be infected with his father’s vices, he feared tosettle there, as he would otherwise probably have done, for the education of the Child. Therefore,directed by God through still another angelic visit, he retired into the dominions of Herod Antipas inGalilee, and to his former habitation in Nazareth.

Saint Joseph, a strict observer of the Mosaic law, journeyed each year at the time of the Passover toJerusalem. Our Saviour, in the twelfth year of His age, accompanied His parents. Havingparticipated in the usual ceremonies of the feast, the parents were returning with many of theirneighbors and acquaintances towards Galilee, and never doubted that Jesus was with some of thecompany. They traveled on for a whole day’s journey before they discovered that He was not withthem. But when night came on and they could find no trace of Him among their kindred andacquaintances, they, in the deepest affliction, returned with the utmost haste to Jerusalem. We areleft to imagine their tears and their efforts to find Him. After an anxious search of three days theydiscovered Him in the Temple, discoursing with the learned doctors of the law, and asking them suchquestions as aroused the admiration of all who heard Him. His Mother told Him with what grief andearnestness they had sought Him and asked, “Son, why have You dealt with us in this way? Behold,Your Father and I have searched for You in great affliction of mind.” The young Saviour answered,“How is it that You sought Me? Did You not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” In this way Jesus encourages all young persons who are called to serve God to persevere in that highvocation, whatever the cost. But we are told that although He had remained in the Temple unknownto His parents, in all other things He was obedient to them, returning with them to Nazareth, andliving there in all dutiful subjection to them.

 As no further mention is made of Saint Joseph, he must have died before the marriage feast of Canaand the beginning of our divine Saviour’s ministry. We cannot doubt that he had the happiness ofthe presence of Jesus and Mary at his death, praying beside him, assisting and comforting him in hislast moments; therefore he is invoked for the great grace of a happy death and the spiritual presenceof Jesus in that hour.

St. Brother Andrew of Mount Royal

Little Alfred Bessette, born at St. Grégoire, Quebec on August 9, 1845, had his roots in our ownsoil. The future Saint Brother Andrew of Mount Royal was a son of this land and of the FrenchCanadian family. The infant was baptized conditionally the day after his birth in the village “church”,which at that time was a stone house serving as the only sacred dwelling. He was so frail that hisparents had “undulated” him immediately after his birth.

Since the family was poor, they went four years later to Farnham, where the father could earn hisliving more readily. One fatal day he went with the lumberjacks to the forest and, as BrotherAndrew would say later, “the tree he was cutting became locked in the branches of another, and myunfortunate father was crushed to death.” The child was nine years old and remembered that hismother “remained as though frozen”. A widow with ten children, she scarcely recovered from theshock of the accident. She “faded away” and died three years later of tuberculosis, at the age of 43. “I rarely prayed for my mother, but I have often prayed to her,” Brother Andrew used to say.

Then the family was scattered. Alfred at the age of twelve had to face life, using his initiative. Forhim began, then, thirteen years of a wandering life which would take him even to the United States,looking for work. An orphan without schooling, he had to search where he should go and how tosurvive. Like many boys from large families, he had to leave school at thirteen or fourteen years andearn his bread. And it was also because of his uncertain health and lack of money that he couldnever undertake prolonged studies. His mother had given him something of her own knowledge, butit was only with great difficulty that he finally learned to sign his name and to read a little. He hadonly his two arms to offer an employer as guarantee, but despite his frail health, he put his wholeheart into his work. He himself said later: “In spite of my weakness, I didn’t let myself be outdoneby the others at work.”

After he entered the Community of the Holy Cross as a lay Brother, he spent forty years washing thefloors and windows, cleaning the lamps, entering the firewood, acting as porter and commissioner. Then, for more than twenty-five years, he received visitors in his little office — during six to eighthours a day, in all kinds of weather, and this until the age of 91. One day he was asked how he hadmanaged to live so long with so little health. With humor he explained his recipe for health: “Byeating as little as possible and working as much as possible...”

