On Olympians and Saints

The world views this country through various lenses, never more so than in these last few days as we've hosted the Olympics in Vancouver. On full display are our best young athletes, our natural beauty and our fervent love of sport. Good on us.How we go about so such things says something about us as well. A subtle alteration seems to have taken place where we've gone from just the joy of competition to an "own the podium" winner takes all motivation. The result appears to be a kind of winners and losers campaign that might just characterize our new view of sport. Think of the headline this morning: "U.S. Gets Hate On For Canada." Is this what the British journalist was referring to when he said Canada has created a moral "hollowed out" kind of Olympics that has been uncharacteristic of this nation?  I don't know, but it troubles me. My concerns aren't about Canadian pride per se, but how a venue that once epitomized the dedication of the amateur and good sportsmanship has morphed into something more professional and corporate.While all this was going on, a quiet and appealing man who died almost 80 years ago in Quebec caught the attention of over one billion people and put Canada on the map in an entirely different fashion. For Roman Catholics worldwide, news that Canada's Brother Andre has been approved for sainthood was cause for great celebration and humility. It was perhaps a belated recognition of a Canadian who displayed that gentle and compassionate part of Canada that many in the world still choose to see.Suddenly an orphan at 12 years of age after a tree fell on his father and his mother died of tuberculosis, he learned to adapt to suffering and marvellously developed an empathy for all those who lived lives of struggle. His aunt stated that from his earliest days he exhibited a remarkable sense of the spiritual, especially for its ability to minister to the poor. When of age, he was given the task of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Côte-des-Neiges, Quebec. He fulfilled this function for some 40 years while at the same time doing innumerable odd jobs for his community.The local Pastor noticed the devotion and generosity of the young man. He decided to present Andre to the Congregation of Holy Cross in Montreal, writing a note to the Superior, "I'm sending you a Saint." Although initially rejected by the order because of his frail health, Archbishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal intervened on his behalf, and in 1872, Andre was accepted, made his Temporary Vows, and became known as Brother André. He made his Final Vows on 2 February 1874,Many will quibble with his supposed ability to bring about healings, but this shouldn't blind us to the life of self-denial and service he exhibited throughout his entire adult years. In reality, sainthood isn't about certain abilities but a state of mind. That Brother Andre believed his calling was to minister to the needs of others was hardly unique, but the dedication with which he sacrificed all else to achieve that goal has been rarely equaled.It was said by a high church official this week that Brother Andre had reached the equivalent of winning a gold medal. I think André Bessette wouldn't have agreed. He was in competition with no one, seeking only to serve a God and a people that called out the best in him. Charity isn't about competition but choice, and this remarkable man opted early to live a life of remarkable self-restraint and compassion. When he died in 1937 at 91, over one million people filed before his open coffin - something no gold medal winner could ever claim and affirming that old spiritual truth that "the greatest of all is the servant of all.". He represented Canada at its very finest and chose the hovels of the poor, and not the podium, for his greatest acts. This, too, is the kind of Canada the world is looking for.