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Congregation of Holy Cross
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The Congregation of Holy Cross (Latin: Congregatio a Sancta Cruce), abbreviated CSC,[1] is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men founded in 1837 by Basil Moreau, in Le Mans, France.
Key Information
Moreau also founded the Marianites of Holy Cross for women, now divided into three independent congregations of sisters: the Marianites of Holy Cross (Le Mans, France), the Sisters of the Holy Cross (Notre Dame, Indiana), and the Sisters of Holy Cross (Montreal, Quebec, Canada).
History
[edit]Two Societies
[edit]Basile Antoine-Marie Moreau was born at Laigné-en-Belin, near Le Mans, France, on February 11, 1799, in the final months of the French Revolution. When Moreau decided to enter the priesthood, he was forced to undergo his seminary training in secret for fear that the French government would arrest him. He completed his studies and was ordained for the Diocese of Le Mans in 1821. The French government continued to work for the removal of the Church from the educational system, which left many Catholics without a place to be educated or catechized.[2] In 1835, Moreau had formed a group, which he called "Auxiliary Priests", to serve the educational and evangelization needs of the Diocese of Le Mans.[citation needed]
On July 15, 1820, a priest of the Diocese of Le Mans, Jacques-Francois Dujarié, brought together a group of zealous men to serve the educational needs of the people in the French countryside.[3] Fr. Dujarié named this group the Brothers of St. Joseph. By 1835 this group was well established in the diocese, but Dujarié was getting older and they were in need of a new leader. Dujarié and Moreau had met previously and discussed their views on the future of the Church in France and so Dujarié knew that Moreau was just the man he was looking for. With the consent of the bishop, Moreau was given control of the Brothers of St. Joseph on August 31, 1835. He was now the head of two organizations, the Auxiliary Priests and the Brothers of St. Joseph.[citation needed]
The Association of Holy Cross
[edit]In 1837, Moreau made the decision to combine his two communities into one society so that the priests and brothers could share resources and ministries in common.[3] On March 1, 1837, the priests and brothers gathered in the church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix, Le Mans, in the Sainte-Croix district of Le Mans to sign the Fundamental Act of Union which legally joined them into one association. This new group took on the name of where they met and became the Association of Holy Cross. Initially Holy Cross was a diocesan group and so they primarily served in whatever capacity the bishop asked of them. In 1840 this changed when Moreau received a request to send a delegation from his society to Algeria with the purpose of establishing schools and a seminary. It was at this point that Moreau shifted the focus of Holy Cross and after the first missionaries left in April 1840 the association took on the identity of a religious institute. On August 15, 1840, Moreau and four others became the first professed religious in the Association of Holy Cross. As part of his plan to form this religious institute, Moreau also brought together the first group of women who would become the Marianites of Holy Cross.[citation needed]
In 1841, he sent a group to the United States, establishing the first Holy Cross institution in North America at Notre Dame in Indiana. The institute expanded further by establishing missions in Canada in 1847 and in East Bengal in 1852.[3]
This association of priests, brothers, and sisters, would continue in roughly the same form until May 13, 1857, when Pope Pius IX approved the first constitutions of the priests and brothers. From that point on the Association officially became the Congregation of Holy Cross. Doubting the propriety of a mixed congregation of men and women, Rome separated the women into an independent community at that time. Moreau, in his role as their founder, continued to work for Rome's approval of the sisters' constitution. In 1865, Rome approved the constitutions of the Marianites of Holy Cross, granting them the status of an Apostolic congregation.[citation needed]
Holy Cross and The Holy Family
[edit]Moreau saw a visible image of the Holy Family in this Congregation of Holy Cross which he had conceived as an association of religious men and women working together on equal footing for the building of the reign of God. He intended that this Congregation, composed at its origins of three distinct Societies, namely, Sisters, Priests, and Brothers, be an apostolic institute. Calling on the spiritual aid of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Moreau gave to each of the three groups a patron: he consecrated the priests to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; he consecrated the brothers to the pure heart of St. Joseph; and he consecrated the sisters to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He also established Mary, under her title of Our Lady of Sorrows, as special patroness for all of Holy Cross, whose members in their several congregations continue to cherish these devotions.[4] As Moreau stated in one of his letters, he envisioned that: "Holy Cross will grow like a mighty tree and constantly shoot forth new limbs and new branches which will be nourished by the same sap and endowed with the same life."[5]
Superiors General
[edit]- Fr. Basil Moreau, CSC (1837–1866)
- Most Rev. Pierre Dufal, CSC (1866–1868)
- Fr. Edward Sorin, CSC (1868–1893)
- Fr. Gilbert Francais, CSC (1893–1926?)
- Fr. James Wesley Donahue, CSC (1926–1938)
- Fr. Albert Cousineau, CSC (1938–1950)
- Fr. Christopher O'Toole, CSC (1950–1962)
- Fr. Germain-Marie Lalande, CSC (1962–1974)
- Fr. Tom Barrosse, CSC (1974–1986)
- Fr. Claude Grou, CSC (1986–1998)
- Fr. Hugh Cleary, CSC (1998–2010)
- Fr. Richard Warner, CSC (2010–2016)
- Fr. Robert Epping, CSC (2016–2022)
- Br. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC (2022–present)
Provinces, Districts, and Vicariates
[edit]- United States Province of Priests and Brothers (USA)
- District of Chile-Peru
- Midwest Province of Brothers (USA)
- Canadian Province of Priests and Brothers (Canada)
- Moreau Province (USA)
- District of Brazil
- Province of East Africa
- Province of West Africa
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Province (Bangladesh)
- St. Joseph Province (Bangladesh)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province (Haiti)
- Province of North East India
- South India Province
- Province of Tamil Nadu (India)
- St. Andre Province (India)
- Mother Province (France)
Notable members
[edit]Saints & Blesseds
[edit]- Saint André Bessette, CSC, "Miracle Man of Montreal" & the institute's first recognized Saint
- Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC, Founder of the Congregation
Members of the Hierarchy
[edit]- Archbishop Peter Joseph Hurth, CSC, Bishop of Dhaka (1894-1909), Bishop of Nueva Segovia (1913-1926) and archbishop of Bosra (1926-1935)
- Bishop Arthur "Bud" Colgan, CSC, Auxiliary Bishop of Chosica (Peru), Titular Bishop of Ampora
- Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario, CSC, former Archbishop of Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Bishop George Joseph Finnigan, CSC, Third Bishop of the Diocese of Helena in the state of Montana.
- Servant of God Archbishop Theotonius Amal Ganguly, CSC, second Archbishop of Dhaka
- Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria, IL
- Bishop Jorge Izaguirre Rafael, CSC, Prelate of Chuquibamba, Peru
- Servant of God Bishop Vincent J. McCauley, CSC, First Bishop of Fort Portal, Uganda
- Archbishop Marcos G. McGrath, CSC, former Archbishop of Panamá (1969–1994)
- Bishop Lumen Monteiro, CSC, First Bishop of Agartala
- John Francis Cardinal O'Hara, CSC, President of Notre Dame (1934–1939) and Archbishop of Philadelphia (1951–1960)
- Bishop Yves-Marie Péan, CSC., Bishop of Les Gonaïves, Haiti.
- Bishop Stephen Rotluanga, CSC, Bishop of Aizawl
- Archbishop Charles Asa Schleck, CSC, Titular Archbishop of Africa
- Bishop William Albert Wack, CSC, Bishop of Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee
- Bishop Paul E. Waldschmidt, CSC, President of the University of Portland (1962–1978) and Auxiliary Bishop of Portland (1978–1994)
- Bishop Patrick Neary, CSC, Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud
- Archbishop James Hector MacDonald, CSC, Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, Ontario (1978-1982), Bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (1982-1991), Archbishop of St. John's, Newfoundland (1991-2000)
Others
[edit]- Fr. Gerald Fitzgerald, s.P., founder of The Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete
- Fr. Theodore "Ted" Hesburgh, CSC, President of Notre Dame (1952–1987) and Chair of the United States Civil Rights Commission (1969–1972)
- Servant of God Br. Flavian LaPlante, CSC, Missionary
- Fr. Julius Nieuwland, CSC, Professor and Inventor
- Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, CSC, "The Rosary Priest"
- Fr. John Zahm, CSC, Scientist and Explorer
- Fr. Richard William Timm, CSC, Missionary, Educator, Zoologist, and Development Worker.
