A Simple Instrument

Welcome!

2011-11-06T09:56:00.000-05:00

Here, you will get a glimpse into the real life of our community. From the routine task of cooking a meal to the challenges of running a university, we seek to allow God to use us as “simple instruments” in His plan of salvation. When we believe that the Lord is truly present and active in even our smallest actions, our whole day can become an offering to God.

A Difference-Maker

2011-11-06T09:49:00.002-05:00

Hasan Ali

The Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross speak about the powerful witness of men who live and work together so closely that others might look at them and remark, "See how they love one another." This sentiment is more than mere words, particularly in our Holy Cross institutions. A shining example of our value on brotherhood recently took place at our high school, Holy Cross of San Antonio. Read below how a young man found that he was more than just accepted at Holy Cross, but was made a part of our extended family.

Transfer a difference-maker at Holy Cross
Muslim senior fitting right in on football field,

with peers at local Catholic school.

Blake Hurti, Express-News

Hasan Ali arrived at Holy Cross last winter with more than just the usual new-kid-in-school apprehensions.

The predominantly Hispanic and Catholic school doesn't exactly have a bunch of African American Muslims roaming its halls.

“That made me nervous,” said Ali, a senior safety who transferred from O'Connor. “I'm probably the only one in the school who's kind of far away from the Catholic religion.”

Turns out, it's not that difficult for a Muslim kid to fit in at a Catholic school.

The Knights football team accepted Ali as one of its own. He'll lead Holy Cross into the 43rd Holy Bowl against Central Catholic on Saturday at Harlandale Memorial Stadium.

“When you come here, they always say, ‘Holy Cross is a family.' And I know every school says that,” Holy Cross coach Mike Harrison said. “But here, it's the only place I've been where it's true.”

That didn't mean there weren't a few raised eyebrows when Ali arrived. But Ali broke down any barriers last spring by giving a “reflection” speech in front of his teammates. He explained the beliefs and teachings of Islam and what his faith meant to him.

“I think pretty much everyone knew about (my faith),” Ali said. “But that opened it all up.”

He even brought his prayer mat to school to show the team.

“I don't even see Hasan as a Muslim,” cornerback John Libby said. “I just see Hasan as Hasan.”

Ali has helped correct Muslim stereotypes, while also being exposed first-hand to Catholicism. The biggest thing he's learned: The two religions' teachings really aren't that different.

“He's no different than us,” linebacker Manuel Hurtado said.

Ali attends Mass each day with his classmates and joins hands in prayer with teammates before each game.

“I do everything with them, but I'll just say my own prayer in my head,” Ali said. “I try to be respectful.”

The only real difference between Ali and the rest of the Knights will come in the offseason, when he begins his delayed observance of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month that requires Muslims to fast from food and water during daylight hours.

Ramadan took place from Aug. 1-30 this year, smack in the middle of two-a-day practices. Not being able to drink water during practice with temperatures in the 100s wouldn't have been a healthy decision, he said.

“If I fast and pass out and something happens ...” Ali said. “That's why I always do it after. And when I don't eat, I get cranky.”

That has allowed him to focus solely on football.

At O'Connor, Ali started at safety as a sophomore before emerging as a running back his junior year. He broke out with a 46-carry, 331-yard and six-touchdown game against Holmes that year.

Holy Cross moved him back to safety and has used him as an effective goal-line back (nine TDs on 26 carries). He has transformed the Knights' defense, which has four shutouts this season.

Ali has a team-high 71 tackles (seven for loss), a sack, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (one for a TD) and an interception. He has received interest from Kent State and North Texas and an offer from Division II Merrimack.

“He brings what I call a little bit of the (Class) 5A mentality,” Harrison said. “We built our entire defensive scheme around him.”

Even in last week's 20-12 loss to Antonian, Ali had the game's highlight play, coming untouched on a safety blitz and landing a crushing sack.

That loss humbled Holy Cross (7-2, 4-1 TAPPS 2-I), which was riding high after an upset of three-time defending district champion Austin St. Michael's.

This week is the perfect opportunity for the Knights to bounce back. Ali is prepping for his first and only Holy Bowl experience.

“I've heard how big it is and how important it is,” Ali said. “But I really have no idea.”

He got a taste of the rivalry when he got lost while trying to find his doctor's office earlier this year. He pulled over and asked another doctor for directions.

“This doctor said, ‘I can't believe I just helped you. You go to Cross. I'm from Central,'” Ali said. “Then he shook my hand, but it freaked me out.”

That had nothing to do with his skin color or religious beliefs. It had everything to do with the “HC” on his shirt.

Some differences can never completely be overcome.

Social Justice -- Food Security

2011-11-01T11:39:00.001-04:00

Bro. David Andrews, CSC, of Food & Water Watch in Washington, DC reports on his recent participation in an international meeting in Rome, Italy, on food security issues. Continue reading to find out what happens when nongovernmental and grassroots organization challenge the staus quo on behalf of those who do not have a voice in our world . . .

Global Governance of Food Security
By David Andrews

The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) met in Rome from Oct. 17-22 at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. One hundred and twenty countries of the world belong to the FAO. This was the 37th annual meeting of the committee.

It was the first time that civil society (nongovernmental organizations and grassroots organizations) had a voice at the meeting. I went on behalf of Food & Water Watch and as a member of the Food Sovereignty Alliance of the United States. Civil society members like myself couldn't vote, but we could speak through our civil society representation.

CFS is billed as the foremost inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all stakeholders to work together to ensure food security and nutrition for all. It aspires to be a forum for global food governance. It is the arena for setting food policy for the world.

During this 37th session, the committee tackled important food security issues, including food price volatility, investment in smallholder agriculture and gender, food security and nutrition, though not always adequately. Early every morning, those of us participating in the civil society sector met to hash out strategy plans and a division of labor in preparation for the thematic round tables and more comprehensive plenary sessions each day.

In an earlier report on land grabs, I wrote about how suspicious civil society was at the leadership of the United States government on the land investment discussions that took place the week before the Committee on Food Security.

By Oct. 17, the day I arrived, those discussions had been conducted in part. Civil society members expressed to me that they were happy with the manner in which the United States conducted the discussions on land investments and expressed the hope that the United States would continue to lead that committee and would keep the positions already arrived at through the negotiations. The U.S. government had successfully removed the suspicions of civil society and showed civil society that it could be an honest broker.

I was able to deliver that message directly to U.S. Ambassador Ertharin Cousin and much of her staff. At the FAO, a small civil society delegation from the United States met with the ambassador and 21 people on her staff to talk about the policy of the United States relative to food security concerns. We had a very thorough conversation. I was able to deliver the message that civil society wanted the United States to continue its leadership of the negotiations on land investment. Ambassador Cousin told us that the United States would likely continue in that role.

In addition to meeting with the ambassador to FAO from the United States, I took the occasion of being in Rome to meet as well with embassy staff from the United States Embassy to the Vatican.
Kim Penland is the political and economic chief of the embassy. Ambassador Miguel Diaz was traveling. Kim and I talked about the past advocacy of the U.S. Embassy under Ambassador Nicholson on genetically engineered seeds. I questioned whether that agenda would continue to be brought to the Vatican from the United States.

Ms. Penland thought that the policy focus would be food security, and so we discussed the meetings going on at FAO and other discussions taking place in the United States about the food security policies being developed under the state department's program called "Feed the Future." I indicated how the United States' food security agenda was being hampered by the current economic crisis and the political changes that took place in the last election. The changes in the politics of Washington have altered the prior direction of the administration so that it is now more corporate friendly than it appeared to be previously.

Civil society walked out of the Committee on Food Security before the conclusion of the meetings on Oct. 22. The facilitator of the plenary meeting began in an increasingly dictatorial fashion to ignore the hands that were raised by civil society, to ignore their interventions on serious issues and their right to be heard. More glaringly than at any previous time, efficiency and the quest to conclude business rendered the newly empowered civil society powerless. So they chose to exercise the only power they had, which was to walk out of the Committee on Food Security meeting and to issue a public protest over the way they were treated.

You can read more of Bro. David's contributions by going to his blog on the National Catholic Reporter's website, http://ncronline.org/blog/8784.

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Halloween Fun!

2011-11-01T11:16:00.001-04:00

Demons waiting to scare community members who came into the kitchen Halloween night!

