Haunted Stories from St. Joseph's Oratory
Hello Friends! 👋
Forgive me for such a long absence. There’s a simple explanation: I’ve taken on too much in the last couple of months.
I’ve been working toward earning an editing certificate, applying that knowledge to Book 4 in The Book of Eve Series, staying on top of the day job, and enjoying the warmer weather before it plummets back to hibernation mode levels.
I had hoped September would bring some semblance of order to my life, but here we are, already near the end of the month. I’ll do my best to return to a more consistent (but still spooky) writing groove for the rest of 2023.
So, without further ado, let’s talk about another of the most haunted places in Montreal, Quebec. Let’s explore the creepy hauntings one might experience at St. Joseph’s Oratory.
St. Joseph’s Oratory: Haunted History
The Oratory’s history is lengthy, and while absolutely worth a read, I’ll focus on the important details.
St. Joseph’s Oratory is an impressive minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church situated in Montreal on the northwestern slope of Mount Royal. It holds several records as it’s one of the largest domed structures in the world and is the tallest church in Canada.
We can’t, however, talk about the Oratory without mentioning Brother André Bessette. His life and work are directly tied to the basilica as he was (and still is) widely considered a miracle worker.
It’s estimated that Brother André completed as many as 10,000 miracles (although some consider this count to be much, much higher). However, one miracle, the Joseph Audino's case, helped him reach sainthood.
Diagnosed with terminal cancer, Joseph prayed to Brother André. The day after a treatment designed to lessen his pain, doctors discovered his tumour had vanished. In 1958, Joseph was considered completely cancer-free.
Brother André was devoted to Saint Joseph (the patron Saint of Canada) and attributed his miracles to him. In 1904, the congregation gave Brother André land to build a small chapel, which, over time, and in great part to his ability to heal, gave way to the construction of St. Joseph’s Oratory.
Although Brother André died before the completion of the Oratory, thanks to his legacy, today, St. Joseph’s Oratory is a massive tourist attraction for around two million pilgrims worldwide each year.
St Joseph’s Oratory Ghosts
Looking into St Joseph’s Oratory is a journey filled with mysterious events that have led to a few ghostly encounters— and more.
Some of the disturbing stories to come out of St. Joseph’s aren’t myths but rather facts, and while this article isn’t going to go into detail, I think it’s important not to ignore the darker side of history.
The Miracle Man’s Heart
Brother André died at 91 on January 6, 1937. Before his death, he had asked that the church preserve his heart as a relic to help protect the Oratory. The church complied with his request by preserving the organ in a glass urn that was displayed for pilgrims and worshipers in the still-unfinished church.
On March 16, 1973, Brother André’s heart vanished.
According to police records, the theft was professional. To get into the Oratory, one needed to get through three locks to open an iron grille and steel door. Once opened, the thieves had to chisel the urn off a marble pedestal without drawing attention from security guards and then sneak it out of the basilica.
Sure enough, an anonymous person contacted a local newspaper. He declared he would destroy the heart unless given $50,000. Despite receiving photos of Brother André’s heart, the church refused to cave into the thief’s demands.
It took almost two years, but finally, police cracked the case and located the relic in the basement of a house in southwest Montreal.
To this day, the police haven’t arrested anyone for the crime.
However, as the legend goes, it’s believed the thieves began to feel incredibly guilty about the theft and began to see the angry spirit of Brother André, who told them to return his heart.
Since then, officials have returned Brother André’s heart, this time to his little church near the basilica—although under much tighter security.
And since its return, many visitors have claimed to see the spirit of Brother André in his little chapel, fulfilling his promise to keep a vigilant watch over his flock.
Human Remains Unearthed
In 2021, St. Joseph’s Oratory announced it needed to complete a renovation project to adapt the entrance and gardens to better accommodate the massive number of visitors.
It was a project that Oratory members knew would likely lead to the discovery of human remains. This is why the Oratory contacted Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and had an archeologist on site before they even broke ground.
The team found skeletal bones near the parking lot (near Queen Mary’s Road). According to the archeologist, the team had uncovered an ancient burial ground. St Joseph’s Oratory broke ground in 1904, while these bones dated centuries prior.
The Oratory immediately contacted the Mohawk Community and put the project on hold. The team determined they would stop excavating the area in respect of any other graves lying beneath the asphalt.
Out of respect for the remains and ancestors, the Mohawk Community performed a ceremony to move the remains to the oldest cemetery in Kahnawake.
The Oratory Ghosts
While some visitors claim to see the spirit of Brother André in the little chapel, others have been confronted by ghosts in the Oratory.
The most common ghostly encounters at St. Joseph’s include visitors seeing clergy members wearing tunics walking through the church toward them only to vanish into thin air!
(The Dark Years: 1950 - 2001)
In 2013 and again in 2018, members of the clergy of St. Joseph’s Oratory were accused of child abuse between 1950 and 2001. The church was required to pay 203 victims up to 18 million dollars in 2013, which led an additional 40 victims to seek justice.
While the church would like to brush this period of its history under the rug, I couldn’t let it lie. It’s the type of abuse that spans decades and has continued to negatively impact survivors today.
Haunted Places in Montreal
I’ve visited St. Joseph’s Oratory several times. In my youth, I remember feeling awed by the stories and the sheer number of canes, wheelchairs, and walking aids Brother André’s miracles left behind.
Despite multiple visits, I’ve never felt or seen anything unusual or spooky. The spirit of Brother André hasn’t ever appeared, nor have any clergymen in tunics. 🤷♀️
Have you visited St. Joseph’s Oratory and experienced something unusual? I want to hear from you! Let me know in the comments.
As always, thanks for reading. ✌️🖤👻
I was there in August 2023, my husband and I were attending his cousins wedding that week. We were staying with his other cousin, who lives on Ridgewood so we walked over. We are from Winnipeg so we thought the place was super cool.
First we visited the smaller chapel, I had an intense feeling like I wasn't safe and I felt like someone was watching me. It was eerie and I didn't want to stay long. We left almost immediately...
Then we visited the Oratory, I initally didn't feel a whole lot, I think i was still distracted by the eerieness of the smaller chapel. It took us a while to get to the main area. But when we walked into the large chapel part of the oratory. I felt a huge wave of joy and happiness it was so overwhelming. It was like the exact opposite feeling of what I felt in the small chapel.
I am not religious but my Babcia (Polish grandmother) was extremely religious and I am pretty sure I could feel her presence. I have never felt like that before. I almost felt like i was in a dream state.
Then we visited the garden area behind the oratory ... I also felt uneasy. Like someone was watching me and I actually felt sick to my stomach.
I didn't see anything weird but the feelings were so overwhelming.