Catholic faithful celebrate Brother Andr in special ceremony

The memory of a Montrealerfamousfor his humility and simplicity was honoured at St. Joseph's Oratory today, as Roman Catholics celebrated the fifth anniversary of Brother Andr's canonization in Rome.

• Pilgrims fly to Rome for BrotherAndrsainthood
• Montreal's BrotherAndrnowa saint

"The emotion that we experienced five years ago is something that we want to recapture today," said Father ClaudeGrou, rector of St. Joseph's Oratory

"When we were with everybody in St. Peter's, we felt the warmth of that celebration, with all of the charisma ofCardinal Jean-ClaudeTurcottewho brought people together, and we thought it important to keep that spirit alive,"Grousaid.

Alfred Bessette was born in Saint-Grgoire-d'Iberville on Montreal's South Shorein 1845. Orphaned at 12 and nearly illiterate,he worked as a young man in the textile mills of the northeastern U.S. before returning to Montreal to join the Congregation of the Holy Cross,working as a doorman at Collge Notre-Dame.

He was credited with curing the sick and disabled. He founded St. Joseph's Oratory in 1904, originally a simple chapel on the flank of Mount Royal.

Brother Andr died in 1937.Hewas the first Canadian-born man to be declareda Catholic sainton Oct. 17, 2010.

About 2,000 faithful took the trip from North America to the Vatican to mark the occasion.For many, thecanonization helped putBrother Andr'shome onthe map.

"It helps you, as a province of Quebec or as the country of Canada, to know that there are people from where you are that are recognized elsewhere," said Montreal Archbishop Christian Lepine.

Brother Andr's remains are buried in the cryptat St. Joseph's Oratory, nowa Montreal landmark whichattracts two million visitors a year.

"He's a great man, the definition of simplicity. He is an immense figure to me," said worshipper Pierre Lambert, who said that hehas visited the oratoryregularly since his teens.

Another woman in attendance said that she believed that Brother Andrhelpedhealher five years ago.

"I had a very bad headache for several days. Onthe day of his canonization, I said, 'It's your canonization today, so you need to do something for me,' and then I turned around and the headache was gone, and I never had it again."

"I'd say it's a miracle. It's not something I'd tell everybody because nobody would believe me but it's true," she said.

Many of the visitors spilling through St. Joseph's Oratory picked up trinkets as a keepsake.

"Today is special, so they are looking for some souvenir of Brother Andr," said gift shop worker Gloria Diaz. "They visit from all around the world because they know it's the home of St.Brother Andr."