The Holy Cross community at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, NY let out their "inner child" on Halloween and had some fun carving pumpkins. Bro. Roger carefully cleaned all of the seeds which we roasted afterwards. See some of the creepy creativity below!

The "Operating Room!"

Bro. James K, our "Artist in Residence"

"No guts, no glory"

Setting the design

Some snacks for after all of that hard work

Bro. James K's pumpkin

Bro. Roger's pumpkin

Bro. Mark's pumpkin

Bro. James R's pumpkin

Fr. Walter's pumpkin

Fr. Walter shows us his creation. I think he's pleased!

"Exuding the Brotherhood of Man"

2011-10-30T09:09:00.006-04:00

St. Joseph Center on Rt. 9 in Valatie, NY

The following story was written by Mr. James Breig of The Record in Troy, NY. Mr. Breig captures well the unique ministry and community at the St. Joseph Center in Valatie, NY.

On a recent chilly morning, members of the Congregation of Holy Cross who live at St. Joseph Center in Valatie gathered in the chapel to honor one of their own: St. Andre Bessette. Canonized by Pope Benedict XVI last October, he became the congregation’s first saint.

St. Andre, a Canadian brother who died in 1937, was renowned for his humility and devotion to St. Joseph, so it was appropriate that the residents of the center named in the latter saint’s honor recently marked St. Andre’s feast day with prayers and reflections. As might be expected, statues and photos of the new saint are dotted throughout the facility.

People who drive south along Route 9, perhaps headed for Kinderhook or the Golden Harvest roadside farm stand, pass alongside the sprawling acres of St. Joseph Center, which is located off Maple Lane. As its website notes, the “property was given to the Congregation of Holy Cross by Mrs. M. Brady Farrell. It consisted of a house and 170 acres [since expanded to 400]. Brothers stayed in the house and farmed the land. The first Mass was celebrated on the property in 1935.”The real purpose of the facility was not to grow crops, but to train men to become members of the order, which is renowned for teaching in Catholic schools throughout the U.S. In 1972, the novitiate was changed into a spiritual life center to meet the needs of Catholics looking for a place of retreat.
Today, the site has undergone another rebirth: as a retirement and nursing home for some of the same men who trained there decades ago. Brother Edward Boyer, a native of Cohoes and long-time teacher, has been in charge of the facility and its 30-some residents for the past five years.

While a few of the brothers still minister in the area (one is a counselor in Catskill; another, a chaplain at Albany Medical Center), most are retired. “The men we serve have to be ambulatory with a walker,” Brother Edward explained. “Beyond that, they go to a nursing home in the area or to the infirmary at the University of Notre Dame.”

Notre Dame, a Holy Cross institution, is so beloved, he said, that the residents crowd to TV sets at St. Joseph whenever the Fighting Irish play football. Another popular program is the nightly news.

“News at 6:30 p.m. is sacred time,” Brother Edward noted. “We also get several newspapers. Some brothers get up at 3:30 a.m. They get coffee and wait for the papers to be delivered.”

The brothers also occupy themselves with putting together jigsaw puzzles, reading, going on field trips, exercising, and, of course, praying and attending Mass.

Neighbors often join them. “People come to Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass,” Brother Edward noted. “A few come during the week. We also offer space for retreats and conferences, providing the rooms and board, but the people bring their own retreat-master.”

To care for the residents, St. Joseph Center has a staff of 17 lay workers: nurses, nursing aides, housekeepers, grounds crew and an activity director, Linda Hollenbeck.

“I organize activities for the brothers,” she said. “I glean what we’ll do from all sorts of possibilities, like Bingo, going to the movies or a museum, or even having a ‘spa day,’ when they get their hair cut.”

One brother is in charge of the library and has organized about 1,300 books and DVDs, and 400 CDs. They come from donations. If duplicates are received, the librarian sends them to the missions in Africa.

The archivist for the province is a resident, Brother Robert Gilroy, who oversees scores of boxes that contain letters, photos, and confidential files kept under lock and key. He is still puzzling over a block of wood with an early religious leader’s name etched on a brass plaque.

Brother Edward, who attended St. Joseph’s School in Cohoes and Vincentian Institute in Albany, went to Notre Dame for his BA and to VanderCook College in Chicago for a master’s degree in music. He also took some post-graduate courses at The University at Albany.

For years a band and choral director in schools around the country, he also served as principal at a Holy Cross-run school in Rochester. “My favorite place is the classroom,” he said, a location where he has also taught French and religious studies.

Nevertheless, when asked by his superior to take over the administration of St. Joseph Center, he acceded.


Bro. Edward Boyer, CSC (left) with Bro. Robert Gilroy, CSC (right)

Reflecting on his religious vocation, Brother Edward said, “I wanted to be an educator, even in grade school. When I was a sophomore at Vincentian, I got to know the brothers at Christian Brothers Academy, where my brother went.”

Inspired by both the Holy Cross brothers at VI and the Christian brothers at CBA, he chose the former and, he noted, “entered the congregation the Sunday after I graduated from high school,” an event that occurred more than half-a-century ago.

“I feel fortunate to be a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. It put me in touch with some very impressive men and wonderful faculties – men and women, lay and religious. I also got to know the energy, zest and basic goodness of adolescents.”

His first assignment was to Holy Cross High School in Queens, where he is now in the Hall of Fame for his contributions to the students. There, he said, “I was totally surprised by the kids. They had deep-seated values and concern for each other. It was a joy to walk in the classroom every day of my life.”

Now, he continued, “I’m here with some of my teachers. I see my ministry at St. Joseph as payback to the men whose experiences led me to Holy Cross.”

For more information, go to www.stjosephcentervalatie.org or call 784-9481.

Bro. John R. Paige, CSC, PhD, Inaugurated as President

2011-10-30T08:32:00.003-04:00

Bro. John Paige, CSC (my former principal and novice director) was installed as the fourth President of Holy Cross College at Notre Dame, Indiana. Read the following story from the Holy Cross College website and listen to Bro. John invoke the blessing of our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC, on the College and himself as he begins his ministry of leadership.

Introducing Brother John Paige CSC

Since July 2004, Brother Paige has been serving a six-year term as Vicar General of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Rome. In his elected position, Brother Paige resides at the Casa Generalizia di Santa Croce in Rome, Italy. As Vicar and First General Assistant of the Congregation of Holy Cross, he directs and supervises the mission and ministry of the Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers worldwide. He will leave this post to take the helm at the college, assuming the Presidency in January 2011.

According to the Chairman of the Holy Cross College Board of Trustees, Jerry Love, C.P.A., C.F.P., “Few individuals could be as well prepared to lead our college. His experience has covered nearly every aspect of college life.”

Brother Paige has had a long and highly accomplished career in education as a teacher, coach, athletic director, academic dean, principal, board member, president/CEO, and college professor, and is frequently involved as a workshop facilitator, speaker, and consultant on religious, educational, and school governance and accreditation issues. He has also served the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States as Master of Novices.

Brother Paige, a native of Albany, New York and a member of the Eastern Province of Brothers, earned the Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Notre Dame, a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, a degree in Applied Theology from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, and was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Maryland at College Park.

In his Doctoral work, Brother Paige’s dissertation research focused on educational institutional development in Uganda, East Africa, where he served as Visiting Professor of Social Science at the Philosophy Centre, Jinja, and Adjunct Professor on the Faculty of Education at Makerere University. He also wrote a book about the experiences of the Congregation of Holy Cross educators during Uganda’s brutal civil war: Preserving Order Amid Chaos: The Survival of Schools in Uganda, 1971-1986 (Berghahn Books: July 2000).

From 1999 to 2004, Brother Paige served at St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas, as Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Education, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL), the Board of Trustees of Stonehill College (Massachusetts), the Board of Governors of the Holy Cross Institute, a Commissioner-at-Large and President of the Texas Catholic Conference School Accreditation Commission, and as a Regional Associate of the National Catholic Educational Association Secondary Schools Department.

“We feel that Holy Cross College has been truly blessed to find a new president of the caliber and experience of Brother John Paige. He comes to us at a time of growth and progress on many fronts as well as many new challenges. We hope the entire community will join us in welcoming him and helping him continue to build a nationally respected Catholic liberal arts college here in Michiana,” Jerry Love stated.

The "Year of the Brother" Begins!

