Encountering the sick and needy, St. Brother André Besette’s trust in St. Joseph was strong and unwavering — so strong that it led him to offer a healing oil — a gesture of faith that everyone is invited to practice.
“Brother André had a profound faith in St. Joseph and his love for all of us,” said Rev. Glenn McDonald, who is organizing the St. Joseph Oil Novena, to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph and the Jubilee year 2025. “Many people experienced miraculous healings as a result of the prayers of Brother André and St. Joseph.”
Everyone is invited to make a “pilgrimage of the heart” by participating in the novena, in which the faithful anoint themselves and pray for the intercession of St. Joseph, the patron of the Archdiocese of Edmonton.
The nine-day novena includes a simple prayer, during which the individual anoints his or her own heart with oil, and concludes by praying the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be.
Father Glenn is making 1,000 vials of oil from St. Joseph’s oratory in Montreal (founded by St. Brother André Bessette) available to parishes in the Archdiocese that are under that patronage of St. Joseph. He encourages many more of the faithful to participate in the novena by using olive or vegetable oil from their own kitchen, or by ordering it from the Oratory.
The vials of oil will be available through St. Joseph’s Basilica, St. Joseph the Worker parish in Caroline, St. Joseph’s parish in Killam and Wabamun, St. Joseph’s College, and the Carmel of St. Joseph.
“Brother André would never accept credit for miracles that he did. He always said it was St. Joseph who interceded. I’m not saying there will be miraculous physical healings, but I do promise you that St. Joseph will show up in your journey of the heart this Lenten season.”
Due to his poor health, St. Andre, a lay brother of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, was assigned to be the doorkeeper of the College of Notre Dame in Montreal. From his doorways, he would often encounter people who were in need, especially the sick. St. Andre would listen to them and help them and invite them to ask for the intercession of St. Joseph in their lives.
In addition to asking them to go to Confession and to receive the Eucharist, St. Andre would give them oil to anoint their bodies, based on a devotion to St. Joseph practised in France.
“The Lenten journey is very much as pilgrimage of the heart,” Father Glenn said, noting it is not an easy journey because we examine what we would rather not admit to.
Nevertheless, he said, “we reflect on our relationship with God, with others and ourselves. For those times we have bruised our relationships with one another, we ask God for mercy, healing, and peace.”
READ: St Joseph Oil Novena Instructions
St. Joseph Oil Novena
O Glorious St. Joseph, with your chaste and gentle heart,
you responded to God’s call to care
for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus, the only Son of God.
As I anoint my heart with your oil,
I pray that you may make my heart like your own:
just and righteous when it feels broken;
determined and steadfast in times of danger;
gentle and generous towards the vulnerable;
and faithful and hopeful along the pilgrimage of life.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be… Amen.
St Joseph, pray for us!