Saint André Bessette

Orphaned young and in poor health throughout his life, André was accepted into the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal despite doubts about his suitability for religious life, and spent decades serving as the porter, or doorkeeper, of Notre Dame College. In this humble role, he began praying with visitors who came to him in distress, particularly the sick, always directing their attention and his own prayer to Saint Joseph rather than to himself. As reports of healings connected to these prayers spread, growing crowds began arriving at the college seeking his intercession, eventually forcing the community to build a small chapel and then, as devotion continued to grow, the massive Saint Joseph's Oratory on Mount Royal, still one of the largest churches in the world. Despite his fame, André remained known for his personal humility, insisting that any healing came from Saint Joseph and from God, not from himself. He was canonized in 2010.