It was managed by my father Dennis, and along with my five siblings, we were all born in that farm house.

Brother André’s visits came about because he would visit with our cousin, Farther Frank Cornish, pastor of the Irish Church in Keeseville. That village also had a French Church.

We, as a family, visited St. Joseph’s Oratory where Brother André practiced his faith and his healing –once in the early 1930’s, before he died, and visited the oratory many times after that — including bringing our children to visit the famous shrine.

He was born Aug. 9, 1845 and died on Jan. 6, 1937. He was canonized by Pope Benedict Oct. 17, 2010 at St. Jospeh’s Oratory In Montreal.

Father Cornish’s mother, my great-aunt Maggie Clark Cornish, Brother André, our cousin Father Frank Cornish and his father Frank Cornish. Taken in Keeseville in 1922 on one of Brother André’s frequent visits. (Provided photo)

A book, “The Miracle of the Mountain” by Alden Hatch was published in 1959 about the life of Brother André, now Saint André Bessette.

Excerpts from his biography:

“People requested Brother André for spiritual healing for their children and also for themselves. Word spread before the internet, before social media and before television. The healing miracles began to emerge. At the high point of Brother André’s ministry, he encountered 600 people a day. He told them to be short, to be quick, because of the number of people in line to seek his healing touch.

“Alfred Bessette, his baptismal name, came from humble beginnings. He became an orphan, was considered to be illiterate and did not learn to read and write until his 20’s. He was weak in body and strength and suffered from stomach ailments.

“He desired a life of prayer and his home parish suggested the Congregation of the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross at first was reluctant to accept him. His parish priest said, ‘I am sending you a Saint.’ His first assignment was as a Porter for Norte Dame College near Montreal.”

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Brother André and Father Cornish

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From the book “Miracle of the Mountain:”

“No matter where he was Brother André always insisted on being taken to early Mass at six in the morning, and he frequently attended evening devotions as well. Father Frank Cornish of Keeseville, New York, described how the first time Brother André came there he asked as they walked toward the presbytery, ‘What time will you have devotions in the church tonight?’

“‘What devotions?’ asked the priest.

“‘Don’t you have devotions at all tonight?’ asked the surprised religious.

“‘This is a weekday, Brother,’ Father Cornish reminded him.

“Brother André pointed to the houses of the village climbing the hillside in the early dusk. ‘Look’, he said, ‘every house is lighted. Should not God’s house be lighted, too?’ People are going and coming between their homes; don’t you think they would come to visit God?’

“‘We have a Holy Hour one Thursday every month,’ said the priest defensively.

“‘That is fine, but I think God would like one every week better.’

“Father Cornish argued that it was useless. ‘We have a hard enough time getting them to church on Sundays,’ he said.

“That mulish look came on Brother André’s face. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, ‘I won’t move until you promise me to have a Holy Hour every week.’

“Father Cornish was in a most embarrassing position. He could not possibly leave as revered a religious as the famous little brother standing in the middle of the street in his own parish. It was sheer blackmail! Weakly he made the promise.

“The result astounded him. Brother André attended the first Holy Hour and a big crowd turned out. Father Cornish put that down to the Brother’s presence. But people kept coming every week after Brother André had gone home. They even drove over from other villages.

“When Brother André came back to Keeseville again, Father Cornish told him how right he had been. ‘How did you know it would work?’ he asked.

“Brother André permitted himself an enigmatic smile.”

There are a number of “churches” inside St. Joseph’s Oratory, so on any given day, there may be many Masses being said at the same time. At least that is the way it used to be. The high walls of the main dome are covered with crutches and braces and other evidence of those that were healed by Brother André. One has to see it to believe it.

When I was town judge, a couple called me from Fort Drum to ask if I would perform their wedding on top of Whiteface Mountain. They had found my name through the town office, they were both in the Army and, of course, we had never met. We exchanged the needed information and at a set date we met at mountain.

I told them I could be identified because I would be wearing my best black dress, as we sometimes named our judicial gown.

It was a beautiful day, we met and took the elevator to the top. They may have wanted a small wedding but when the crowd at the top saw what was going on, a big circle of people surrounded the ceremony.

Now why am I telling you this? Well, one could see St. Jospeh’s Oratory very clearly, the sun gleaming off that huge golden dome. So I took it upon myself to give a brief sermon about Brother André and his life.