Location
[edit]Holy Cross Priests and Brothers can be found across the globe, including these countries (date of first appearance in parentheses):
Foreign Missions
[edit]The Mission of Holy Cross in Bangladesh
[edit]The first group of Holy Cross missionaries to reach India left England January 17, 1853. It was composed of three brothers, three sisters, one priest and one seminarian. (Two priests dropped out due to severe illness when the first attempt to sail in November 1852 failed due to storms.) The group arrived in Calcutta in May 1853. Fr. Verite took the sisters to Dhaka, while the brothers and seminarian went to Noakhali. Fr. Verite soon joined them as pastor of Noakhali, which included Agartala and Sylhet in its territory. Chittagong became the headquarters of Holy Cross in December 1853.
The East Bengal mission was called at the time, "unquestionably the most destitute in East Asia and perhaps in any other part of the world." Because it was such a difficult and dangerous place to live and work, no other religious congregation showed any interest in it. For many years, priests had to face difficult situations. For example, in 1897, the Bishop of Dhaka, Bishop Peter Joseph Hurth, saw his diocese destroyed by an earthquake and a typhoon.Though the mission was named East Bengal, the Church jurisdiction and the political territory or civil jurisdiction called East Bengal were quite different from each other. The Province of East Bengal was first created in 1905. The Church territory was officially called the Vicariate of East Bengal, set up in 1845 by the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith at the Vatican. Its first superior was Bishop Thomas Olliffe, an Irish Jesuit. The Vicariate of East Bengal embraced the present-day Archdiocese of Dhaka, Diocese of Mymensingh, and Diocese of Chittagong, as well as a large part of Assam, the Arakan district (former name of the Rakhine State of western Burma, and the Diocese of Agartala in eastern India. It was a huge area, but when Holy Cross arrived in 1853, there were only three priests working there - a Portuguese Augustinian and two young Irish diocesan priests, both of whom were dead of disease by 1854. There were about 13,000 Catholics in the area. In Dhaka, there was no church or chapel at all under the jurisdiction of Rome.[6][better source needed]
The Mission of Holy Cross in Chile
[edit]The District of Chile is the longest-running mission still overseen by the United States Province. Three Holy Cross religious arrived in Santiago, Chile, on March 1, 1943, at the invitation of Cardinal José María Caro, Archbishop of Santiago (Chile), to administer Saint George's College. Fathers William Havey, Alfred Send, and Joseph Dougherty believed they were going to do university work. Little did they know that "college" in this context meant a school of first through 12th graders.
Today, Saint George's College serves 2,650 students. Its history is rich and is closely tied with the history of Chile, including the 1970s when the school was taken over by the military government and Holy Cross was ousted. The Congregation returned to the school in 1986. Strong faith formation and service have been a hallmark of Saint George's. Over the decades, the college has formed many influential leaders in Chilean society. Also Holy Cross' first Chilean vocation, Fr. Jorge Canepa, was a 1946 graduate of the school.
Additionally, the District administers Colegio Nuestra Señora de Andacollo, located in the older sector of Central Santiago. The Congregation took responsibility for the school in the 1970s, after its expulsion from Saint George's. The student body, numbering 1,100, is made up primarily of children from working-class families. With improvements to the physical plant and the strong Holy Cross commitment, the school has been able to reach new heights academically.
From the beginning, the mission of Holy Cross in Chile also included parish ministry and social service. Within three years of arriving, the Congregation had begun both its ministry at San Roque, a parish in the sector of Penalolen in Santiago, as well as its outreach to abandoned children in Santiago and later in Talagante. Today, the District administers two parishes in addition to San Roque: Nuestra Señora de Andacollo, in the same area as the school; and Nuestra Señora de la Merced, in Calle Larga, in the Diocese of San Felipe. The parishes are known for their youth ministry and social justice work. Then through Fundamor and Fundación Moreau, the District continues its work with abandoned children. Currently there are approximately 50 children in residence, ages 4 to 18. There is also a new prevention program ministering to 100 children that has been recognized as the first of its kind in Chile.[7][better source needed]
The Mission of Holy Cross in Mexico
[edit]Initially the members of the Congregation of Holy Cross were sent to Mexico from Texas. In 1972, Fr. Frederick Schmidt, CSC, was sent to Mexico for a "sabbatical" by Fr. Christopher O'Toole, CSC, the Provincial of the Southern Province at the time. In 1973 Fr. Fred assumed the pastoral responsibility for a large parish in Ahuacatlan, San Luis Potosí, Nuestro Padre Jesús. He served as pastor for 25 years. In 1998 when Fr. Francisco Garcia, a priest from the Diocese of Ciudad Valles, was appointed pastor, Fr. Fred became the pastor emeritus. When Fr. Schmidt died in 2003, he was buried at the parish in the crypt of the convent church that he helped build. With his death, Holy Cross withdrew from this parish, although one of its members has become a Holy Cross priest. The relationship with the parish and pastor continues to be one of friendship and Holy Cross offers occasional assistance.
In 1987, the Southern Province assumed the responsibility for the pastoral care of Santo Tomas Moro parish in the Archdiocese of Monterrey, Nuevo León. The parish grew dramatically and eventually gave birth to a new parish, Nuestra Madre Santisima de La Luz. Holy Cross opted to shift from Santo Tomas Moro to this new parish with greater needs. Holy Cross continues to serve this community.
In 1993 the Southern Province founded a program of vocation promotion and initial formation for young Mexican men who believe they are called to religious life and priesthood in Holy Cross. The Southern Province established a program for postulants and a program for professed seminarians. The novitiate for the formation program is in Peru.
In 1999, Holy Cross Family Ministries founded Family Rosary in México. Their offices and meeting rooms are located in an Archdiocesan pastoral center in San Francisco Javier parish, close to La Luz parish in the Archdiocese of Monterrey. Their offices serve as a "hub" for the growing Holy Cross apostolate of fostering family prayer, especially the rosary, as well as devotion to Mary throughout Mexico.
In 2000, the local Holy Cross community in Monterrey established an immersion program at La Luz parish. This program provides an intercultural experience of life and ministry with and for the poor. It is offered principally to students from Holy Cross universities, high schools, and parishes in the United States. One group of Chilean laywomen also participated. The program has been temporarily suspended due to the wave of violence in Mexico.
In 2010, Fr. Marín Hernández, CSC, and Fr. Paulino Antonio, CSC, the first two Mexicans to be ordained as Holy Cross priests, were assigned to Parroquia San José in Tamán, San Luis Potosí. The Bishop of the Diocese of Ciudad Valles offered this parish to Holy Cross in part because of the indigenous community's need for pastoral care and evangelization. Frs. Hernández and Antonio speak Nahuatl, the language of the people, and Fr. Antonio comes from this indigenous group.
In 2011 the Holy Cross community in Mexico became a part of the newly formed U.S. Province of Priests and Brothers.[8][better source needed]
The Mission of Holy Cross in Peru
[edit]The mission of Holy Cross in Peru began with an exhortation of Pope John XXIII to religious orders to send missionaries to Latin America, and Holy Cross arrived in the north of Peru in Cartavio in September 1963. The presence soon included Chimbote in the early 1960s and expanded for a time to Puno and Tacna, on the border of Bolivia and Chile, and finally came to develop an organized presence and pastoral strategy in the Diocese of Chosica. The parish, El Señor de la Esperanza, is about the size of a small diocese in the U.S. Approximately 250,000 Catholics live in a parish that has 19 chapels. In 1982, within the boundaries of Lord of Hope Parish in Canto Grande, the Congregation established "Yancana Huasy" (literally "House of Work" in the language of the Incas). Yancana Huasy attends to the needs of children who live with physical and mental challenges, including Downs' Syndrome, and their families.[citation needed]
The Mission of Holy Cross in Uganda
[edit]In November 1958, four Holy Cross priests arrived in Entebbe, Uganda to begin their ministry. The dioceses of Toro and Bunyoro were too large for the bishop to handle. He granted Holy Cross permission to minister to the people of Fort Portal and Butiti. Soon thereafter Holy Cross began administrating St. Leo's College, a high school in Kyegobe, Fort Portal diocese. Near Christmas of 1960, Holy Cross began its first parish at Bukwali. Around the end of February 1961, Cardinal Agaginian, the Armenian Patriarch at the time, told Fr. Christopher O'Toole, CSC, the superior general of Holy Cross, that missionary Vincent J. McCauley was to be made Bishop of Fort Portal. In 1967, a house, and later novitiate (in 1984), was built on the shores of Lake Saaka in Fort Portal. During the military dictatorship of Idi Amin, the Congregation decided at one point to leave the Diocese of Fort Portal. This proposal was later abandoned. Bishop McCauley died on November 1, 1982.
