Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Christopher ParkerJanuary 05, 2023
St. Andre Bessette, a member of the Holy Cross Brothers and founder of St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal is pictured in an undated photo from the archives of St. Joseph's Oratory. He is known for his intense piety, miraculous cures and for his dedication to the building of the shrine honoring St. Joseph. (CNS photo/archives of St. Joseph's Oratory)

A Reflection for Friday before Epiphany

Find today’s readings here.

Today is the feast of St. André Bessette, whose story always stood out to me among the scores of “saint-of-the-day” assignments I undertook in grammar school. I liked St. André’s story because it’s an underdog story: An uneducated and sickly orphan joins the clergy even after being initially barred him from it; he serves graciously and humbly as a doorkeeper for nearly 40 years; he saves his money five cents at a time until he raises $200 for his dream of building a chapel to St. Joseph; and today, his St. Joseph’s Oratory is one of the most beautiful church buildings in North America.

I recognized as a child that St. André’s life is one of perseverance and patience. It’s a reminder that the most difficult goals are also often the most meaningful. But I’m now revisiting this story as an adult, and I’m seeing a new aspect of St. André’s story. I’m noticing that he was repeatedly underestimated and excluded from certain opportunities because he was sick and illiterate. Instead of receiving support, St. André had to surmount additional challenges in his path to success. He flourished in a world that was not designed to raise up people like him.

May St. André Bessette inspire us to take small steps in our own lives, toward our goals and toward a more equitable society.

Though St. André entered the novitiate over 150 years ago, these shortcomings are still all around us, every day. Our world still fails to accommodate many people who do not fit a rigid mold of physical and mental abilities. And the cultural biases that sometimes lead us to value certain attributes or abilities over others remain deeply ingrained.

In this liturgical season of Christmas, a season rooted in humility and appreciation for all people, St. André’s story should remind us to look inside ourselves and confront our preconceptions. Do I think that I have more inherent value than someone else because I’ve spent more time in school? Because I’m stronger or healthier than they are? Because I better conform to the models that my society uplifts? And what am I doing to change my preconceptions, and to tear down the structures that discriminate against the marginalized?

May St. André Bessette inspire us to take small steps in our own lives, toward our goals and toward a more equitable society.

More: Scripture

The latest from america

The Rev. David Tracy, who died on April 29, was a monumental figure in American Catholicism, renowned as a teacher, scholar, writer and mentor to thousands of theologians.
James T. KeaneJune 03, 2025
President Donald Trump, center, surrounded by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., speaks to reporters before a House Republican conference meeting, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The church and the bishops of the United States should lead the way in speaking against this bill and calling on Catholics to work for its defeat, writes Archbishop John C. Wester of Sante Fe.
John C. WesterJune 03, 2025
A woman in Texas receives assistance in filling out Medicaid and SNAP application forms. Increased paperwork and red tape can have the effect of discouraging even those eligible for Medicaid from applying for it. (AP Photo/Michael Gonzalez, File)
Medicaid programs allow more children to attend school and climb out of poverty, and they allow some 4.5 million people to live in their own homes rather than in institutions.
David GayesJune 03, 2025
In processing the extent of the suffering, it is helpful to recall the foundational principle of our Catholic social teaching—that everyone possesses inherent dignity and the God-given right not just to survive, but to live well.