Who we are

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 We are an apostolic religious family of priests and brothers bound together in one indivisible brotherhood in service to the Church and in a communal response to the Lord’s mission. 

 In the aftermath of the French Revolution, a young priest and gifted preacher — Fr. Basil Anthony Moreau — heard a summons from God to form a community of priests and brothers dedicated to the education of youth and the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nearly 200 years later and in 16 countries around the globe, Holy Cross men are sent forth to serve as educators in the faith for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

 The charism of a religious community is its particular personality within the Church — that which makes it distinctive and sets it apart from others. Who we are, what we do, and how we do it are inextricably linked to our history.

We are an apostolic Roman Catholic community of priests and brothers committed to common table, common prayer, and a common mission.

 Rev. Basil Moreau, C.S.C., founded the order in 1837, but Holy Cross’ tradition, even as it is lived today, is rooted in the congregation’s origins. To begin, Holy Cross is named for a place. The name of the order is Congregatio a Sancta Cruce (C.S.C.), literally the “Congregation of Holy Cross.” We are named for Sainte-Croix, the small French town on the outskirts of Le Mans in northwestern France, where Blessed Moreau founded us. This little-known fact is important to the identity of the congregation and our tradition. While we serve the Cross of Christ, our mission developed out of Sainte-Croix. It was a town with real people and real problems, one that needed both teachers and preachers. This rooting in a local community has shaped the mission of Holy Cross. To this day, we seek to foster deep commitments to Christ and the Church wherever or whomever we serve. We build communities in our parishes, colleges, universities, schools, and international missionary locations. 

To fill the spiritual and educational void of Post-Revolutionary France, Blessed Moreau called on the priests and brothers of Holy Cross to be “educators in the faith,” who, with a preferential option for the poor, educate both mind and heart principally in the fields of education, parish, and mission.

We draw from our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau’s trust in Divine Providence and confidence in the Cross as our only hope and zeal to make “God known, loved, and served.”

Our distinctive charism and trust in Divine Providence have guided Holy Cross members to found world-renowned institutes of Catholic higher education, parishes across the United States and Mexico, along with other important ministries on five continents. The Congregation of Holy Cross is a vibrant and committed community thriving today with Blessed Moreau’s original zeal and passion to love and serve the people of God.

We are men with hope to bring!