Around the world, the Congregation of Holy Cross celebrated the feast of their founder, Bl. Basil Moreau on 20 January. Rev. David T. Tyson, provincial superior of the United States Province of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers, offered the Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in honor of Blessed Moreau. At its conclusion, the Spirit of Holy Cross Award was conferred upon University of Notre Dame Director of Student Financial Strategies Joseph Russo.
Fr. Tyson emphasized how Bl. Basil-Antoine-Marie Moreau’s trust in God’s will led to the congregation’s founding and growth. Bl. Basil Moreau’s “trust in Providence, as central to our charism, has led to the emergence of a truly international religious community, of women and men that has planted its roots deep in many places of our world,” said the provincial superior.
In an interview with THE ROVER, Notre Dame History Professor Fr. Thomas Blantz, C.S.C., described the founding of the Congregation. In 1821, Bl. Basil Moreau was ordained a priest for the diocese LeMans, France. He organized a group of auxiliary priests in 1835, and they were sent “to work wherever they were needed,” said Fr. Blantz.
Fr. Moreau, after being appointed to oversee Fr. Dujarie’s Brothers of Saint Joseph, merged the brothers with his auxiliary priests to found the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1837. Fr. Moreau also invited laywomen to work in the parishes and rectories, who late become a part of the Holy Cross family as the Marianites or Sisters of Holy Cross.
“The congregation was also to model the Holy Family. The priests were to be devoted to the Sacred Heart, the Brothers to Saint Joseph, and the Sisters to the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” described Fr. Blantz.
Fr. Tyson’s homily spoke of the spirituality that Fr. Moreau handed down to his Holy Cross family. Fr. Moreau believed deeply that “Each one of us is called to live in God’s love, by actively embracing and actively sharing the salvific mysteries of God life, especially the mystery of the cross, and thus, making God known and loved and served, as essential to the charism [of Holy Cross] and to all of its ministries wherever they take place.” Fr. Tyson continued, “It fuels our very zeal to be eager ministers of the Gospel and it is the glue that seals our community.”
Speaking on the importance of Christ’s cross, Fr. Tyson exhorted the community to reflect on the cross as hope and not folly. Fr. Tyson said “Losing our lives for his sake to gain salvation is not the folly of the cross; it is the very gift of the cross. For our Blessed Founder, the cross is not the reality that we were to endure in our lives. Rather, it is a sign, an instrument to our Christian hope and the very key to our salvation.”
Fr. Tyson cited a conference in which Fr. Moreau addressed the Holy Cross community: “We must not only take up the cross; we must carry with courage. If we drag it after us, if we abandon it after having taken it up, if we trample it underfoot, it will not save us. So let us follow that path that Jesus has walked for us, and we will arrive at a happy eternity.”
In these words of Blessed Moreau, Fr. Tyson emphasized the Pauline exhortations found in Moreau’s teachings. For Bl. Basil Moreau, unity of the community was essential for their whole mission. Fr. Tyson reiterates to the Holy Cross community that “Our common life is not an end in itself. Rather, it is intimately linked to our mission as Holy cross and our zeal for our mission. Where we fail in our community life, our mission is simply rendered less.” With faith, he continued, can the greatness of the mission be achieved and a wonderful amount of good things can be accomplished.
Before the dismissal of Mass, Joseph Russo was presented with the Spirit of Holy Cross Award for his 33-years of service at the University of Notre Dame as director of student financial strategies. The Spirit of Holy Cross Award is given to a layperson who has exemplified Fr. Moreau’s vision, “to minister personally and individually” to those in need through their close relationship with the Holy Cross Community.
Russo “recognized the gift of a Notre Dame education and did everything possible so that every student had the best chance possible to get that degree.” He was presented the award by Fr. Tyson, in the presence of his family, friends, and the Notre Dame community.
Sandra Laguerta is a junior studying theology. From the support and ideas of friends, she will be embarking on a new enterprise in children’s religious toys, making collectible cards of religious orders. Gotta foster ‘em alllllll, vocations! Contact her at slaguert@nd.edu.