2011-10-17T06:59:00.002-04:00

In honor of the first anniversary of the canonization of Bro. André, the Congregation of Holy Cross will observe a special "Year of the Brother" to celebrate and promote the vocation to religious brotherhood in the Church.

Bro. Joel Giallanza, CSC, explains the theme of this year, "Lives Given to God, Love Given to All." . . .

On October 17, 2010, the Congregation of Holy Cross gathered to celebrate the canonization of Brother André Bessette, C.S.C., by Pope Benedict XVI. Commencing on the first anniversary of St. André’s canonization, Holy Cross invites all people to celebrate both the Congregation’s first saint and the Year of the Brother.

Mandated by the 2010 Holy Cross General Chapter, the Year of the Brother honors the brother’s vocation and the important ministry of service and compassion to the Church and the world by the brothers. It is also recognition of the important work still to be done, an invitation to others to consider offering their lives in service as a brother and an opportunity for the faithful to pray for vocations to Holy Cross.

In their religious consecration, brothers give their lives over to the Lord in service to all of God’s people. During the Year of the Brother, let us give thanks for their service, compassion, and the prayer they share with the world and with one another in community.

Brothers are called by God, committed to a life consecrated to God, characterized by public profession of vows – chastity, poverty, obedience. While this description provides basic information, the vocation of Brothers is best understood through the witness of their lives and ministry.

The very word “Brothers” indicates men who are in relationships. This is key for the Brothers’ way of life: in response to God’s call and as a means of continuing the mission of Jesus, they build relationships reflecting God’s transforming presence and activity in the world.

Lives Given to God

Brothers are in relationship with God; they are Brothers of the Lord! This relationship marks who Brothers are and what they hope to accomplish in the world today. Their identity and ministry are rooted in God and proclaim that God is at work in this world, that God has not abandoned humanity, regardless of global events that suggest the contrary. Brothers live and minister by faith, convinced of God’s concern for all people. We in Holy Cross see ourselves as “… instruments of God’s redeeming presence in the world.” Brothers are such instruments precisely because they are Brothers of the Lord.

Love Given to All

Brothers are in relationship with others; they are Brothers to all! This relationship enables Brothers to be a model and a means for unity among others. In a world that sees distinctions and creates divisions, Brothers demonstrate that it is possible for people of different perspectives and politics, languages and lifestyles, cultures and colors to live and work together. Brothers live and minister by love, convinced of the goodness of humanity. They are teachers and administrators in schools and colleges, pastoral ministers in parishes, or counselors, social workers and directors in agencies and clinics that serve those whose needs are greatest. We in Holy Cross seek “to conform our lives to that of Jesus in order to live as he did: a life of love in today’s world.” Brothers give witness to this conformity and so invite others to live as Jesus did.

Brothers are in relationship with the members of their community; they are Brothers with one another! This relationship engages Brothers in“interdependence,” supporting one another in community, contributing to and drawing strength from community. This also shapes Brothers’ presence and activity in ministry, reflecting the fundamental unity among all people as created in God’s image and likeness. Brothers live and minister by hope, convinced of the permanence and power of that image and likeness. We in Holy Cross recognize “a profound spiritual hunger in our cultures.” Brothers respond to that hunger by being men with hope to bring.

Brothers of Holy Cross

The Brothers of Holy Cross trace their roots to early 19th-century France and to Father Jacques Dujarié, a priest of the Diocese of Le Mans, who founded the Brothers of Saint Joseph in 1820. They served in schools and parishes, working to rebuild society in the wake of the French Revolution. Fifteen years later, under the leadership of Blessed Basile Moreau, also a priest of Le Mans, they evolved into the Brothers of Holy Cross and continued to serve in educational, parochial, and pastoral ministries. From simple beginnings in France, the Brothers of Holy Cross now serve in sixteen countries on five continents, and with the priests of Holy Cross form the Congregation of Holy Cross. By their commitment, courage, and conviction, Brothers strive to exemplify this motto: Lives given to God, Love given to all.

Going Strong!

2011-07-13T07:05:00.000-04:00

Meet Bro. Donard Steffes, CSC, a Holy Cross Brother!

Bro. Donard is not just an ordinary individual. He is 96 years old and still as energetic as a 21-year-old young man.

Bro. Donard has been a Holy Cross educator all his life, traveling around the world to educate hearts and minds. Currently, he is at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, where he continues his ministry and hobbies.

He is also an athlete, an artist, an amateur ham radio operator, a volunteer for the Red Cross and a man of many talents, which he honed as a Holy Cross Brother.

He is not "just" a Brother. He is a Holy Cross Brother!

This is a short video of his story.

Respond to the call.
Spread your wings. Anchor your soul.

Directed, Photographed and Edited by Bro. Nich Perez, CSC.
All Rights Reserved. Holy Cross Brothers 2011.
HolyCrossBrothers.org

Brother Donard Steffes - Not Just A Brother. from Nich Perez CSC on Vimeo.

CAMPing with the Brothers

2011-07-12T20:59:00.004-04:00

The Brothers of Holy Cross recently hosted for dinner this wonderful group of young women and men from the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, an important part of the St. Edward's University mission is providing an academically rigorous education to a culturally, economically and religiously diverse student body. First offered in 1972, CAMP at St. Edward's is the longest continuously running migrant education program in the nation and has served more than 2,200 migrant students. In addition to the Star Award, the University's program has been honored by the U.S. Department of Education as a national model and has been recognized by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as a national model for multicultural teaching and learning. CAMP has made national headlines -- the program was featured in a segment on ABC World News by former migrant worker and journalist John Quiñones.

Join us in praying for these new students as they begin one of the most exciting times of their lives. May God bless them and their families.

Bringing HOPE to New Orleans

2011-07-02T07:38:00.001-04:00

Watch Bro. Nich's newest video as he documents how Holy Cross students from around the United States gathered in New Olreans to bring HOPE to those in need. It was truly a life-changing experience. Join us in our work -- is God calling you to become a brother, priest, or sister in Holy Cross?

2011 Holy Cross Immersion: New Orleans from Nich Perez CSC on Vimeo.

Holy Cross Values at St. Edward's University

2011-05-26T13:40:00.003-04:00

Read "University Reaffirms Holy Cross Values," where Bro. Larry Atkinson, CSC describes how St. Edward's University in Austin, TX continues to incorporate its Holy Cross heritage into the life of the campus. Bro. Larry serves there as a member of the Campus Ministry team along with Fr. Rick Wilkinson, CSC, a Holy Cross priest. (Hint: Click on the button in the upper right corner to read the newspaper full screen.)

"A One-Man Show"

2011-05-02T16:35:00.008-04:00

Bro. Carl Tiedt, CSC, a brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross, shares a bit of his life story with us. Read this fascinating account of how he became both a teacher and an artist . . .


Farmers Threshing Wheat

Bro. Carl Tiedt, CSC was inspired to become a Brother of Holy Cross by the example of his two aunts: Sister Jovita Skalitzky and Sister Grace Ann Skalitzky of the Congregation of School Sisters of Notre Dame to “follow Jesus Christ in Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.” He was born on a farm of forty acres in the township of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. His most masculine accomplishment before he came to religious life was going threshing with the farmers of his neighborhood and working along side with them.


Postulate, Watertown, Wisconsin

               In September 1945, Bro. Carl entered the Postulancy (Candidate Program) at Sacred Heart College, Watertown, Wisconsin and was completely satisfied with the visual and spiritual aspects of the Brothers of Holy Cross. Time went rapidly on, and by February 1945, he was accepted as a novice.

               His novitiate year was a happy, spiritual year. He began his college at the University of Notre Dame in the Spring of 1946 with a course of Physical Science. The degree was earned by the end of the Summer of 1949. Bro. Carl was assigned to teach at Notre Dame High School in Biloxi, Mississippi in the Fall of that same year. There, he taught all of the Science and Math classes and one Religion class. He was also the yearbook advisor for all four years that he taught in this Gulf Coast city.

               Bro. Carl's next assignment was to teach at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Indiana. He was also allowed to teach an art class with the other classes. In the summer of 1965, he opened a letter at the roadside in Sun Prairie and was surprised to read, “Assigned to Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, California." Bro. Carl was happy to teach Mechanical Drawing and one Art class. One can perceive that he was very interested in Fine Art, and relished even building cabinets for the Art Room.

