Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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ST. JOSEPH'S ORATORY

A shrine, located in Montreal, honoring the saint who fostered the Christ Child's care. This classic Renaissance cathedral stands near the summit of Mount Royal, overlooking Canada's largest city. Its construction is due to the efforts of Brother André (1845-1937), a member of the Holy Cross order, who had an intense devotion to St. Joseph. He served his order as a porter for many years, all the time dreaming of a monument to honor his beloved saint. The small wooden chapel was authorized in 1904, and word soon spread that the sick were being healed whenever the self-denying Brother touched their wounds. Crutches and votive plaques marked the spot where so many physical and spiritual miracles took place. Elevators now bear the aged and infirm to the dome, and the great cathedral now houses a library where every important book or document published on St. Joseph has been collected, a radio station, and a vast tape and film collection.