By 1962, the institute had begun accepting Ugandan religious aspirants to the community. Along with other religious institutes, they began a seminary in Kenya called Tangaza in 1986. By 1989, Holy Cross and a consortium of religious congregations and societies established the Queen of Apostles Philosophy Centre in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja ("PCJ") due largely to the political crises between Kenya and Uganda. It was then difficult[clarification needed] for Ugandans to study at Tangaza.[citation needed] PCJ was to be a seminary for philosophical and religious studies for these (mostly Ugandan) postulants.
On August 17, 1991, Holy Cross ordained its first Ugandan priest, Fr. Fulgens Katende. Five Holy Cross Brother's and one priest died in the genocide of 1994. In Bugembe and Wanyange, two villages of the Jinja Diocese, a primary school and secondary were opened: Holy Cross Primary and Holy Cross Lakeview Secondary respectively. In 1998, Lakeview made world news when United States President Bill Clinton landed in a helicopter on the school's compound for discussions with Ugandan President Museveni. A third parish opened in 1994 at Kyrausozi.
In the new millennium the first [East] African district superior of Holy Cross was named in 2003. This was a step towards congregational and district maturity as the past nine superiors had been Americans.[citation needed]
Holy Cross educational institutions
[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2025) |
Higher education
[edit]
- University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana (1842)
- Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana (1844) (Sisters of the Holy Cross)
- St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas (1878)
- St. Joseph College, St. Joseph, New Brunswick Canada (1864)
- University of Portland, Portland, Oregon (1901)
- University of Holy Cross, New Orleans, Louisiana (1916) (Marianites of Holy Cross)
- King's College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (1946)
- Stonehill College, Easton, Massachusetts (1948)
- Notre Dame College, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1949)
- Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, Indiana (1966) (Brothers of Holy Cross)
- Holy Cross College, Agartala, India (2009)
- Notre Dame University Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2013)
Secondary schools
[edit]Bangladesh
[edit]- Saint Placid's High School, Chittagong, Bangladesh (1853)
- St. Gregory's High School & College, Dhaka, Bangladesh (school 1881, college 2016)
- Holy Cross High School, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1912)
- Saint Nicholas High School, Nagori, Bangladesh (1920)
- Biroidakuni High School, Mymensingh, Bangladesh (1941)
- Brother Andre High School, Noakhali, Bangladesh (c. 1940)[9]
- Mariam Ashram High School, Chittagong, Bangladesh (1946)
- Notre Dame College, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1949)
- Notre Dame College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh (2014)
- Holy Cross College (Dhaka), Dhaka, Bangladesh (1950) (Sisters of the Holy Cross)
- Holy Cross Girls' High School, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1950) (Sisters of the Holy Cross)
- Udayan High School, Barisal, Bangladesh (1952)
- Saint Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1954)
- St. Joseph School of Industrial Trades, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1954)
Brazil
[edit]- Colégio Santa Maria, São Paulo, Brazil (1947) (Sisters of Holy Cross)
- Colégio Dom Amando, Santarém, Brazil (1966)
- Colégio Notre Dame, Campinas, Brazil (1961)
- Colégio Santa Cruz, São Paulo, Brazil (1952)
Canada
[edit]- Collège Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur (Montreal), Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1869)
- Notre Dame College School (Welland), Welland, Ontario, Canada
- Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School (St. Catharines, Ontario)
- Saint Joseph's Oratory, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Chile
[edit]- St. George's College, Santiago, Chile (1943)
- Colegio de Nuestra Senora de Andacollo, (Santiago), Santiago, Chile (1976)
France
[edit]- Saint-Michel de Picpus, Paris. France
- Saint-Michel de Saint-Mandé, Saint-Mandé. France
- Notre Dame de Garaison, Monléon-Magnoac. France
- Notre Dame d'Orveau, Nyoiseau. France
- Institution Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix, Neuilly-sur-Seine (independent since 1903)
Ghana
[edit]- St. Augustine's College (Ghana), Cape Coast, Ghana
- St John's Secondary School, Sekondi Takoradi, Ghana
Haiti
[edit]- Collège Notre-Dame, Cap Haitian, Haiti (1904)
- École Père Pérard, Plaisance, Haiti
- École Père Joseph Lepévédic, Limbé, Haiti
India
[edit]- Holy Cross Matriculation Higher Secondary School , Salem, Tamil Nadu, India (1963)
- Notre Dame of Holy Cross School [CBSE ], Gundukallur, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. [2008]
- Holy Cross International School [CBSE], Salem, Tamil Nadu, India (2021)
- Holy Cross School, Whitefield, Bangalore, India
- Holy Cross School, Agartala, Tripura India (1970)(CISCE)
- Holy Cross School, Tuikarmaw, Tripura (TBSE)
- Holy Cross School, Katalcherra, Tripura (TBSE)
- Holy Cross School, Panisagar, Tripura (TBSE)
- Holy Cross School, Kumarghat, Tripura (TBSE)
- Notredame Holy Cross School, Moharpara, Tripura (TBSE)
- St. Andre English Medium School, Bodhjungnagar, Tripura (CBSE)
- Good Shepherd School, Jongksha, Meghalaya (MBOSE)
- Holy Cross School, Umkiang, Meghalaya (MBOSE)
- Holy Cross School, Mawkynrew, Meghalaya (MBOSE)
- Jeevan Jyothi Technical Institute, Honavar, India
- Holy Cross School, Mizoram, India
- Holy Cross School, Trichy, TN (2002)
- Holy Cross School, Aymanam, Kerala (2003)
- Holy Cross School, Ghanpur, AP (2003)
- St Louis School, Dahisar, Mumbai (2002)
- Abhayadhama, Human Development Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore, Karnataka State (1976)
- Holy Cross School, Ballia, U.P, India
Liberia
[edit]Uganda
[edit]- Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School (Wanyange), Jinja District (1993)
United States
[edit]- Holy Cross High School, New Orleans, Louisiana (1849)
- Academy of the Holy Cross, Kensington, Maryland (1868) (Sisters of the Holy Cross)
- Holy Trinity High School, Chicago, Illinois (1910)
- Cathedral High School (Indianapolis), Indianapolis, Ind. (1918–1972; 2011 reaffiliated)
- Reitz Memorial High School, Evansville, Indiana (1925)
- Notre Dame High School (West Haven, Connecticut) (1946)
- Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills, Ohio (1946)
- Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, California (1947)
- St. Edward High School, Lakewood, Ohio, (1949)
- Holy Family High School, Port Allen, Louisiana (1949) (Marianites of Holy Cross)
- Archbishop Hoban High School, Akron, Ohio (1953)
- St. Francis High School, Mountain View, California (1955)
- Notre Dame High School, Fairfield, Connecticut (1955)
- Notre Dame College Preparatory, Niles, Illinois (1955)
- Holy Cross High School, Flushing, New York (1955)
- Holy Cross of San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (1957)
- St. Edmond's Academy, Wilmington, Delaware (1959)
- Bishop McNamara High School, Forestville, Maryland, (1964)
- Moreau Catholic High School, Hayward, California (1965)
- Holy Cross High School, Waterbury, Connecticut (1968)
- San Juan Diego Catholic High School, Austin, Texas (2019)
Primary schools
[edit]Uganda
[edit]- Holy Cross Primary School (Bugembe), Jinja District
- Saint Andrew's Primary School (Wanyange), Jinja District
- Saint Jude's Primary School, Jinja District
United States
[edit]- St. Edward High School, Lakewood, Ohio (1949)
- St. Ignatius Martyr, Austin, Texas (1940)
- Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills, Ohio (1946)
- Holy Cross School, New Orleans, Louisiana (1849)
- St. John Vianney School, Goodyear, Arizona (1992)
- St. Joseph Grade School, South Bend, Indiana (1854)
- Holy Cross School, South Bend, Indiana (1929)
- St. Adalbert Catholic School, South Bend, Indiana
- Christ the King Catholic School, South Bend, Indiana (1953)
- Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Portland, Oregon (1908)
Parishes
[edit]Bangladesh
[edit]- Holy Cross Church, Luxmibazar, Dhaka
- Church of St. Augustine of Hippo, Mathbari
- St. Joseph Church, Srimangal
- Our Lady of Holy Rosary Cathedral, Chittagong
- Fatima Rani Church, Bandarban
- Shanti Raj Girja Catholic Church, Thanchi
- Church of the Sacred Heart, Gournadi
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Khalibpur
- Corpus Christi Church, Jalchatra
- St. Paul's Church, Pirgacha
- St. George's Church, Mariamnagar
Brazil
[edit]- Paroquia São José do Jaguaré, São Paulo, SP
- Paroquia São Felipe Apostolo, Maua, SP
Canada
[edit]- St. Kevin's Church, Welland, ON
- Holy Name Parish, Toronto, ON
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Sherwood Park, AB
- St. Ann Parish, Toronto, ON
- Unité pastorale de Saint-Laurent, Saint-Laurent, QC
- Unité pastorale du Saint-Esprit, Cap-Pelé, NB
- Saint-Gregoire-le-Grand, Mont Saint-Gregoire, QC
- Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Saint-Polycarp, QC
- Saint-Martin de Val-Bélair, Québec, QC
Chile
[edit]- Parroquia San Roque, Santiago (1949)
- Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Andacollo, Santiago (1977)
- Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Calle Larga (1989)
France
[edit]- Paroisse Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix, Le Mans
Haiti
[edit]- Sainte Rose de Lima, Pilate
- Saint Charles Borromée, Le Borgne
- Saint Albert Le Grande, Ravine Trompette, Pilate
- Sainte Marie Madeleine, Duchity
- Notre Dame de l'Esperance/ND du Mont Carmel, Magagnosse/Labadie
- Notre Dame de Guadalupe, Waney, Port-au-Prince
- Saint Jules, Petit Bourg du Borgne
- Paroisse Sainte Elizabeth, Caracol
India
[edit]- St. Joseph Church, Agartala, Tripura
- St. Andre Mission, Bodhjunagar, Tripura
- Good Shepherd Church, Kathalcherra, Tripura
- St. Paul's Catholic Church, Kumarghat, Tripura