               In Sun Prairie at Sacred Heart Church, the Pastor, Rev. Herbert Waldkirk, was completing the building of a new grade school. Bro. Carl was invited to display his paintings at the dedication. As a result, he was also asked to design a new statue for the front of the new school entrance. Bro. Carl conceived a statue with the Mother of God as the central figure and Jesus as a boy on the left. Both Mother and Child had reliefs of Sacred Hearts on their breasts, and a school girl is standing on the opposite side of Mary. The boy Jesus holds a bird in both of his hands, and the girl holds books in her left arm and a bouquet of dandelions in her right hand. Both of the children are about 11 years old and are the same height. The drawings were done in projected views and sent to Italy where the sculptures were crafted in white Carrara marble and then brought by boat down the St. Lawrence River to Milwaukee and by truck to Sun Prairie. Hugo A. Tiedt, Bro. Carl’s father, was making ample money as head mechanic at Oscar Meyer Meat Plant in Madison, Wisconsin, and was happy to pay for the sculpture and pedestal that stand over eight feet tall in front of the school.

               Then, in the Fall of 1946, Bro. Carl was assigned to teach at St. Anthony High School, Long Beach, California. He taught there for two years, and then received an unusual permission to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art at San Fernando Valley State College. He completed the degree in 1970 and in the Fall of that year was assigned to teach at St. Francis High School, Mountain View, California. He relished the position that he was given: Head of the Fine and Practical Arts Department. He remained at this school for five years, and earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, studying during the summer months. In the Summer of 1976, he traveled in Europe on a 25th Jubilee trip. He also traveled on Jubilee trips in Europe on his 40th and 50th Jubilees. On account of his art education, he visited many of the major art museums of Europe.

Next, Bro. Carl applied to the University of Notre Dame for admission for the Master of Fine Arts,, and was accepted. He worked at Notre Dame in the Mestrovic Studio using the pulleys on the ceiling for his work entitled “Coral Sea,” a sculpture made of cast polyester resin.


Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC and Ivan Mestrovic, Artist

               In 1980, he was assigned to teach at Holy Cross High School, San Antonio, Texas, where he taught Art and Math classes.

              Then, in 1985, Bro. Carl was assigned to be housekeeper and Artist in Residence at St. Joseph Farm, Granger Indiana. The old milk house became his studio because it was heated and was supplied with running water. Brother Carl now worked on a number of cast resin works until he could go to Chicago and seek out a gallery that would give him a "One-Man Show." The Joy Horwich Gallery on Ontario Street opposite the Modern Art Museum gave him a show in the Spring of 1990. Only one sculpture sold, but it was a satisfaction to Bro. Carl. The "Coral Sea" was also shown in a exhibit in the Elkhart Museum.

               The St. Joseph Farm was closing in the Summer of 1995, and Mrs. Lillian Tiedt, now a widow, had a stroke, so Brother received permission to take care of her. He still continued to make cast resin sculptures and to exhibit at the Basedow Gallery in Stoughton, Wisconsin. His mother, who worked as an account all her life, lived until she was almost 102 years old.

               Then Bro. Carl returned to the community house, St. Joseph Hall, on the campus of St. Edward’s Universty, Austin, Texas, where he was able to continue to make art work in a separate room from his bedroom. During this time, one of his works, “Exaltation," was accepted by the Provincial, Bro. Richard Critz, to adorn the atrium at the Provincial House.

In 2006, Bro. Carl started to have congestion in his chest due to the toxicity of the polyester resin that he was using. Then, the macular degeneration of his eyes became severe and he moved to Bro. Vincent Pieau Residence. Here, with the help of special glasses and bright light, he still continues to make craft work for the curio shop, “The Lucky Lizard,” on 6th Street in Austin.

100 Years of Service!

2011-04-26T08:45:00.003-04:00

Brothers Joseph McDonnell, CSC and James Kane, CSC celebrate their 50th Jubilees as Brothers of Holy Cross this year. That makes for a combined total of 100 years of service to God's people. Bro. Joe and Bro. James renewed their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience at the St. Joseph Day liturgy at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, NY where they both live and work. Over 850 young men witnessed this awesome event. Watch below.

Educators in the Faith

2011-04-01T20:22:00.001-04:00

Holy Cross Brothers are members of an apostolic religious community. As such, we devote our lives to the service of others, especially in the area of Catholic education. Recently, three brothers were honored by St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas -- a ministry of the Congregation of Holy Cross -- for their many years of service to the University and its students.

Pictured below are Bro. Larry Atkinson, CSC with Dr. George Martin, President of St. Ed's. Bro. Larry was recognized for 10 years of working as a Career Counselor and Campus Minister. In addition, Bro. John Perron, CSC was awarded a certificate for 40 years of service as an Associate Professor of English, and Bro. Edwin Reggio, CSC for 35 years as Administrative Program Coordinator for Auxiliary Services. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Bro. Larry Atkinson, CSC with Dr. George Martin

Bro. John Perron, CSC

Bro. Edwin Reggio, CSC

Travels in Africa, Part 2

2011-02-28T05:03:00.001-05:00

Bros. Bill and Donald have almost completed their journey to East Africa. Bro. Bill sent this posting. For more information on our school, St. Joseph Hill in Western Uganda, watch the following video!

We finally have time to do a posting. After a short drive from Kampala to Jinja, Uganda and settling into Dujarie House, we had the opportunity to visit Holy Cross Lakeview Senior Secondary School. It is a school that is a District ministry and its high academic standards have resulted in it recently being ranked 58th in the country. That evening, we were welcomed at the candidate house which included some speeches interspersed with music, entertainment and supper.

The next day, we were able to celebrate Mass in the morning with the Holy Cross Sisters, visit the property on the Nile River, Bugembe Parish, and the Philosophy Center of Jinja where the Holy Cross candidates attend school for degrees in Philosophy or Social Sciences. Bro. Alan Harrod gave us a tour of the town of Jinja which has retained its small town nature. Throughout our time in Jinja we had a number of interviews with Holy Cross religious. We finished our time in Jinja with supper and a meeting with the 34 candidates where Bro. Donald and I gave a short presentation and then answered a number of questions. It was quite impressive to see the growth of Holy Cross in Bugembe. The parish continues to grow and Holy Cross Lakeview is expanding. The candidate program is most effective. It was clear from interviews and conversations with the candidates that they are having a good introduction to religious life, are gaining insight about themselves, and are being mentored well in discerning their vocation.

The next part was driving with Alan Harrod to the western side of Uganda to Fort Portal. The trip took about seven hours to reach the Novitiate at Lake Saaka, Fort Portal. The novitiate was quite quiet; mostly because the novices were not there! The 14 novices were away for a pastoral experience and were scattered throughout the three countries of the District (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania). We have been meeting them throughout our travels. The next day we drove for about an hour to Kyarusozi Parish. Like Jinja, it is a mixture of a parish and schools and of Holy Cross brothers, sisters and priests. The brothers are involved in teaching at St. Joseph Hill Secondary School and administering a technical school. The sisters are involved in health care and teaching in a primary school. St. Joseph Hill is expanding with more dormitories and the technical school hopes to become accredited with the government. In addition to all of this, the District owns acres of farmland.

Currently, we are overnight at Queen Elizabeth Park with Bro. Alan Harrod and the District Superior, Fr. James Burasa on our way back to Kampala, then Nairobi and the back to the US.

As we’ve said several times, the District is growing in personnel and ministry. It continues to be a good example of our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, to have brothers and priests living and ministering together and it broadens the internationality of Holy Cross in meeting the needs of the church.

Tubasanyukidde! Welcome to East Africa!

2011-02-19T09:02:00.001-05:00

Brothers Bill Zaydak and Donald Blauvelt, Provincials of the Eastern and South-West Brothers Provinces, are currently traveling in East Africa visiting the Holy Cross members and their ministries. Holy Cross began working in East Africa in 1958 and currently serves in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The mission to Rwanda was discontinued after the genocide in 1994. Bro. Bill returns to the District after serving there for 10 years. I invite you to watch a video of Holy Cross' early years in East Africa, then read Bro. Bill's posting below.

The trip has gone extremely well so far. Donald and I met up at Heathrow and arrived on time in Nairobi late at night. The next day we started our visit of the District of East Africa with a busy day of going to Dandora Parish for Sunday liturgy. As always the church was packed, the music was lively, and everyone welcomed us.

