La Fraternité Saint Alphonse was founded by Fr André Morency, C.Ss.R. a Redemptorist from the former province of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré and now the Province of Canada in 1994 with a small house and chapel with 9 rooms with the support and approval of the Provincial at the time, Fr Marc André Boutain. The goal of the Fraternité is to be a house of welcome and accommodation for addicts (alcoholic and drugs) offering a truly Catholic spirituality of healing to the addicts. It is a house of hope for addicts to once more take their lives in their hands and so experience transformation and freedom through the healing power of Jesus the Redeemer.

The Fraternity of Saint Alphonsus is run by Fr André in collaboration with the Redemptorists of the Community of St Anne de Beaupre with a Board of Management consisting of Redemptorists and lay people dependent totally on donations with no Government funding.

In 2001 the Fraternity bought the present building and renovated it with a large chapel, an adoration chapel with devotion to Venerable Alfred Pampalon, C.Ss.R. (Patron of addicts). This purchase was possible through donations from various generous donors and the Redemptorists as well, this was truly a miracle of faith.

Today there are at present 27 residents all male going through various stages of therapy and treatment. They have regular meetings of the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, daily prayer, biweekly mass and Sunday mass in the house chapel, other prayer and spiritual activities, therapy sessions, work with social workers and counsellors and regular physical check ups and necessary blood tests with a mobile clinic.

Fr André says that the goal is always to enable the addicts to discover Jesus living in them and tap into the power of Jesus the Redeemer who heals everyone and strengthens them for life ahead. Over the many years of existence of this Fraternity of St Alphonsus, more than a few thousand men and women have been helped to take charge of their lives and have a fresh start again.

The House offers all meals daily to the resident as well as around 20 to 30 street people have a hot meal daily from the house. Fr Andrè himself is a qualified Master chef who oversees the kitchen. There are two staff at present and around 10 to 15 regular volunteers who assist in various activities of the Fraternity.

In the winter months very often, the house welcomes and offers accommodation to the street people, a refuge and shelter from the sever and icy cold.

There at 60 Redemptorist Associates who pledge each year to work with the Fraternity through fund raising, volunteering, support programs etc. This is a strong group of lay Redemptorist Associates.

The Fraternity runs the canteen at the Shrine of St Anne de Beaupre through the year, and the proceeds of the canteen go towards the running of the Fraternity. The canteen is run totally by a group of dedicated Redemptorist lay associates under the spiritual guidance of Fr André.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Quebec, Gerald Lacroix is a big supporter of the Fraternity and regularly sends his deacons and priests to assist in the work of the Fraternity.

On 28^th July 2022, the late Pope Francis paid a surprise visit to the Fraternity of St Alphonsus during his visit to Shrine of St Anne and Quebec City. He acknowledged the work of Fr André and praised him and the Associates and volunteers for their care for the abandoned of the city. He presented Fr André and the Fraternity with a beautiful Icon of Our lady Queen of Hope from Jerusalem with a citation and personal letter of recognition of the Fraternity. He also made a substantial donation to the Fraternity. This visit of the Holy Father, says Fr André, was a sign from God for the Fraternité that their work was God’s work and will always be taken care of by providence.

Fr André himself despite his age and issues with his health keeps giving of himself tirelessly towards the daily care of the residents of the Fraternité.

The two General Consultors spent a morning at the home, interacted with the residents, shared lunch with them and prayed with Fr André.

We salute Fr André and his truly Redemptorist proclamation of the Good New to the poor and most abandoned (addicts and street people) on the outskirts of the city of Quebec. As we celebrate the feast of St Alphonsus this year, we hope and pray that many of us Redemptorists will be inspired by our confrere Fr André to keep living the charism entrusted to us by St Alphonsus in bringing hope to the hopeless, truly Missionaries of Hope in the footsteps of the Redeemer.