An immense work was being realized; crowds which became increasingly dense were pressing to theOratory of Saint Joseph, for which heaven had chosen him as founder. The great skeleton of thelargest sanctuary in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph could already be seen rising on the hilltop. And yet Brother Andrew never talked of “my work... my project.” On the contrary: “I am nothing,only a tool in the hands of Providence, a poor instrument of Saint Joseph.” “The good Lord tookme to humiliate the others. He took the most ignorant one to humiliate the people and theCommunity of the Holy Cross. If there had been one more ignorant than myself, God would havechosen him instead.”

What care he showed in receiving and meeting people! He spent long hours in the office wherethousands came to see him. And Brother Andrew remarked one day: “It is astonishing! They oftenask me for cures, but rarely for humility and the spirit of faith. Yet these are so important. If thesoul is sick, we have to begin by caring for the soul. Do you have faith? Do you believe the goodLord can do something for you? Go and make your confession, go and receive Communion, thencome back to see me.” Such were the words that always returned to his lips, when he was asked forfavors and cures. If he suggested making a novena to Saint Joseph, to use the oil or a medal ofSaint Joseph, it was because “those were as many acts of love and faith, confidence and humility.” In general, he encouraged the people to see doctors; sometimes he wept with those who weresuffering. But he never ceased to say, “How good the good Lord is! God loves you. God is love.” And Brother Andrew knew how to bring forth sprouts of hope in the hearts of those he met.

In the night of January 5-6, 1937, an old Brother 91 years old was dying in a modest room of SaintLaurent Hospital, in a suburb of Montreal. The few persons present at his bedside felt, however,that from this little man came an impression of strength, humanity, and moral power such as they hadnever known before. The dying man moved his head a little: “The great Almighty One is coming...” Then he raised his eyes to heaven... “O Mary, my sweet Mother and Mother of my Jesus, deign tohelp me!” Finally, they heard a few words scarcely intelligible, which were repeated again andagain: “Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph, Saint Joseph...” At 12:50 AM, Brother Andrew breathed hislast. The news of his decease was quickly relayed, and the following morning, all of Quebec knewthat Brother Andrew was dead.

“He spent his life talking to others about God and to God of others,” a friend said. This testimonygives a just appreciation of what his life was, filled with faith and love.

St. Wulfran

Saint Wulfran’s father was an officer in the armies of Dagobert, a powerful King of the Francs. TheSaint spent some years in the court of King Clotaire III and his mother, Saint Bathildes; but heoccupied his heart only with God, despising worldly greatness as empty and dangerous, and dailyadvancing in virtue. He renounced the world and received sacred orders; his estate he bestowed onthe Abbey of Fontenelle, or Saint Wandrille, in Normandy. He was nonetheless called to the court,where he served until his father died. Then, because the archbishop of Sens also had recently died,he was chosen in 682 to replace him, by the common consent of the clergy and people of that city.

He governed that diocese for two and a half years, with great zeal and sanctity. It was a tendercompassion for the blindness of the idolaters of Friesland, and the example of the zealous Englishpreachers in those parts, which moved him then to resign his bishopric, with proper advice, and aftera retreat at Fontenelle to enter Friesland as a poor missionary priest.

On the voyage by water, the deacon who served him at the altar, accidentally dropped the paten intothe sea. Saint Wulfran told him to place his hand where it had fallen on the waves, and it came upto him by a miracle. For long years that paten was conserved in the monastery of Saint Wandrille. On this mission he baptized great multitudes, among them a son of their King, Radbod, and drew thepeople away from the barbarous custom of sacrificing human beings to idols.

On a certain occasion, one such unfortunate, a young boy, had been selected by lot as the victim of asacrifice to the gods, or demons of the land. Saint Wulfran earnestly begged his life of KingRadbod, but the people ran tumultuously to the palace, and would not suffer what they called asacrilege. After many words they consented, but on condition that Wulfran’s God Himself save thevictim’s life. The Saint prayed God to resurrect him, and the child, after hanging on the gibbet twohours and being left for dead, fell to the ground by the breaking of the cord. The servant of Godwent to him and told him to stand, which he did, and he was given to the missionary. He laterbecame a monk and priest at Fontenelle.