We did a quick tour of Nairobi by car and saw the massive roadwork being done which is related to the demolition the formation residence. That evening there was a regional meeting of Holy Cross members which we attended. Because all the meeting rooms were being used at the parish, it took place at the parish residence. Towards the end of the meeting, it started raining which was considered a blessing since it had been so dry. But the rain caused some sort of problem and the electricity went off, so the social time and dinner was by candlelight. For the next few days we had interviews and visited the colleges in the area. The rain was off and on for three days, and caused problems with the electricity in that part of Nairobi also. The formation staff of Fr. Patrick Neary, Br. John Flood and Fr. Pascal Mugabe started in July 2010. They no sooner settled in along with the young professed when they received news that the formation house was on property needed to build a road. Fortunately, the Consolata Fathers had enough rooms that Holy Cross was able to rent. In spite of all the tension, and the time and energy involved in moving, the formation community is doing quite well. It was most impressive in talking with the young men about their lives as Holy Cross religious and hearing of their hopes for the future of Holy Cross in East Africa.

We flew from Nairobi to Kampala, Uganda, and are staying here for two days for interviews and tours of Kampala. The community here has been most gracious in hosting us. It has been interesting to be here at the time of national elections. The current president, Yoweri Museveni, is expected to be re-elected and much of the news has been about the election process and the hope for a fair election.

For me (Bro. Bill) it has been a great experience of reconnecting with Holy Cross. It was a bit strange staying at the ‘new’ formation house in Nairobi. With all the furniture moved from the other house, it’s familiar but then not. What adds to it is that parts of the old house are piled on the property: doors, screening, windows, roof material, sinks, toilets and even the drawers for the kitchen cabinets. All of it salvaged and stored to be sold to recoup some of the cost.

Donald is doing quite well. He sees this as a journey of discovery since he has never had the chance to be in East Africa before. The most disorientating is driving on the other side of the road. Wisely, Donald has mostly sat in the back seat of the car. The weather, food, and accommodations have been wonderful.

Tomorrow we will head to Jinja, Uganda, traveling there by car. We’ll be spending a few days there to visit the Candidate Formation House, Lakeview High School, Holy Cross Parish and all the CSC’s in the area. More to come…

We Are Family - Nós Somos uma Família - Nous Sommes une Famille

2011-02-08T15:16:00.005-05:00

We asked how we might follow, and we found many footprints on the road. A great band of men had passed this way, men who had made and lived by their vows, men who had walked side by side in their following of the Lord. They beckoned us to fall in step with them. We wanted to be part of the family they formed in order to share in their life and work. This family is the Congregation of Holy Cross, founded by Basil Anthony Moreau.

~ Holy Cross Constitution, "God's Call"

The family of Holy Cross extends beyond the bonds of its vowed members. An important part of our family are the students in the many schools we conduct throughout the world. There is no better example of this than at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. St. Edward's is the second oldest university founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States. It shares the same founder as the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Edward Sorin, CSC.

Unique to St. Ed's is the large concentration -- almost 70 strong! -- of students from Holy Cross secondary schools around the world. Pictured here are but a few of the students who gather a couple of times throughout the year to share prayer and a meal with the Holy Cross brothers and priests, much as any family might do in their own home -- because these students are at home here! They represent Holy Cross from France, Brazil, and many cities in the United States including West Haven, CT, Akron, OH, Sherman Oaks, CA, Flushing, NY, and San Antonio, TX.

For more information on St. Edward's University, visit www.stedwards.edu/ministry/ministry.htm
or visit them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=264116&id=120182718014#!/pages/St-Edwards-University-Campus-Ministry/120182718014

Not Your Usual Bacon and Eggs

2011-02-07T11:48:00.006-05:00

Bro. Mark and his five younger sisters

Bro. Mark Knightly, CSC of Queens, New York shares an interesting experience after his younger sister "volunteered" him to speak at her unique workplace . . .

On February 3, the National Prayer Breakfast occurred in government agencies and other businesses all across the country. While President Obama spoke downtown in Washington, DC, I was asked to co-lead the annual event for participants from the Centers for Maritime Intelligence in Suitland, Maryland.

The agency, housed in a modern hyper-security building, comprises three services: Naval Intelligence Command (ONI), Marine Intelligence Agency, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). My sister, who has worked in the Department of Defense for almost 30 years -- after her stint in the Department of Justice -- volunteered me for the occasion. Several months prior to the event, I had to send in a complete CV and my social security number, and answer follow-up questions by email. On the morning of, showing my picture ID, I was escorted by my sister through two guard stations just to get to the parking lot. Inside the front door, I signed papers, was "badged," put my badge on a screen, waited for the green light, entered my social security number, and passed through a metal detector before being allowed to accompany my sister down the hall to her office. When we got to her office door, she had to do the badge-light-numbers thing again, before signing a log and then addressing a large combination lock mounted on her door while I stood at a respectful distance ("Otherwise I would have to shoot you," she said kindly). Although I was not surprised to find no windows in her office, I was shocked to realize she worked in a vault! Seeing the respect she received from others was an odd feeling for me; I remember times when we engaged in healthy fights over the phonograph and bathroom rights.

I gave the main invocation and opened the Prayer Breakfast, and the Chaplain of the Navy (a Catholic priest in full unifom), began his homily with "I remember the first time I was about to go into battle..."

None of this was strange, because I was brought up in an unusual environment. My dad was a Navy Chief, who followed his career by working in Naval Intelligence Command interpreting surveillance photos. My mom was a secretary at the Department of Justice, and after we children were grown, she worked at the Bureau of the Census. My sister followed my dad into intelligence work, mainly in undersea warfare, and another sister (who half-jokingly calls the rest of the family "war mongers") works for the EPA. I have a number of relatives who work in other intelligence agencies: my aunt was a CIA operative in Switzerland for many years, and her daughter (my cousin Kathy) is still at the CIA. My nephew Joey works for the National Security Agency (NSA). Growing up in my DC-based family, I got all my medical care at Andrews Air Force Base, shopped at the "BX" and commissary, and the first time I went to a "civilian" movie I was in high school. When the lights dimmed, I stood up, expecting the national anthem, and my embarrassed high school friends had to pull me back down. While we had a local parish in Southern Maryland, I mostly went to Mass and confession at Chapel 1 or Chapel 3 on base. These were chapels which could be adapted for Jewish, Protestant, Catholic or Islamic services by sliding the paneling aside to reveal statues, a cross, a crucifix, a Star of David, or just a plain velvet background. We had altar girls and Mass facing the congregation long before such changes could be seen off-base.

I feel privileged to have had this unusual history, and to have seen close-up the values and great dedication of citizens who work for the people of the United States.

A Band of Brothers

2010-11-18T14:26:00.017-05:00

Bro. George and a student from a local school.

Read this wonderful reflection given by Bro. George Schmitz, CSC, a member of the Holy Cross community at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Bro. George, Director of Afterschool Partnerships at the college, serves on the General Administration of the Congregation of Holy Cross. His past ministries have included mission work in Chile, formation, teaching, and leadership. Who has been "brother" to you in your life?

Remarks by Brother George C. Schmitz, CSC
Mass in Honor of the Canonization of Saint Andre Bessette, CSC
King’s College
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Bishop Bambera, on behalf of the King’s College community, and especially on behalf of the Congregation of Holy Cross at King’s, I extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you for being with us this afternoon to celebrate this Eucharistic Liturgy in honor of the canonization of the first member of our Congregation. Saint Andre had great devotion to and a deep spiritual relationship with your patron, Saint Joseph. In his ministry, Saint Andre always advised those who came seeking his help to “Go to Joseph.” I can imagine that in the past 5 months as you have begun your new ministry as our Bishop, you have sought the intercession of your patron any number of times. So, one of our gifts to you today is our brother, Saint Andre. May he be an advocate whom you might call on when St. Joseph doesn’t seem to be listening or is just taking too long to respond. Please know that as a backup you can now “Go to Andre.”