- Immaculate Conception Church, Moharpara, Tripura
- St. Mary's Church, Tuikarmaw, Tripura
- Holy Cross Parish, Bagbasa, Tripura
- Good Shepherd Parish, Jongksha, Meghalaya
- Holy Cross Parish, Mawkynrew, Meghalaya
- Holy Cross Parish, Umkiang, Meghalaya
- Holy Cross Church, Champhai, Mizoram
- St. John Parish, Khawzawl, Mizoram
- Holy Cross Parish, Koloriang, Arunachal Pradesh
- St. Sebastian Church, Loliem, Goa
- St Vincent De Paul Church, Katapady, Karnataka
- Nirmal Matha Church, Abadi Ghanpur, Andhra Pradesh
- Christ the King Parish, Pune, Maharashtra
- St. Joseph Church, Chengalam, Kottayam, Kerala
- St. Louis Parish Centre, Dahisar, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Dindigal, Tamil Nadu
- St. Sebastian Church, Idukki, Kerala
Kenya
[edit]- Holy Cross Parish Community, Dandora, Nairobi
Mexico
[edit]- Parroquia Nuestra Madre de la Luz, Monterrey, Nuevo León (1996)
- Parroquia San José, Tamán, San Luis Potosí (2011)
Peru
[edit]- Parroquia El Señor de la Esperanza, Canto Grande, Lima
Tanzania
[edit]- St. Brendan Parish, Kitete
Uganda
[edit]- Holy Cross Parish Community, Bugembe, Jinja
- St. Jude Thaddeus Parish Community, Kyarusozi, Fort Portal
United States
[edit]- Christ the King Parish, South Bend, Indiana (1933)
- Holy Cross Parish (1929) and St. Stanislaus Parish (1899), South Bend, Indiana
- Holy Cross Parish, South Easton, Massachusetts (1967)
- Holy Redeemer Parish, Portland, Oregon (2002)
- Sacred Heart Parish, Colorado Springs, Colorado (1984) (Including Mission Parishes of Holy Rosary and Our Lady of Perpetual Help)
- Sacred Heart Parish, Notre Dame, Indiana (1842)
- Sacred Heart Saint Francis de Sales Parish, Bennington, Vermont (1854 & 1880)
- St. Adalbert Parish, South Bend (2003) and St. Casimir Parish, South Bend, Indiana (1897)
- St. Ignatius Martyr Parish, Austin, Texas (1938)
- St. John Vianney Parish, Goodyear, Arizona (1981)
- St. Joseph Parish, South Bend, Indiana (1853)
- St. André Bessette Parish, Portland, Oregon (2001)
- St. John the Evangelist Parish, Viera, Florida (2001)
Other
[edit]- Ave Maria Press
- Holy Cross Family Ministries
References
[edit]- ^ "Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C.)". GCatholic. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ Connelly, James T. (2020). The History of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 978-0-268-10888-5. OCLC 1223098369.
- ^ a b c "History", Congregation of Holy Cross
- ^ "Our Lady of Sorrows". C.S.C., US. Retrieved 27 December 2018.]
- ^ Communications, Holy Cross (19 July 2021). ""Like a mighty tree" Holy Cross Continues to Grow in East Africa". Congregation of Holy Cross. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ ">>>>Welcome to Holy Cross in Bangladesh :: CSC in Bangladesh". Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
- ^ "District of Chile // Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers". Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "Nuestra Madre Santísima de la Luz in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, México // Blog // Holy Cross Vocations United States Province". Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ Archdiocese web pages are inconsistent about establishment date, stating 1939, 1940, and 1941 in different places:
"Educational Institutes". Archdiocese of Chattogram. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
"Noakhali". Archdiocese of Chattogram. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
External links
[edit]- Official international website
- The Brothers of Holy Cross official website
- United States Province of Priests and Brothers (USA) official website
- District of Chile
- District of Peru Archived 27 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- Midwest Province of Brothers
- Province Canadienne de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix
- South-West Province of Brothers
- Province of South India
- Vicariate of France
- Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Congregation
Books and publications
[edit]- Gift of the Cross Lenten Reflections in the Holy Cross Tradition
- The Cross, Our Only Hope; Catholic Bestseller available from Ave Maria Press
- Basil Moreau; biography available from Ave Maria Press
- Vincent McCauley, C.S.C.:Bishop of the Poor, Apostle of East Africa; biography available from Ave Maria Press
Congregation of Holy Cross
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins and Founding in France
The Congregation of Holy Cross originated in post-Revolutionary France, amid efforts to restore Catholic education and evangelization disrupted by the secularizing upheavals of 1789–1799. Basil Anthony Moreau, a diocesan priest ordained on August 12, 1821, in Le Mans, responded to these needs by organizing the Auxiliary Priests of Le Mans in August 1835 to conduct parish missions in underserved areas of the diocese.[5] On August 31, 1835, Moreau assumed leadership of the Brothers of Saint Joseph, a teaching brotherhood established in 1820 by Jacques François Dujarié to staff small parish schools near Le Mans.[6] These groups—priests focused on preaching and brothers on education—lacked formal structure and faced challenges in sustaining their apostolic work without unified governance.[7] On March 1, 1837, Moreau formalized the merger of the Auxiliary Priests and Brothers of Saint Joseph through the Fundamental Act of Union, creating the Association of Holy Cross in the Sainte-Croix neighborhood of Le Mans.[6] The name derived directly from this locale, symbolizing the community's dedication to the cross as a source of redemption and mission.[7] Moreau envisioned a collaborative fraternity of priests and brothers bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, working together to educate youth in faith and revive missionary zeal in a de-Christianized society.[5] Initial headquarters were established in Sainte-Croix, where the group began addressing immediate local demands for schooling and catechesis.[6] This founding act laid the groundwork for a distinct religious institute, though full pontifical approval as the Congregation of Holy Cross came later in 1857 under Pope Pius IX.[5] Moreau's approach emphasized practical complementarity between clerical and lay vocations, prioritizing evangelization over isolation, which distinguished the early Holy Cross from more cloistered orders.[7] By 1840, Moreau and four priests professed religious vows on August 15, marking the first formal commitment within the nascent association.[7]Formation of the Auxiliary Priests and Brothers
The Society of Auxiliary Priests was established by Basil Moreau in Le Mans, France, in 1835, comprising diocesan priests dedicated to supporting the local bishop through parish missions, preaching retreats, and educating youth in seminaries and colleges amid the post-Revolutionary restoration of Catholic life.[8][9] These priests, numbering about fifteen by 1837, relied on voluntary offerings and tuition fees for sustenance while focusing on evangelization and formation in rural and underserved areas.[9] Parallel to this, the Brothers of Saint Joseph had been founded in 1820 by Jacques François Dujarie at Ruillé-sur-Loir to provide catechetical instruction and manual labor in support of priestly ministry, addressing the shortage of educated laity for teaching roles after the French Revolution's disruptions.[9][10] When Dujarie's health declined around 1826, Moreau assumed leadership of the brothers, integrating their practical apostolate of education and service with his vision for a unified religious family.[2] On March 1, 1837, Moreau formally united the Auxiliary Priests—seven in number—and the fifty-four Brothers of Saint Joseph through the "Fundamental Pact," creating the Association of the Holy Cross as a single entity of priests and brothers vowed to mutual support in apostolic works, particularly education and mission.[7][11] This merger emphasized the brothers' auxiliary role to the priests, fostering a collaborative model where brothers handled teaching and temporal duties, enabling priests to prioritize sacraments and preaching, all under the patronage of the Holy Cross for redemptive suffering and evangelization.[2][12] The pact outlined shared governance, poverty, chastity, and obedience, laying the groundwork for the congregation's expansion despite initial episcopal approvals limited to a diocesan society.[7]Early Expansion and Separation into Societies
Following its establishment in 1837, the Congregation of Holy Cross rapidly extended its apostolic works beyond France. On April 28, 1840, Basile Moreau dispatched the first missionaries to Algeria, inaugurating the society's foreign evangelization efforts amid the region's colonial context and need for education and catechesis.[13][7] In August 1841, a group led by Edward Sorin departed for the United States, arriving in Indiana to found educational institutions, including what became the University of Notre Dame in 1842, and to serve immigrant communities.[13] Expansion continued with missions to Canada shortly thereafter and to East Bengal (modern Bangladesh and eastern India) in 1852, reflecting Moreau's vision of global outreach through teaching, preaching, and pastoral care.[13][7] Complementing this growth, Moreau established the Marianites of Holy Cross in 1841 as the sisters' society, completing his conception of a unified religious family patterned on the Holy Family, with priests, brothers, and sisters collaborating in shared ministries.[13] However, Vatican scrutiny of mixed-gender congregations led to mandates for structural distinction. In 1855, the Holy See required the men and women to function as independent entities, separating governance and operations to align with canonical norms on religious institutes.[14][15] This separation formalized in 1857 with papal approval of the constitutions for the priests and brothers as the Congregation of Holy Cross, a pontifical-right society of men dedicated to apostolic works, while the Marianites received separate approbation in 1867.[13] The division preserved the men's congregation's unity under Moreau's leadership but allowed the sisters' society to evolve autonomously, foreshadowing their later subdivision into three independent women's congregations by the late 19th century due to geographical and administrative divergences.[16][10]19th-Century Challenges and Global Outreach
