Best of the Week 2019-2020: Holy Cross Values

ST. ED'S CELEBRATES THE LEGACY OF SAINT BROTHER ANDRE BESSETTE, C.S.C.

As St. Ed's welcomed students back from their holiday break, the school community joined together to celebrate the feast day of St. Br. André Bessette, C.S.C. during Mass. Br. André worked as a humble porter at Notre Dame College in Montreal and lived a life in prayer with a special devotion to St. Joseph. In addition to founding St. Joseph's Oratory, which was completed in 1967 and became the largest church in Canada, Br. André was canonized on October 17, 2010.

The Mass's celebrant, Fr. John C. Chlebo, gave a homily that focused on Br. André's selflessness, hospitality and self-sacrifice, challenging our community to live out Br. André's spirit throughout the new year. "Of the few quotations attributed to Br. André, my favorite is, 'It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the best paintings.' Br. André reminds us that we are able to serve in our own way. We strive for excellence at St. Ed's," says VP of Mission Effectiveness Mr. Liam Haggerty '02. "I fear, sometimes, that excellence can become a measure of being 'better than someone else.' A few years ago our theme, when focusing on Excellence, was 'Worthy of the Call' with an emphasis on answering the call to serve God in each of our individual lives, whatever that call may be. Br. André is a perfect testament and model of that idea."

"Br. André lived a life of service, often spending time with those no one else would, and doing jobs no one else would want to do," says Campus Minister Ms. Cari White. "Br. André really models seeing Christ in the other, especially those different from us."

Fr. Chlebo encouraged our community to self-reflect on how we can strive to seek Jesus in others and to ponder how others can potentially see Jesus in ourselves. "Br. André embodies our Holy Cross value, Hospitality," says Mr. Haggerty. "Whether it is in formal ways, such as participating in our Labre ministry, our food pantry (named in honor of Br. André), or our Community Meal, or in more informal ways like welcoming shadows who come to visit St. Ed's, holding the door open on their way into the building, or greeting their classmates and teachers with a hello in the morning, there are countless examples across campus of students following the witness of Br. André."