Today, King’s College joins with many Holy Cross-sponsored institutions throughout the world that have gathered with rejoicing and gratitude to celebrate the canonization of someone whom we have come to know as:

• The devoted and special friend of Saint Joseph

• The Healer

• The Miracle Worker of Montreal

• Saint Andre Bessette

For his part, Alfred Bessette sought none of these titles. But he did seek one title, that of Brother Andre, religious brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross. That was the title and the name given to Alfred Bessette when he entered the Congregation as a novice in 1870 at the age of 25. That was the title he bore though 66 years of active ministry of care and compassion, up to the day of his death on January 6, 1937 at the age of 91. “Brother” is the title that speaks to us of his relationships – first and foremost, his relationship with Jesus Christ; then his relationship with the men and women who sought his guidance; and especially his relationship with the poor and the suffering. He was truly their brother.

To better understand the vocation of a religious brother, and to appreciate a brother’s ministerial call to further the Kingdom of God here on earth, consider with me for a few moments how we use the term ‘brother’ to express our most urgent human needs and the deepest longings of our hearts.

Peruse an American History book, and, in the chapters about the Great Depression, you will surely find a photo or a drawing of a disheartened, disheveled man standing with an outstretched hand. Underneath the picture, there will be a classic caption that sums up the desperation of that era of our history, “Brother, can you spare a dime?”

Perhaps, like me, you recall receiving a fund-raising latter at your home around this time of year. It came from Father Flanigan’s Boys’ Town, and it contained a sheet of stamps – Christmas seals. Each stamp bore the iconic image of an adolescent boy wearing a cloth cap and carrying a younger sibling on his shoulder. The trade-mark motto of Boys’ Town filled the lower half of the stamp: “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”

And, a recent comedic rendering of Homer’s Odessy starring George Clooney was aptly titled “Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?” In the film, Clooney’s character leads a hapless and lost group of friends safely home, maneuvering them through a series of perils and threats.

And we can go on:

• HBO gave us a Band of Brothers, comrades vigilantly attending to one another’s safety as they fought for our freedom.

• The Brotherhood of the Knights of Columbus, founded by Father Michael McGivney in the late 19th century cared for the needs of widows and orphans.

• Young African-Americans greet one another as ‘brother’ in recognition of a bond of race and culture that was forged in the history of slavery and yet triumphed over hatred and prejudice.

Latino high school students with Bro. George

This one-word title, Brother, speaks to us eloquently of the life and of the ministry of Saint Andre Bessette. His was the hand reaching out compassionately to the disheartened; his was the shoulder willing to bear the burdens of the poor and especially of the suffering; his were the guiding words leading lost souls back home to God’s loving embrace, always through the intercession of St. Joseph.

In the Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, when we speak of our vocational call to religious life as a brother or as a priest we say this:

We asked how we might follow, and we found many footprints on the road. A great band of men had passed this way, men who had made and lived by their vows, men who had walked side by side in their following of the Lord. They beckoned us to fall in step with them.

Today we are proud and we rejoice because the most humble one of that great band has achieved the highest status.

I ask you to pray that God will call more young men to service in the church as religious brothers. To follow in the footsteps of Alfred Bessette, Saint Andre, is a challenging yet rewarding vocation for anyone who wishes to follow Jesus in building the Kingdom through compassionate service, prayer, and brotherly attention to all whom we meet. And for all of us, may the life of Saint Andre inspire us to imitate his heroic virtue especially when we encounter the disheartened, the suffering and the lost.

There are five of us here today who have followed the call to religious life in the Congregation of Holy Cross as religious brothers. I particularly want to recognize Brother Harold Rogan who has lived the life of a Holy Cross Brother for 67 years and whose name is on our Founder’s monument here at King’s for is contribution to the establishment of this college in 1947.

Today, rather than wearing our usual Cross and Anchor congregational symbol, we five brothers are wearing medals of Saint Joseph. Like Saint Andre and thousands of brothers who preceded us in the Congregation since 1837, we received these medals on the day of our perpetual profession as Holy Cross Brothers. They are part of our heritage left us by our founder, Blessed Basile Moreau. He envisioned Holy Cross as a family modeled after the Holy Family at Nazareth with priests, brothers and sisters working collaboratively under the patronage of the Sacred Heart, Saint Joseph and Mary.

Bishop Bambera, I said in my opening that Saint Andre is one of our gifts to you today, a special advocate through whom you can seek the intercession of Saint Joseph. We would also like you to have a Brother of Holy Cross Saint Joseph medal. The Congregation of Holy Cross has had the privilege of ministering in the Diocese of Scranton for 65 years in Catholic Education and in parochial ministry. Please know how grateful we are for that privilege, and how much we Holy Cross Brothers and Priests here at King’s appreciate your leadership and the pastoral care and concern you extend to us as our Bishop. Saint Andre was the doorkeeper, the porter, at College Notre Dame in Montreal for over 40 year. Be assured that he will be here with Saint Joseph to welcome you each time your visit King’s College.

Bro. André -- A Personal Reflection

2010-10-04T19:55:00.003-04:00

St. Joseph holding Jesus

Bro. Thomas Dziekan, CSC, reflects on the life of Bro. André and his own calling to become a Holy Cross Brother.

When I was about 5 years old, my mother and some of her friends went on a bus trip sponsored by our parish in Connecticut to the shrines of Quebec. One of the things that I remember vividly is the story my mother told us about Brother André, his devotion to St. Joseph and all that he did during his long life.

She had brought back some St. Joseph’s Oil to use when we were sick, some medals and a small book called Brother André: the Miracle Man of Montreal. I remember looking at the book with a picture of Brother André on the cover and was for some reason just fascinated by it. I even tried my hand at reading it, but it was a bit more than I could handle at that age.

Almost ten years later, as I entered high school, I was introduced to the Brothers of Holy Cross as my teachers. I didn’t make the connection right away between Brother André who had impressed my young mind and these men whom I saw every day. It was during one of my religion classes that I learned that Brother André was a Brother of Holy Cross. At that time, the Spirit was stirring up within my own heart the desire to follow Jesus as a brother. In hindsight – and this is always how God’s loving Providence is recognized – that small book, a small bottle of oil, some medals and the example and joy of my teachers were the first beckonings of the Spirit to become a Brother of Holy Cross.

In a very real sense, Brother André drew me to Holy Cross. He is my brother. For me, he embodies this special vocation within the heart of the Church: to love God profoundly, to serve with all one’s heart, to welcome, to counsel, to pray, to accompany, to be in relationship as brother – “to be with.”   He relied on St. Joseph, the first teacher of Jesus, as his guide.

He was a simple man.   Being orphaned at an early age, of frail health himself, and not having the benefits of an education did not deter him from going out into the world to help his family. He was an ordinary man, small of stature, who could be curt at times, but who, through his humanity, sought wholeness or completeness in God. His simplicity – which was really a total openness to God – allowed him to approach the world with eyes that could see the hand of a loving and provident God. There was beauty in that simplicity. He loved God and eventually found his way to Holy Cross where he brought the gifts of his great simplicity, his single-hearted intimacy with God, his trusting dependence upon God and his willing surrender to God.

He is a saint. The Jesuit James Martin recently wrote that “Holiness always makes its home in humanity.” To be a saint, one has to be fully human. The intimacy of his relationship with God made him dependent upon and attentive to God’s will. He meditated on the Passion, he sought to understand and appreciate the great sufferings of Jesus, and perhaps, through his own ministry, sought to alleviate those sufferings in all the women, men and children who came to him to be anointed and prayed over. He looked at them with the compassion of Jesus, loved them and consoled them in their sufferings. He was himself touched by God’s love and responsive to God’s grace, in his simple, human way.   I want to be like that! Who wouldn’t?

Bro. Thomas is currently the Vicar General of the Congregation of Holy Cross and resides in Rome, Italy.

Meet an Outstanding Young Brother!

2010-09-30T14:55:00.003-04:00

After five grueling years of study at the University of Texas in San Antonio, Holy Cross Br. Jesus Alonso will earn his doctorate in microbiology next summer. He plans to use that degree to investigate viruses and help develop vaccines for some of the world’s most lethal and persistent viruses, like those that cause AIDS, hepatitis, dengue fever and other diseases that ravage large areas of the planet. “Microbiology is a difficult area of study,” said Alonso, an articulate, soft-spoken man of 31, “because there’s so much to learn and new developments are happening all the time.”