In the aftermath of the French Revolution (1789–1799), the Congregation of Holy Cross faced profound challenges in France, where revolutionary upheavals had dismantled social institutions, resulting in widespread deficiencies in education, healthcare, and access to sacraments, compounded by the seizure of Church properties and persecution of clergy through arrests and executions.[7][2] Founded by Basil Moreau in 1837 near Le Mans to restore pastoral services amid this void, the congregation encountered persistent political instability, including mid-century turmoil that hindered development, such as opposition from civil authorities to school expansions at Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix.[17][18] Internal strains intensified these external pressures, with financial crises, leadership controversies, and factional disputes eroding cohesion; by the 1860s, accumulated debts and ongoing scheming prompted Moreau to resign as Superior General on June 21, 1866, after nearly three decades of stewardship marked by personal sacrifice and institutional wrangling.[19][20] Despite such adversities, the congregation demonstrated resilience, growing to 72 priests and 322 brothers across 102 establishments by circa 1857, reflecting adaptive governance under Moreau's foundational vision.[16] Global outreach emerged as a strategic response to domestic constraints, beginning with an unsuccessful mission to Algeria in the early 1840s, but achieving traction in North America where opportunities for evangelization and education aligned with the congregation's charism. In August 1841, Father Edward Sorin and six brothers departed France as the first U.S. missionaries, arriving in New York before proceeding to Indiana; on November 26, 1842, they reached 524 snow-covered acres near South Bend, promptly founding the University of Notre Dame to serve frontier Catholic communities amid immigrant hardships.[10][13][21] Parallel efforts in Canada, initiated in the 1840s, involved severe sacrifices—such as rudimentary living conditions and isolation—but yielded steady institutional growth, establishing schools and parishes that bolstered the congregation's presence beyond Europe by century's end, with North American apostolates becoming the primary locus of expansion due to relative stability and demand for clerical services.[9][22]20th-Century Growth and Institutional Development
Following the suppression of religious orders in France in 1903, the Congregation of Holy Cross shifted its primary focus to North America, where the United States and Canada emerged as centers of expansion and institutional consolidation.[23] This relocation spurred the establishment of numerous educational institutions, including secondary schools and colleges, alongside parishes and ministries emphasizing service to the poor and immigrant communities.[8] By the early decades of the century, Holy Cross priests and brothers had founded or assumed administration of over a dozen high schools and preparatory academies across the Midwest and Northeast, such as those in Indiana, Illinois, and Massachusetts, integrating Catholic education with vocational training and social outreach.[7] Mid-century developments marked a phase of global institutional outreach, with new foundations in Latin America beginning in Chile and Brazil in 1943, followed by Haiti in 1944 and Peru in 1963.[7] In Africa, missions commenced in Ghana (1957) and Uganda (1958), where Holy Cross members like Vincent McCauley established parishes, schools, and the Diocese of Fort Portal, emphasizing evangelization and development aid amid post-colonial challenges.[2] These efforts paralleled domestic advancements, notably at the University of Notre Dame, where Father Theodore Hesburgh's presidency from 1952 to 1987 transformed the institution into a major research university with expanded enrollment exceeding 10,000 students by the 1980s and initiatives in lay leadership and interfaith dialogue.[2] Missionary apostolates, such as Brother Flavian Laplante's work in Bangladesh from 1932 onward, further diversified institutions through rural education and leprosy care centers.[2] The latter half of the century witnessed both consolidation and adaptation, with further presences in Kenya (1978), Mexico (1987), and Tanzania (1999), alongside the formalization of provinces like the U.S. Province of Priests and Brothers.[7] However, vocational declines in North America—driven by secularization and cultural shifts—reduced membership there by approximately half from peak levels around mid-century to 2000, prompting reliance on growth from Asia (e.g., India, Bangladesh) and Africa to sustain global operations totaling around 1,700 members by century's end.[24] This period also saw internal reforms aligning with Vatican II, including updated constitutions in 1967 that emphasized collaborative ministry and adaptability in education and foreign missions.[25]Spirituality and Charism
Devotion to the Holy Family
The Congregation of Holy Cross, founded by Blessed Basil Moreau in 1837, centers its spirituality on devotion to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, modeling its community structure and apostolic mission after their life in Nazareth.[2][26] Moreau envisioned the congregation as a spiritual family emulating the humility, obedience, and chastity exemplified by the Holy Family, with members serving others as one would serve their own kin.[27] This devotion reflects Moreau's emphasis on Divine Providence and familial unity amid post-Revolutionary France's social disruptions, guiding the congregation's expansion into education and parish ministry.[2] Specific patronages within the Holy Cross family align with aspects of the Holy Family: priests are consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, emphasizing priestly charity and zealous service; brothers to Saint Joseph, fostering a life of loyal obedience and humble labor; and sisters to the Immaculate Heart of Mary or Our Lady of Sorrows, highlighting maternal compassion and acceptance of suffering.[27][2] The entire congregation falls under the patronage of Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast on September 15 serves as its patronal celebration, symbolizing hope amid the Cross and linking the Holy Family's trials to the congregation's charism of redemption through suffering.[2] Moreau consecrated the community to these patrons early in its formation, integrating this devotion into the constitutions to sustain apostolic endeavors in evangelization and family-oriented service.[26] This Holy Family devotion informs the congregation's vows and daily practices, promoting a balanced life of prayer, community, and mission that prioritizes educating hearts and minds in faith, much as the Nazareth household nurtured Jesus.[28] It underscores a commitment to viewing all people as family, countering individualism with relational solidarity rooted in Christ's redemptive love.[2]Core Vows, Principles, and Apostolic Mission
The members of the Congregation of Holy Cross profess perpetual vows of consecrated poverty, consecrated celibacy, and consecrated obedience, known as the evangelical counsels. These vows constitute a public and perpetual commitment to discipleship, mirroring Christ's detachment from material goods, his chaste love for humanity, and his obedience to the Father. By professing them, members renounce worldly attachments to wealth, sexual expression outside chastity, and self-directed autonomy, instead relying on divine providence and communal discernment as a witness to transcendent joy.[29] The vow of consecrated celibacy binds members to lifelong chastity, forgoing marriage and biological parenthood to cultivate undivided love for God and fraternal bonds within the congregation. Consecrated poverty requires the surrender of personal possessions to communal administration, fostering simplicity and trust in God's provision amid material insecurity. Consecrated obedience entails submission to legitimate authority, including superiors and the Church's magisterium, while collaboratively seeking God's will through prayer and dialogue. These vows are typically professed after temporary commitments, with solemn perpetual profession marking full incorporation into the congregation.[30] Guiding principles emphasize the fraternal unity of priests and brothers as a single society of pontifical right, founded by Basil Anthony Moreau to address pastoral and educational needs through shared life, prayer, and mission. Central to this charism is the motto Spes Unica ("The Cross Our Only Hope"), which underscores bearing daily trials with resurrection hope, rejecting despair in the face of sin and suffering. Community life prioritizes common table, mutual support, and formation in virtues like hospitality and resilience, ensuring apostolic endeavors flow from contemplative roots.[31][30] The apostolic mission directs members to proclaim the Gospel by educating others in faith, serving parishes, and engaging foreign missions, with particular attention to the poor, afflicted, and marginalized. This involves adapting to local contexts—such as schools, healthcare, and social justice initiatives—while fostering a just society and Church renewal. Periodic evaluation ensures alignment with evolving needs, historically expanding from French revitalization in the 1830s to global outreach in education and evangelization.[30][32]Governance and Organization
Superiors General
