BY SARAH HERRING
Photo Credit: Sarah Herring
In the front of the altar, a wooden box sat containing the relic of St. Andre Bessette.
The relic, a piece of the saint’s heart, was brought to Stonehill College as members of the community learned more about the first member of the Congregation of Holy Cross to be canonized.
“The Saint Andre event was a really cool experience. I found it really insightful to learn about the history of someone who had such a great impact on the Congregation of the Holy Cross and helped shape the moral that Stonehill was built on,” Bailey Adams, a Stonehill student, said.
Members of the Stonehill community were invited to gather at the chapel Sept. 25 to learn more about Saint Andre Bessette and be anointed with Saint Joseph oil for spiritual strength and blessing.
Saint Joseph oil is placed in front of a statue of Saint Joseph, and a wick on a candle burns night and day. Saint Andre Bessette would apply oil on the sick people that came to him and apply it on the part of the body they wanted healed.
Several miraculous healings have been connected to St. Andre’s prayers. He was known for his devotion to St. Joseph for the power of his prayer.
Bringing the relics of Saint Andre Bessette to a community is seen as a way to allow communities to enter a relationship with him.
He was born in Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Canada in 1845. When he was born, Bessette was so frail that he was baptized him the following day.
Saint Andre Bessette was initially rejected by the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal because of poor health; he was eventually accepted in 1872.
Saint Andre Bessette died in 1937, at the age of 91. His tomb is built below the Oratory’s Main Chapel. His heart remains on display in the oratory, preserved in an urn. The heart was stolen in March 1973, but was recovered in December 1974.
The relic was brought to Stonehill College as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
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