When he was attending St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, in the early 2000s, he was thinking about a career in computer science, but something happened there that radically changed the direction of his life. Alonso is the sixth of seven children in a family of migrant farm workers. What he had known through much of his early life was travel and hard work -- six months in Washington State picking strawberries, raspberries and asparagus and six months at home in Texas where he went to school until the picking season intervened. Still, through jobs, loans, scholarships and the encouragement of their parents, he and his siblings got through high school and had the opportunity to go to college; five have earned university degrees.

During his junior year at St. Edward’s, a school run by the Holy Cross congregation, Alonso needed a place to live near the campus and rented a room at a house owned by the congregation and occupied by brothers as well as students. He was impressed with the way the brothers lived and decided in time this was the kind of life he was called to. Said Alonso, “It was the community living, the prayer life, the concern about poverty. I prayed a lot and shared my feelings.”

His siblings were surprised at his interest and his parents were very doubtful at first. Then they realized this was no impulsive attraction. Alonso began studies to become a brother after graduation, made his first vows in 2003 and his final vows last October. After traveling to Africa and Asia and experiencing the devastating effects of viral disease, he expressed a desire to study microbiology, thinking he might be able to do something to make a difference. Thus began his long stretch of study in San Antonio.

Alonso said he does not regret that his commitment to religious life bars him from marrying and having a family. “This is a complete vocation for me,” he said. “It’s a fulfilling life, no regrets.” And it doesn’t bother him either that he is among a very, very small minority of young men who are entering religious life these days. “There’s a lot to do,” he said. “I think brothers will be around a long time.”

Article by Robert McClory in the National Catholic Reporter, 9/20/10

Bro. Robert Sylvester, CSC Takes Final Vows

2010-09-21T20:41:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, August 21, Brother Robert Sylvester, C.S.C., 64, took his final vows of poverty, chastity and obedience at St. Joseph Chapel in Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame. Brother Chester Freel, C.S.C., Provincial Superior of the Midwest Province, received Bro. Robert’s vows. Rev. Thomas Lemos, C.S.C., former Novice Master of the Holy Cross Novitiate, Cascade, CO., was the principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass. The choir was composed of Brothers, Sisters, Sister Novices of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, along with residents of Holy Cross Village.

Bro. Robert's background is unique to the Brothers of Holy Cross. His son, Jared, assisted in the ceremony by presenting the religious insignia: medal and wooden cross to his father. Jared’s wife, Mary, read the first reading at Mass.

For most of his adult life Bro. Robert was a lawyer in Washington, D.C. He left his law practice to study theology at the University of Notre Dame. Five years ago, he entered Bessette House and there decided to enter the Brothers of Holy Cross. Bro. Robert is Director of the Initiative on Spirituality in the Professions at the Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame. This past year he has been offering spiritual care presence to the Washington, D.C., legal community. His goal is to develop a chaplaincy to lawyers program sponsored by Notre Dame.

A reception was held following the ceremony in the Great Room of Andre Place at Holy Cross Village.

(Thanks to our Midwest Midweek Bulletin for this story and pictures!)

New General Administration

2010-09-21T20:20:00.003-04:00

Every six years, members of the Congregation of Holy Cross from around the world gather in Rome to choose new leadership and to discuss the needs and challenges of the worldwide Holy Cross community.

The following Holy Cross priests and brothers will serve the Congregation for the next six years:

Rev. Richard Warner, CSC (USA) - Superior General
Bro. Thomas Dziekan, CSC (USA) - Vicar General
Rev. Roy Thalackan, CSC (India) - Second General Assistant
Bro. Subal Rozario, CSC (Bangladesh) - Third General Assistant
Rev. Jorge Izaguirre Rafael, CSC (Peru) - Fourth General Assistant
Bro. George Schmitz, CSC (USA) - Fifth General Assistant
Rev. Robert Epping, CSC (USA) - Sixth General Assistant


Rev. Richard Warner, CSC

Bro. Thomas Dziekan, CSC


Rev. Roy Thalackan, CSC

Bro. Subal Rozario, CSC

Rev. Jorge Izaguirre Rafael, CSC

Bro. George Schmitz, CSC

Rev. Robert Epping, CSC

I asked capitulants from the Eastern Brothers Province to reflect on their experience of the General Chapter which had as its theme, "Generations Walking Side by Side: Creating a Hope-filled Future."

Bro. George Schmitz of Wilkes-Barre, PA shares . . .

During the month of July, I served as a delegate to the General Chapter of the Congregation from July 4 to July 24. The 2010 General Chapter took place in Rome, Italy, where the 55 delegates gathered at the Generalate of the Salesian Fathers and Brothers on the outskirts of the city.    The chapter delegates represented provinces, vicariates and districts of the Congregation from North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Approximately one-third of the delegates were representatives from the emerging sectors of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

I believe the work of the 2010 General Chapter will have a profound impact on the future of our Congregation.   As we contemplated the shifting demographics of Holy Cross (increasing membership in the developing world; decreasing membership in the developed world), we saw the need to look at new paradigms for our governance and our authority structures. For the better part of the last century, Holy Cross has been a decentralized congregation, with a structure of independent provinces supporting ‘mission’ districts in the infancy. Today, the ‘mission’ districts are coming into their own in many aspects, yet still in need of assistance. This reality calls us as a congregation to rethink and re-vision how we govern ourselves and how we interact as fifteen distinct jurisdictions with a common mission.

Since 1980, Holy Cross has stressed that our priority as a congregation in the Church is to proclaim the Good News as Educators in the Faith with a particular concern for the poor. We are proud of our efforts to bring these priorities to each of our apostolic commitments in all of the countries where we minister. The theme of our 2010 General Chapter, Generations Walking Side by Side, was a reflection of our current reality and our future challenges. There are six years between general chapters.   The next six years will prove to be an exciting time in the history of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Bro. John Gleason, of Washington, DC writes . . .

Over 95 of us gathered in Rome for our General Chapter (this is the supreme authority in the community that makes decisions for 6 years and elects our leadership). We are in 17 countries and there were representatives from most of them. I was most touched by the community's response to our priests and brothers in Haiti. The February earthquake has left major devastation and we were not spared. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and this was not unnoticed by the Chapter. Every sector of the community has been asked to give money from already limited resources to assist our confreres in Haiti - this was done willingly. Our confreres from Haiti spoke movingly of their appreciation and gratitude. Over a span of 30 years I have been at every General Chapter since 1980 - the challenges of this chapter were greater than any of past chapters and I was once again humbled and proud of my community's resolve to meet and respond to the many challenges in our world.

Bro. David Andrews, also of Washington, DC reflects . . .

The General Chapter began on July 4, 2010 and ended on July 24th. We met at the Salesianum in Rome, the headquarters for the Salesians. This was my sixth General Chapter and the best by far. I say best because there was a serious spirit of work and mutuality. The spirit of community among the priests and brothers of Holy Cross was authentic, sure and remarkable. We knew that we were working together for the benefit of all, in a way more intense and real than any prior Chapter that I have attended. We worked long days, beginning at 7 a.m. with breakfast and our evening meals started at 8:00 pm and often ended around 10 pm, making for an long day. From the beginning we worked hard. I was on the Mission Committee, we worked especially on social justice and the integrity of creation. The work of the capitulants (delegates) was intense. The effort was divided into three rounds (first stage, second stage and third stage: full discussion, nit-pickingly slow for the first stage; second stage was parliamentary procedure with formal amendments; third stage was all up or down and unanimous voting). The first stage was slow and painful! But it was thorough and necessary. During this General Chapter we elected a new Superior General and new Assistants including two from the Eastern Province of Brothers. We also approved the new Moreau Province of the Southwest and Eastern Brothers. So, it was a very good experience with very significant decisions, but the most important part was the experience of brotherhood!

"It's Contagious!"

2010-08-11T11:59:00.004-04:00


Bro. Mark with Bros. Richard and John

Bro. Mark Knightly, CSC the Director of Aging and Health Care for the Holy Cross Brothers of the Eastern Province recently shared his experience of working with his elder brothers in community. Click the link below to read more.

I've been thinking about the joy I get from my vocation as a Brother. What's really behind that? I want to write about that joy in the times ahead, enumerate all the ways it comes to me. Here's just the first one: As a social worker and Aging and Health Care Director, I try to help our elder Brothers navigate the rough waters of older age. This work puts me in close association with remarkable men, "...men who have made and lived by their vows," our Constitutions say.