The Superior General leads the Congregation of Holy Cross, overseeing its global governance, missions, and adherence to its constitutions, with elections held every six years by the General Chapter.[33] The role originated with the congregation's founding by Blessed Basile Moreau in 1837, though formal papal recognition came in 1857.[34] Successive Superiors General have navigated challenges including political suppression in France, expansion into education and foreign missions, and internal reforms, often balancing priestly and brotherly vocations.| Superior General | Term | Key Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| Blessed Basile Moreau, C.S.C. | 1857–1866 | Founded the congregation in 1837; secured papal approval of constitutions in 1857; dispatched early missionaries to North America and Asia; resigned amid internal tensions but retained influence until his death in 1873.[34] |
| Bishop Pierre Dufal, C.S.C. | 1866–1868 | Served briefly after Moreau's resignation; focused on stabilizing the community during transitional strife; previously missioned in East Bengal as a bishop.[34] |
| Fr. Edward Sorin, C.S.C. | 1868–1893 | Established the University of Notre Dame in 1842; expanded U.S. presence amid French anti-clerical laws; led until his death, emphasizing educational apostolate.[34] |
| Fr. Gilbert Français, C.S.C. | 1893–1926 | Revived French communities post-persecution; extended missions; resigned due to health, dying in 1929.[34] |
| Fr. James W. Donahue, C.S.C. | 1926–1938 | Reorganized French province after 1901–1904 expulsion laws; visited Bengal missions; died in 1943.[34] |
| Fr. Albert Cousineau, C.S.C. | 1938–1950 | Initiated South American missions; strengthened North American growth.[34] |
| Fr. Christopher J. O’Toole, C.S.C. | 1950–1962 | Relocated general administration to Rome in 1954 for international coordination.[34] |
| Fr. Germaine-Marie Lalande, C.S.C. | 1962–1974 | Participated in Vatican II; adapted to post-conciliar reforms.[34] |
| Fr. Thomas O. Barrosse, C.S.C. | 1974–1986 | Formalized India Province in 1984; promoted scholarly renewal.[34] |
| Fr. Claude Grou, C.S.C. | 1986–1998 | Oversaw approval of revised constitutions in 1988.[34] |
| Fr. Hugh W. Cleary, C.S.C. | 1998–2010 | Advanced Blessed Moreau's beatification cause, achieved in 2007.[34] |
| Fr. Richard V. Warner, C.S.C. | 2010–2016 | Developed strategic planning; established Moreau shrines for devotion.[34] |
| Fr. Robert Epping, C.S.C. | 2016–2022 | Emphasized unity across provinces; prior General Council experience.[34] |
| Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C. | 2022–present | First non-priest (brother) elected to the role; from Moreau Province, U.S.; focuses on chapter directives for renewal.[33][35] |
Provinces, Districts, Vicariates, and Administrative Structure
The Congregation of Holy Cross organizes its global ministries and communities through provinces, districts, and a designated mother province, with governance structures that emphasize regional autonomy under the overarching authority of the superior general and general council. Provinces represent the primary administrative divisions, established by the general chapter to manage the common life and apostolic works of members within defined regions; each is led by a provincial superior and council elected by a provincial chapter, which periodically reviews missions, establishes policies, and appoints local leadership. Districts function as extensions of provinces, comprising mission areas beyond a province's core geographical boundaries yet remaining under its jurisdiction; these have been formalized since 1968 to support emerging apostolic endeavors. Vicariates, historically dependent directly on the general administration rather than provinces, are referenced in the congregation's governance framework but do not currently form prominent operational units.[36][37] The mother province in France maintains a distinctive status as the congregation's origin point in Le Mans, governed by a superior and council analogous to other provinces. As of recent organizational data, the congregation comprises 13 provinces alongside this mother province, plus two districts:- Provinces:
- Canadian Province (headquartered in Montreal, Canada)
- East Africa Province (headquartered in Kampala, Uganda; encompassing Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania)
- Midwest Province of Brothers (headquartered in Notre Dame, United States)
- Moreau Province (headquartered in Austin, United States)
- North East India Province (headquartered in Agartala, India)
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province (headquartered in Port-au-Prince, Haiti)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Province (headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh)
- St. André Province (headquartered in Bangalore, India)
- St. Joseph Province (headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh)
- South India Province (headquartered in Bangalore, India; including the Philippines)
- Tamil Nadu Province (headquartered in Trichy, India)
- United States Province (headquartered in Notre Dame, United States; including Mexico)
- Mother Province:
- Districts:
Notable Members
Saints and Blesseds
Saint André Bessette, C.S.C. (1845–1937), born Alfred Bessette, was a Canadian Holy Cross brother renowned for his devotion to Saint Joseph and his role in founding the Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal.[38] Joining the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1870 despite initial health-related rejections, he served as doorkeeper at the College of Notre-Dame in Côte-des-Neiges for over 40 years, where he welcomed thousands seeking healing and counsel, attributing miracles to Saint Joseph's intercession.[39] Bessette's cause for canonization advanced after his death, with Pope John Paul II declaring him venerable in 1987 and beatifying him in 1996; he was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2010, becoming the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross.[12] His life exemplified humility and faith amid personal frailty, drawing pilgrims to the oratory he helped build, which grew into a major basilica attracting millions annually.[40] ![Oratory of Saint Joseph, Montreal][float-right]Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C. (1799–1873), the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, established the society in 1837 at Le Mans, France, by uniting priests and brothers under a shared mission of education and evangelization modeled on the Holy Family.[2] Amid 19th-century political upheavals that suppressed religious orders, Moreau's leadership expanded the congregation internationally, including early missions in the United States and Algeria, while emphasizing vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability.[5] His cause opened in 1946, leading to Pope John Paul II declaring him venerable on April 12, 2003, followed by beatification by Pope Benedict XVI on September 15, 2007, in Le Mans on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.[41] Moreau's writings and governance shaped the congregation's charism, focusing on apostolic zeal despite internal divisions and external persecutions.[42] No other members of the Congregation of Holy Cross have been canonized or beatified as of 2025, though processes continue for figures like Venerable Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., and Servant of God Brother Columba O'Neill, C.S.C.[2]
Members of the Hierarchy
Several members of the Congregation of Holy Cross have been appointed to the Catholic hierarchy, primarily in mission dioceses in Asia and North America, reflecting the congregation's emphasis on evangelization and education in challenging regions.[13] These elevations began in the late 19th century with apostolic administrators and vicars in Bengal (now Bangladesh) and continued through the 20th century, with two members reaching the College of Cardinals.[43] The first Holy Cross cardinal was John Francis O'Hara, C.S.C. (1888–1960), who served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1951 until his death and was elevated to cardinal-priest by Pope Pius XII in 1958.[44] Ordained in 1916, O'Hara had previously been president of the University of Notre Dame (1934–1939) and Military Vicar for U.S. Armed Forces (1939–1945), roles that highlighted his administrative and pastoral leadership.[45] The second cardinal, Patrick D'Rozario, C.S.C. (born 1943), served as Archbishop of Dhaka from 2010 to 2020 before retiring; Pope Francis created him cardinal-deacon in 2016, making him the first Holy Cross member from Asia to attain this rank.[43] Other notable hierarchs include:| Name | Title and Key Dates | Location and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pierre Dufal, C.S.C. | Apostolic Administrator (1860–1876) | Eastern Bengal Missions; early mission leader.[46] |
| Peter J. Hurth, C.S.C. | Bishop of Dacca (1894–1909) | First Holy Cross bishop in Bengal; focused on seminary formation.[46] |
| Frederick Linneborn, C.S.C. | Bishop of Dacca (1909–1915) | Continued mission expansion amid political challenges.[46] |
| Joseph Legrand, C.S.C. | Bishop of Dacca (1916–1929) | Oversaw growth during World War I era.[46] |
| Alfred Lapailleur, C.S.C. | Bishop of Chittagong (1927–1950) | Long-serving amid partition tensions.[46] |
| George Joseph Finnigan, C.S.C. | Bishop of Helena (1927–1932) | First U.S. Holy Cross bishop; died in office at age 47.[47] |
| Lawrence L. Graner, C.S.C. | Archbishop of Dhaka (1950–1967) | First archbishop of the see; navigated independence of Pakistan.[46] |
| Theotonius Amal Ganguly, C.S.C. | Archbishop of Dhaka (1967–1977) | First Bengali Holy Cross bishop; declared Servant of God in 2017 for sanctity amid persecution.[48] |
| Vincent J. McCauley, C.S.C. | Bishop of Fort Portal (1961–1982) | Served in Uganda; noted for missionary zeal.[49] |
Other Notable Priests, Brothers, and Lay Associates
Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C. (1917–2015), served as the 15th president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987, during which time the institution's undergraduate enrollment more than doubled to over 8,000 students, research funding increased substantially, and new colleges in engineering and business were established.[51] Ordained a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1943, Hesburgh advised four U.S. presidents on civil rights and foreign policy, including participation in the 1964 Civil Rights Act drafting and leadership of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1969 to 1972.[52] Rev. William Corby, C.S.C. (1833–1897), acted as a Union Army chaplain during the American Civil War, attached to the Irish Brigade of the Army of the Potomac, where he administered general absolution to approximately 1,200 soldiers moments before their charge at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, an event later commemorated by a statue on the battlefield.[53] He joined the Congregation in 1858, served as president of Notre Dame for two nonconsecutive terms (1866–1872 and 1893–1897), and wrote Memoirs of Chaplain Life (1893), detailing his wartime experiences.[54] Rev. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. (1909–1992), dubbed the "Rosary Priest," founded the Family Rosary Crusade in 1947 to promote daily family recitation of the rosary, organizing over 100 rallies worldwide that attracted more than 28 million participants, including events in the Philippines (1951) and at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. (1953).[55] A Holy Cross priest ordained in 1937 after recovering from tuberculosis attributed to miraculous intervention, Peyton produced films and radio broadcasts emphasizing Marian devotion and family unity, with his cause for canonization declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2017.[56] Among brothers, Rev. Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C. (born 1955), was elected the first brother Superior General of the Congregation in 2022, overseeing its global structure of approximately 1,200 members across 16 countries and emphasizing fraternal collaboration in education and missions.[57] Lay associates, formalized through groups like Spes Unica Associates, participate in the Congregation's charism of education and evangelization without vows, supporting ministries in parishes and schools, though specific prominent individuals remain less documented in public records compared to clerical members.[58]Global Presence and Missions
Current Locations and Membership Demographics
The Congregation of Holy Cross maintains an international presence organized into provinces, vicariates, and districts across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Its core administrative units include the United States Province (headquartered in Notre Dame, Indiana, encompassing ministries in the U.S. and Mexico), the Canadian Province (Montreal, Quebec), the Mother Province of France (Le Mans), multiple Indian provinces (North East India in Agartala, Tripura; St. André Province and South India Province in Bangalore, Karnataka; Tamil Nadu Province in Trichy), two Bangladeshi provinces (Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Joseph, both in Dhaka), the East Africa Vicariate (Kampala, Uganda, covering Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania), the West Africa Province (Cape Coast, Ghana), the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Province (Port-au-Prince, Haiti), and districts in Brazil (Campinas, São Paulo), as well as Chile-Peru (Santiago and Lima).[36] These entities oversee educational institutions, parishes, and missions tailored to local contexts, with the U.S. Province alone supporting 15 parishes across states including Indiana, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Oregon, Texas, and Vermont.[12] Membership comprises religious priests and brothers united in a single apostolic congregation, with no formal incorporation of lay associates as vowed members. Globally, the congregation includes more than 1,600 priests and brothers as of recent assessments, operating in over a dozen countries on four continents.[59] The U.S. Province accounts for approximately 500 members, including both priests and brothers dedicated to education and parish ministry.[12] Other estimates place the worldwide total at around 1,200 priests and brothers under the direction of the Superior General in Rome.[60] Demographic data indicate a predominantly clerical composition, with priests forming the majority alongside a dedicated society of brothers focused on supportive apostolic roles. The membership reflects geographic diversification, with substantial concentrations in South Asia (particularly India and Bangladesh) and sub-Saharan Africa amid stable but aging cohorts in Europe and North America; however, detailed breakdowns by age, nationality, or priest-brother ratios remain limited in public sources.[36] Vocations continue in regions like the U.S., where over 50 men were in formation as of the early 2020s.[61]Foreign Missions in Asia
The Congregation of Holy Cross initiated its missionary endeavors in Asia during the mid-19th century, focusing on education, evangelization, and pastoral care amid challenging socio-political conditions. The order's entry into the region began with the entrustment of the Vicariate of Eastern Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) to the congregation in 1852 by ecclesiastical authorities, marking one of its earliest foreign missions outside Europe and North America.[62] This assignment aligned with the congregation's apostolic mission under founder Basil Anthony Marie Moreau, emphasizing perseverance in adversity, as early efforts faced opposition, natural disasters, and cultural barriers yet yielded gradual growth in local communities.[63] In Bangladesh, Holy Cross established a permanent presence in 1853, with operations centered in Dhaka and expanding to rural parishes and educational institutions. The mission evolved into two distinct provinces: the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province and the St. Joseph Province, both headquartered in Dhaka, which oversee priestly formation, retreats, and community outreach. Recent developments include the expansion of the Holy Cross Pastoral Center into a four-story facility in 2024 to accommodate increased seminars and retreats for local clergy and laity, reflecting ongoing institutional investment despite periodic flooding and regional instability.[64][63][65] The congregation's work here has produced notable figures, such as Servant of God Theotonius Ganguly, an archbishop born in 1916 who advanced interreligious dialogue and education before his death in 1978.[64] Holy Cross extended its Asian footprint to India around the same foundational period, initially linked to subcontinental evangelization efforts, before concentrating in the Northeast states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam starting in the late 20th century. Activities emphasize parish ministry, schools, and vocational training, adapting to diverse ethnic groups and contributing to Catholic minority communities in Hindu-majority regions.[64][66] These missions prioritize integral human development, including literacy programs and healthcare support, though specific membership figures remain integrated within broader provincial statistics without isolated reporting.[36] The Philippines mission commenced in 1952, leveraging the country's established Catholic infrastructure for advanced theological studies and priestly formation. Holy Cross religious utilize local universities for graduate education while engaging in parish work and youth ministry, positioning the archipelago as a regional hub for the congregation's Asian vocations.[64][67] This presence supports cross-border collaboration, such as exchanges with Bangladeshi and Indian counterparts, fostering a unified Asian missionary network under the congregation's global governance.[68]Foreign Missions in Africa
The Congregation of Holy Cross initiated its modern African missions in 1957 with the establishment of a presence in Ghana, marking a return to the continent following the closure of its initial Algerian mission in 1873 after originating there in 1840.[69] This effort focused on pastoral and educational ministries amid post-colonial church development, evolving into the Province of West Africa by January 1, 2023, with headquarters emphasizing local vocations and community service.[70] In East Africa, Holy Cross missionaries from the United States arrived in Uganda in 1958 at the invitation of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, prioritizing the building of local churches through education and parish work.[71] Expansion followed to Kenya in 1978, where priests founded Holy Cross Parish in the Dandora slum of Nairobi to serve marginalized urban populations with sacraments, schooling, and social outreach.[72] By 2000, the mission extended to Tanzania in response to emerging local vocations, including acceptance of pastoral duties at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Sombetini in 2015, integrating schools and healthcare initiatives.[73] The East African District, operational since 1958, achieved provincial status on January 8, 2023, in Fort Portal, Uganda, reflecting sustained growth in membership and self-sufficiency, with over 10 parishes now managed that incorporate attached schools, hospitals, and evangelization programs.[74][75] These missions emphasize formation of indigenous clergy and brothers, adapting to regional needs like poverty alleviation and youth education while maintaining the congregation's charism of cross-bearing service.[76] Across both East and West African provinces, Holy Cross operates in diverse contexts, from rural Ugandan dioceses to Ghanaian urban centers, fostering Catholic presence without supplanting local hierarchies.[77]Foreign Missions in Latin America