Saint Wulfran, after praying, also miraculously rescued a poor widow’s two children, seven and fiveyears old, from being drowned in honor of the idols; he walked out across the water in the sight ofall the people, to take their hands and bring them back to land. The religion of Christ began to takeroot in this pagan land, and many were converted by these prodigies. He retired to Fontenelle thathe might prepare himself for death, and expired in peace there on the 20^th of March, 720.

St. Benedict

Saint Benedict, blessed by grace as his prophetic name seemed to foretell, was born of a noble Italianfamily in Umbria, in the year 480. As a boy he showed great inclination for virtue, and maturity inhis actions. He was sent to Rome at the age of seven, to be placed in the public schools. At theage of fourteen, alarmed by the licentiousness of the Roman youth, he fled to the desert mountainsof Subiaco, forty miles from Rome, and was directed by the Holy Spirit into a deep, craggy, andalmost inaccessible cave, since known as the Holy Grotto. He lived there for three years, unknownto anyone save a holy monk named Romanus, who clothed him with the monastic habit and broughthim food.

He was eventually discovered, when, one Easter day, God advised a priest who lived about fourmiles from there, to take food to His servant, who was starving. The priest searched in the hills andfinally found the solitary, and they took their meal together. Some shepherds also knew of hisretreat, and soon the fame of this hermit’s sanctity began to spread. The demon persecuted him, butto no avail; when a temptation of the flesh assailed him, he rolled in a clump of thorns and nettles,and came out of it covered with blood but sound in spirit.

Disciples came to him, and under his direction, numerous monasteries were founded. The rigor ofthe rule he drew up, however, brought upon him the hatred of some of the monks, and one of themmixed poison with the Abbot’s drink. When the Saint made the sign of the cross on the poisonedbowl, it broke and fell in pieces to the ground.

Saint Benedict resurrected a boy whose father pleaded for that miracle, saying “Give me back myson!” He replied, “Such miracles are not for us to work, but for the blessed apostles! Why will youlay upon me a burden which my weakness cannot bear?” But finally, moved by compassion, heprostrated himself upon the body of the child, and prayed: “Behold not, O Lord, my sins, but thefaith of this man, and restore the soul which Thou hast taken away!” And the child rose up, andwalked to the waiting arms of his father. When a monk lost the iron head of his axe in a river, theAbbot told him to throw the handle in after it, and it rose from the river bed to resume its formerplace.

Six days before his death, Saint Benedict ordered his grave to be prepared, then fell ill of a fever. On the sixth day he asked to be carried to the chapel, and, having received the sacred Body andBlood of Christ, with hands uplifted and leaning on one of his disciples, he calmly expired in prayer,on the 21^st of March, 543.

St. Catherine of Sweden

Saint Catherine was the daughter of Saint Bridget of Sweden and of Ulpho, Prince of Nericia, aregion of the same land. The love of God seemed to hasten in her the use of her reason, and atseven years of age she was placed in the convent of Risburgh, to be educated in piety under the careof the holy abbess of that house. Being very beautiful, she was promised by her father in marriageto a young nobleman of great virtue; but the virgin persuaded her suitor to join with her in making amutual vow of perpetual chastity. Listening to her discourses, the young man became desirous onlyfor heavenly graces, and, to draw them down upon his soul in greater abundance, he readilyacquiesced to the proposal. The happy couple, having but one heart and one desire, by a holyemulation encouraged each other to prayer, mortification, and works of charity.

After the death of her father, Saint Catherine, out of devotion to the Passion of Christ and to therelics of the martyrs, obtained her spouse’s permission to join her mother in her well-knownpilgrimages and practices of devotion and penance in Rome. She went to her there and they visitedthe tombs of the martyrs and the churches, and together practiced mortification and works of piety,caring for the sick in the hospitals. Not long afterward, Catherine’s royal spouse died piously andthen she found herself obliged to refuse numerous requests for her hand in marriage. When hermother died in 1373, she returned to Sweden, taking the mortal remains of Saint Bridget with her forburial. Catherine entered a monastery at Vatzan, where after a life of severe penance, she died onthe 24^th of March in 1381. For the last twenty-five years of her life Saint Catherine had purified hersoul daily by the sacramental confession of her sins.

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