Charisms
A charism is a special grace given by the Holy Spirit to every baptized person for the service of others, for mission, and for building up the Church. It is not merely a personal ability or talent, but a gift received to contribute to the growth of the Body of Christ.
Charisms take very diverse forms: teaching, hospitality, service, compassion, evangelization, administration, prayer, accompaniment, and many others. All are complementary and bear their full fruit when placed at the service of the Church’s communion and mission.
To discern a charism
- Pray and ask for the light of the Holy Spirit
- Observe the gifts that bear fruit in service to others
- Listen to what the community recognizes and confirms
- Gain concrete experience through service
- Remain accompanied and open to growth
An authentic charism always leads to communion, service, and mission. It is recognized by the Church and bears fruit for the good of all.
Saints and models of faith
Ordinary lives, extraordinary grace
Saints are women and men who welcomed God’s love and allowed themselves to be transformed by Christ. Their lives were neither perfect nor free of hardship, but with God’s grace, they chose to love, serve, forgive, and hope, even in the most difficult moments.
The Church presents them to us as witnesses to the Gospel and companions on the journey of faith. Their lives remind us that holiness is a calling for everyone and can be lived out in prayer, family life, work, education, caring for the sick, serving the poor, and simple daily actions.
“Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1
Catholics reserve worship for God alone. When asking for the intercession of the saints, they are asking them to pray with and for them. The saints always lead us to Jesus Christ and encourage us to live the Gospel fully.
Holiness, close to home
Saint Brother André Bessette
Humble in faith, wide in welcome
Saint Brother André is one of Montreal’s best-known witnesses of faith. A religious of the Congregation of Holy Cross, he dedicated his life to welcoming the sick, the poor, the lonely, and the discouraged.
He did not consider himself an extraordinary man. He simply invited people to trust in God and turn to Saint Joseph. His compassion, his willingness to listen, and his faith drew thousands of people to Mount Royal.
Saint Joseph’s Oratory, which he helped found, remains today a place of prayer, pilgrimage, and welcome, where many seek inner healing. His tomb remains there today.
What his example teaches us
- To welcome others with simplicity and warmth
- To trust God even in hardship
- To care for the sick and those who suffer
- To discover God’s presence in small gestures
- To pray with Saint Joseph
Learn more: Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal: discover Saint Brother André and the heritage of the Oratory
Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys
Faithful, courageous, and devoted to teaching
Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys came to Ville-Marie in the seventeenth century and spent her life teaching children, guiding families in the faith, and serving Montreal’s growing young settlement.
She founded the Congregation of Notre Dame, a religious community called to live and work directly among the people, responding to the needs of the time. Her work helped shape education and evangelization in Montreal for generations.
Bourgeoys taught more than lessons. She helped those in her care discover their dignity and recognize God at work in their lives.
What her example teaches us
- To pass on the faith with patience, not pressure
- To see potential in every child, however overlooked
- To reach out to those pushed to the margins
- To meet your community’s needs with real courage
- To bring education, faith, and service together as one calling
Learn more:
- Congregation of Notre Dame
- History of the Congregation of Notre Dame [link needed]
Saint Marguerite d’Youville
Wounded by loss, moved to compassion
A widow and mother, Saint Marguerite d’Youville knew suffering, poverty, and grief firsthand. Rather than turn inward, she chose to give her life to the poor and the abandoned.
In 1737, she founded the Sœurs de la Charité de Montréal, known ever since as the Grey Nuns. What began as one widow’s mission to the poor grew into a lasting order dedicated to society’s most vulnerable. She was canonized in 1990.
Her charity was universal: she never stopped to ask whether someone deserved help. She simply recognized a brother or sister.
What her example teaches us
- To recognize Christ in the faces of the poor
- To turn personal wounds into compassion
- To serve everyone, without exception
- To persevere through every hardship
- To ground prayer in concrete action
Learn more:
- The Grey Nuns of Montreal [link needed]
- Discovering Saint Marguerite d’Youville: memorial sites and the shrine [link needed]
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
The Lily of the Mohawks
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was a young Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) woman, quiet and reserved by nature, whose unwavering faith continues to inspire the Church today, in Canada and around the world.
She spent the final years of her life in Kahnawake, near Montreal. Illness, childhood loss, and the misunderstanding of those around her never shook her resolve to follow Christ with courage and fidelity.
Her tomb rests at the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine, within the Saint Francis Xavier Mission in Kahnawake.
Her witness also calls the Church to recognize more fully the spiritual richness, history, and presence of Indigenous peoples within it.
What her example teaches us
- To remain faithful to God, even when misunderstood
- To seek out silence and prayer
- To honour and respect creation
- To welcome the diversity of cultures and traditions
- To carry on, alone if need be, with courage
Learn more:
- Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine: discover the sanctuary in Kahnawake [link needed]
- Saint Kateri Tekakwitha — Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Others Who Bore Witness, Close to Home
Not every great witness to the faith in our local Church has reached canonization. Some hold the title of blessed or venerable, steps along that same path; others remain historical figures whose lives still shape how we pray and serve.
Blessed Émilie Gamelin
Émilie Gamelin had already known deep personal loss when she gave her life to the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the abandoned. Her work continues today through the Sisters of Providence, the community she founded.
Learn more: Sisters of Providence and Émilie-Gamelin Museum
Venerable Jeanne Mance
Co-founder of Montreal and founder of the Hôtel-Dieu, Jeanne Mance put deep faith into action through rare skill as a caregiver and a leader. She remains an essential figure in Montreal’s spiritual and social history.
Learn more:
How can the saints accompany my life?
You can start very simply:
- Choose a saint whose story resonates with your own journey
- Read a few pages about their life
- Visit a shrine or place of remembrance dedicated to them
- Ask for their intercession
- Draw inspiration from the way they prayed or served
- Take a concrete step inspired by their witness
It isn’t about copying or retracing their lives, but discovering how the Gospel can take flesh in our own.
A question for your journey
Which witness to the faith speaks most to what you’re living today?
Perhaps you are inspired by the trust of Brother André, the courage of Marguerite Bourgeoys, the compassion of Marguerite d’Youville, or the faithfulness of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.
Their lives remind us that holiness is possible today and that God accomplishes great things through those who trust in him.