The Congregation of Holy Cross established its first missions in Latin America during the early 1940s, expanding southward from North American provinces amid post-World War II efforts to address pastoral needs in underserved regions. Initial efforts focused on Chile and Brazil, with missionaries arriving in Santiago, Chile, on March 1, 1943, and in São Paulo, Brazil, in December 1943, primarily from Canadian Holy Cross communities. These foundations emphasized education, parish ministry, and service to marginalized populations, reflecting the congregation's charism of evangelization through teaching and direct apostolic work.[78][79] In Chile, Holy Cross priests and brothers operate schools such as Saint George's College and the Andacollo Institute, alongside parishes and a formation house for religious training. Their ministries include support for abandoned children and rural communities, with sustained presence marking the 75th anniversary of arrival in 2018. The Chile mission forms part of the broader District of Chile-Peru, coordinating efforts across Andean regions. In Brazil, activities center on residential schools and urban parishes in São Paulo and Campinas, evolving from initial 1943 establishments to address educational deficits in growing industrial areas; the District of Brazil oversees these operations.[80][78][79] Peru missions began in 1963, targeting field hands and factory workers at a sugar plantation in Cartavio before expanding to impoverished areas including Chimbote, Canto Grande (serving approximately 200,000 residents), and Puno. Holy Cross personnel provide pastoral care, basic education, and social services to the poor, often in collaboration with local dioceses. Mexico's involvement started later, in 1987, with assignment to the large urban parish of Santo Tomás Moro, focusing on immigrant and working-class communities; this operates as the Region of Mexico. Haiti, established concurrently with early South American efforts around 1943, involves parish work and disaster response, though specific metrics remain limited in congregational reports.[81][82][83] These Latin American missions collectively house dozens of Holy Cross members, with ongoing formation evidenced by first professions in countries like Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Mexico as recently as 2017. Challenges include adapting to local cultures while maintaining fidelity to the congregation's educational apostolate, amid regional issues like poverty and secularization. Administrative structures, such as the Chile-Peru District, facilitate resource sharing and priestly formation, sustaining a presence that prioritizes direct service over expansion for its own sake.[84][36]Foreign Missions in Other Regions
The Congregation of Holy Cross established its presence in Canada in 1847, marking the third mission outside France after Algeria and the United States, with initial missionaries comprising two priests, eight brothers, and four sisters sent by founder Basile Moreau to Saint-Laurent near Montreal.[85] By the late 19th century, activities expanded coast-to-coast, including classical colleges like College Saint-Laurent and St. Joseph’s University in Memramcook, alongside pastoral care in six parishes serving French- and English-speaking communities.[85] The Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal, developed under Saint André Bessette (canonized 2010), remains a key apostolate, drawing over two million pilgrims annually and administered by the Canadian Province based in Montreal.[85] In Europe, the congregation's origins in France trace to its 1837 founding in Le Mans, where it sponsors schools such as Ensemble Scolaire Saint Michel de Picpus in Paris and College-Lycée Notre-Dame d’Orveau in Nyoiseau, while administering Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix Parish and hosting the International Shrine of Blessed Basile Moreau since 2014.[6] Designated the Mother Province in 2022, France supports global outreach despite historical challenges like the 1903 suppression of religious orders that dispersed members abroad.[6] In Italy, presence began in 1850 when Moreau led four brothers to Rome at Pope Pius IX's invitation to educate orphans, initially at Santa Prisca and later Vigna Pia for agricultural and industrial training until 1868.[86] The generalate, relocated to Via Framura after 1969, serves administrative functions, with a renovated chapel completed in 2014 featuring iconography of key figures including Our Lady of Sorrows and Blessed Moreau.[86] In Oceania, the congregation launched its first mission in Papua New Guinea on November 15, 2023, in the Diocese of Bougainville, following a year of exploration; this marks the first new foreign mission in nearly 40 years, focused on parish ministry, education, and community development at Holy Family Mission.[87]Educational and Pastoral Works
Higher Education Institutions
The Congregation of Holy Cross maintains a commitment to higher education as a core apostolate, sponsoring institutions that integrate intellectual formation with spiritual development to foster educators in the faith.[3] These universities and colleges emphasize the holistic education of minds and hearts, drawing from the congregation's founding principles under Blessed Basil Moreau to prepare students for service in a just world.[88] In the United States, the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, stands as the flagship institution, established in 1842 by Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., as the first Holy Cross foundation in the Americas.[88] Originally envisioned to educate youth in faith amid frontier challenges, it has grown into a leading Catholic research university while retaining Holy Cross sponsorship and governance influence through resident priests and brothers.[3] Other U.S. institutions include the University of Portland in Oregon, assumed by the congregation in 1901 from its prior incarnation as Columbia University and focused on forming faithful leaders;[88] King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, founded in 1946 as a liberal arts college serving working-class communities with 35 majors and a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio;[88] Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, established in 1948, offering 32 majors and emphasizing whole-person education for social justice, with over 20,000 alumni since 1952;[88] St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, which hosts the Holy Cross Institute to advance the congregation's mission across affiliated schools;[89] and Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana, a Catholic liberal arts institution providing residential Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees.[3][90] Internationally, Holy Cross sponsors higher education in regions of mission activity, such as Notre Dame University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, alongside affiliated colleges in Motijheel and Mymensingh, which extend the congregation's educational outreach in Asia.[3] In India, Holy Cross College in Agartala serves similar purposes amid local needs.[3] These institutions collectively animate the congregation's charism of zeal for education, adapting to cultural contexts while upholding Catholic identity and apostolic formation.[88]Secondary Education Institutions
The Congregation of Holy Cross operates or sponsors 88 secondary education institutions worldwide, emphasizing Catholic intellectual and spiritual formation alongside rigorous academics, in line with the educational vision of founder Blessed Basil Moreau.[3] These schools serve diverse regions, from urban centers in North America to rural areas in Africa and Asia, often integrating vocational training and community service to prepare students for leadership in church and society.[3] In the United States, the Congregation sponsors 17 secondary schools, including Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio, which provides college-preparatory curricula with a focus on faith-based character development.[3] [91] Other examples include Holy Cross High School in Flushing, Queens, New York, established to extend Holy Cross educational principles from the University of Notre Dame, serving over 1,000 students in a co-educational setting with strong emphasis on STEM and athletics.[3] [92] Similarly, Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, Connecticut, draws from a network of over 120 Holy Cross institutions to foster holistic growth among students from more than 30 towns.[3] [93] Internationally, the Congregation maintains significant presence in Asia, with 24 secondary institutions in India, such as Notre Dame of Holy Cross School in Salem, Tamil Nadu, and 18 in Bangladesh, including St. Joseph Higher Secondary School in Mohammadpur, Dhaka.[3] In Latin America and the Caribbean, Haiti hosts 15 schools like Collège Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours in Cap-Haïtien, while Brazil (3), Chile (2), and Peru (1) feature institutions such as Colegio Santa Cruz in São Paulo and Saint George’s College in Santiago.[3] African operations include 3 schools in Ghana, exemplified by St. John’s Secondary School in Sekondi, and 2 in Uganda, such as Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School in Jinja.[3] Europe and Canada contribute smaller numbers, with 2 in France (e.g., Collège Notre Dame d’Orveau in Nyoiseau) and 1 in Quebec (Collège Notre-Dame in Montréal).[3]| Country | Number of Institutions | Notable Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 18 | St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka[3] |
| Brazil | 3 | Colegio Santa Cruz, São Paulo[3] |
| Canada | 1 | Collège Notre-Dame, Montréal[3] |
| Chile | 2 | Saint George’s College, Santiago[3] |
| France | 2 | Collège Notre Dame d’Orveau, Nyoiseau[3] |
| Ghana | 3 | St. John’s Secondary School, Sekondi[3] |
| Haiti | 15 | Collège Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours, Cap-Haïtien[3] |
| India | 24 | Notre Dame of Holy Cross School, Salem[3] |
| Peru | 1 | Fe y Alegría 25 School, Lima[3] |
| Uganda | 2 | Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School, Jinja[3] |
| United States | 17 | Archbishop Hoban High School, Akron[3] |

