St. Andre Bessette Novena is prayed by people suffering from a weak constitution, illness, and stomach problems. He is the patron saint of the poor and sick.
About St. Andre Bessette
Alfred Bessette was born on August 9, 1845, in Quebec, and by the age of 12, he had been orphaned. He had to labour to support himself. He had no formal education, but he had great faith and devotion to St. Joseph from an early age.
He returned to Quebec after a few years of attempting to find a job in the United States. His childhood pastor pushed him to explore a religious vocation there. With a note that read, “I am sending you a saint,” he sent Alfred to the Congregation.
Because of Alfred’s bad condition, Holy Cross initially refused to admit him. He was baptised shortly after birth because his parents were scared he wouldn’t last more than a few days. He was unwell the rest of his life. Alfred, on the other hand, was not discouraged, and on December 27, 1870, he was admitted to the Holy Cross Novitiate with the help of the Archbishop of Montreal.
In 1870, Alfred Bessette arrived at the Holy Cross Brothers with a note from his priest that read, “I am sending you a saint.” That was difficult for the Brothers to believe.
Alfred had been unable to retain a job for long due to chronic stomach aches, and he had travelled from shop to shop, farm to farm, in his native Canada and the United States, since he was a youngster, remaining only until his employers discovered how little work he could perform.
The Holy Cross Brothers were teachers, yet Alfred was still unable to read and write at the age of 25. Alfred appeared to have entered the monastic order out of desperation rather than a vocation.
Alfred was in a difficult situation, but he was also a faithful follower of God and Saint Joseph. He may have been confined with nowhere else to go, but he believed it was because this was where he should have been all along.
The Holy Cross Brothers accepted him into the novitiate, but he quickly discovered what others had discovered: no matter how hard Alfred, now Brother Andre, tried, he simply wasn’t strong enough.
They advised him to quit the order, but in despair, Andre approached a visiting bishop, who assured him that Andre would stay and take his vows.
Facts
Novena Starts: December 28th
Feast Day: January 6th
Birth: August 9, 1845
Death: Jan 6, 1937
Significance of St. Andre Bessette Novena
St. Joseph was the centre of André’s devotion. St. André’s unwavering faith and dedication facilitated the development of St. Joseph’s Oratory, Canada’s largest church.
On January 6, 1937, St. André Bessette died in Montreal. More than a million people are reported to have visited the Oratory to offer their respects. He was beatified on May 23, 1982, by Pope John Paul II and canonized in October 2010, making him the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Due to the fact that the Vatican and many countries celebrate the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, the Holy Cross community celebrates St. André’s Feast Day on January 7.
Read more: Infant of Prague Novena
St. Andre Bessette Novena
Day 1
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 2
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Day 3
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 4
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 5
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: Three Hail Mary Novena
Day 6
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 7
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 8
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Day 9
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord,
you chose Brother André
to spread devotion to Saint Joseph,
and to dedicate his life to the poor and afflicted.
Grant through his intercession
the favour(s) that I now request…
<<mention your special request>>
Grant me the grace
to imitate his piety and charity,
so that, with him,
I may share the rewards promised
to all who care for their neighbours out of love for you.
I make this prayer in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
Read more: Novena to our Lady of Fatima
A Prayer for Healing to St. André Bessette
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Saint André,
I come to you in prayer for healing.
<<mention your special request>>
You were no stranger to illness.
Plagued by chronic stomach pain all your life,
you knew suffering on a daily basis,
but you never lost faith in God.
Thousands of people have sought your healing touch
as I do today.
Pray that I might be restored to health
in body, soul and mind.
With St. Joseph as my loving Protector,
strengthen my faith and give me peace
that I might accept God’s will for me
no matter what the outcome.
Amen.
Recite once
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
