The story of Brother Andre is a story of a man and a mountain. The mountain, Mount Royal, rises majestically above the city of Montreal, Canada. For centuries the nation's great adventurers, merchants and missionaries, knew they were nearing home when they saw Mount Royal. The man, Alfred Bessette, came to Montreal in 1870. He, too, saw the mountain. lt was to dominate his energies for a lifetime.
Brother Andre was deeply devoted to St. Joseph, the spouse of Mary and the patron of the laboring man. By dint of heroic effort, Andre wedded the two loves of his life - Joseph and his mountain. He placed on Mount Royal the sign of home for the weary traveler, a shrine which invites men and women to come and be at home with Jesus, Joseph and Mary.