Bro. John at prayer, St. Joseph Center, Valatie, NY

My older Brothers are in the time of their lives when it is important to look back over their years of relationships and service, and gather the richness. I get to listen to the stories, stories about schools in Ohio in the fifties, and classrooms in the bush country of Central Africa, and families that befriended them in Bengal. My elders in community know stories as good or better than any books I used to read as a kid on rainy Saturdays. And behind all of the tales, I hear the clear music of their own vocational joy. It's contagious!

What is a Religious Brother?

2010-08-08T15:51:00.003-04:00

Listen to Bro. Paul Bednarczyk, CSC a Holy Cross Brother explain the vocation of "brotherhood" in the Catholic Church. Bro. Paul is currently the Executive Director of the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC.net).

Holy Cross Goes to Montreal!

2010-08-04T09:27:00.005-04:00

Holy Cross pilgrims, St. Joseph's Oratory Gardens

The following reflection was written by Bro. Carlos Parrilla, CSC the Vocation Director for our Midwest Province of Brothers, South Bend, Indiana --

2010 Pilgrimage to St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal

A total of sixteen students and eleven adults from our various Midwest Province, Eastern Province of Brothers, and the South-West Province schools made the tenth annual pilgrimage to St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal from July 19 to July 23. The pilgrims were representatives from Holy Cross High School in Flushing, NY; Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, CT; Holy Cross High School in San Antonio, TX; Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, OH; as well as the vocation directors from the Midwest, the South-West, and the Eastern Province of Brothers. The pilgrims roomed and took most of their meals at the nearby Collège Jean de Brébeuf, about half a mile from the Oratory.

The pilgrimage began with arrival on Monday evening, during which time the participants welcomed each other and were given a run-down on the meaning of pilgrimage. They were also asked to reflect on their hopes and expectations. On Tuesday, the focus was the St. Joseph’s Oratory itself. This day began with Morning Prayer and with a guided tour, followed by the English Mass in the crypt church, during which Brother Nick Perez, South-West Province, renewed his annual vows for the third year. On that evening, the group walked the Stations of the Cross in the beautiful Via Crucis gardens of the Oratory.

Beginning with a period of morning reflections, Wednesday afternoon of was reserved for a walking tour of the three other basilicas of Montreal. Marie-Reine-du-Monde (Mary, Queen of the World), the first one visited, is the cathedral of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Montreal. The pilgrims were impressed with this beautiful church, which is a scaled-down replica of St. Peter Basilica in Rome. St. Patrick, the second basilica visited, is the church for the English-speaking Montreal Catholic community. The pilgrims were graciously received by the rector who welcomed them with the celebration of the Eucharist. After a leisurely lunch in the nearby area, the group came together to visit the inspiring Basilique de Notre-Dame de Montréal. Originally serving as the diocesan cathedral of Montreal, this basilica is noted for its intricate woodwork and the place of frequent religious and cultural presentations. After supper that evening, the group returned to the Oratory for Evening Prayer celebrated on the terrace overlooking the City of Montréal.

Thursday began with the usual Morning Prayer and followed with an intensive group reflection on life’s issues. After lunch the group was given various options for afternoon activities. Most went back to Montreal to re-visit the basilicas or simply to see other sites. Some opted to stay around the Oratory, while others took bicycle rides around the area. Some chose to stay behind and reflect on what all they had experienced. That evening, the pilgrims gathered at nearby Restaurant St-Hubert for an exquisite dinner taken in one of its private areas, and where all competed to order the most elaborate dessert.

Following the delightful meal, the group returned to Collège Jean de Brébeuf for wrap-up and evaluation. It was also the time to bid farewell and to reflect on “how to take home what had been gathered through this experience at the Oratoire Saint-Joseph.”

Photo credit: Bro. Nich Perez, CSC
San Antonio, Texas

Pilgrims climb the Oratory's 100 stairs on their knees, pausing to pray on each step.

Bro. Nich Perez, CSC renews his vows at St. Joseph's Oratory.

Holy Cross pilgrims in front of the Oratory.

St. Joseph, pray for us!

Lots of fun!

A great group of Holy Cross students.

And even more fun!

Spiritual Reading

2010-08-01T08:50:00.005-04:00

Too often I find myself distracted by the everyday happenings in my life -- going to the grocery store, returning phone calls and emails, remembering to stop by the pharmacy. The list can seem endless. My thoughts become anxious and resentful. I am losing focus.

Like many people who are not in religious life, my solution is to turn to things that bring me immediate relief. So, I find myself searching the pantry for something to eat (not a piece of fruit, but usually a mound of potato chips) and then make my way to the TV room to flip endlessly through 300 channels, hoping to find something that will entertain me and make me forget my life. As you can imagine, nothing works for very long. Soon, the potato chips are gone (I'm hardly aware that I even ate them) and I have a dull headache from all of the noise. Too many words and pictures bombarding my already overly stimulated mind.

As I sit in my room at the end of one of those days, I reflect back on what happened to bring me to that point. Where did the day begin to go wrong? I generally know the answer even before I seek it out. I didn't take enough time to pray in the morning. I lost my focus even before my day began. It is so difficult, if not impossible, to bring God into all of the activities of my life if I don't first start the day with Him.

This morning, instead of my usual habit of getting a cup of coffee and watching CNN (God forbid I miss the details of the latest disaster or of Chelsea Clinton's wedding), I've returned to my formative years as a brother and started spiritual reading again. This is not to say that I haven't prayed or read anything in the past 20 years. However, the routine sometimes becomes old and stale, no longer life-giving. This morning, after weeks of agony, I realized how much I need the quiet spaces in my life to recollect myself and nurture my relationship with God, especially through his son, Jesus.

On this beautiful Sunday morning, I began to read a book I bought on retreat several years ago. I found it in the gift shop at the Trappist monastery in Georgia. I wasn't ready for the book when I bought it. I was still too busy and unfocused. Looking back, I realize that the book has been waiting for me. I need to read it. Even as I begin to read the introduction and the first few pages of the opening chapter, my mind begins to become a bit more calm and my heart a little more alive. The book is "Jesus, the Teacher Within" by Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine monk and director of the World Community of Christian Meditation. I look forward to his insights about who Jesus is as I try to answer that very same question for myself.

What are you reading these days? Can you make some suggestions?

Thanks.

Bro. Jonathan

Pope Gives Secret to Vocation

2010-07-14T13:09:00.001-04:00

The following article appeared on Zenit.org. The Holy Father shares his knowledge and wisdom with us about how we come to know our "vocation" or true calling in life. Read more for his insights. . .

SULMONA, Italy (Zenit.org): Pope Benedict XVI is telling youth the secret of recognising God's call, affirming that the trick is making the heart accustomed to recognising the Lord.

The Pope said this on July 4 during his one-day trip to the Abruzzi region of Italy, devastated by an earthquake in 2009. While in Sulmona, he had a meeting with youth in the city's cathedral.

Responding to their questions, he told them the "secret of a vocation lies in the capacity and in the joy of distinguishing (God's) voice, of listening to and following his voice. But to do this, it is necessary to accustom our heart to recognise the Lord, to hear him like a person who is near me and who loves me".

The Holy Father said that for this, moments of "interior silence in the day-to-day routine" were essential.

But once one has learned to hear this voice, he said, and to generously follow it, "one fears nothing, he or she knows and feels that God is with him or her, and that he is a Friend, Father and Brother".

"Said in one word: the secret of a vocation lies in the relationship with God, in prayer that grows precisely in interior silence, in the capacity to feel that God is near," the Pontiff said.

"And this is true both before the decision, at the moment, that is, of deciding and of leaving, as well as later if one wishes to be faithful and to persevere along the way."

Going on to clarify the concept of prayer, Pope Benedict affirmed that "true prayer" was not "foreign to reality".

"If praying alienated you, took you away from your real life, beware: it would not be true prayer," he said.

"On the contrary, dialogue with God is the guarantee of truth, of truthfulness with oneself and with others and, therefore, of liberty."

In this sense, the Pope acknowledged, faith and prayer "do not resolve problems, but enable one to address them with a new light and strength, in a way fitting to man, and also more serenely and effectively".

He said the history of the Church was full of saints who, precisely with prayer, "were always able to find new, creative solutions to respond to concrete human needs in every century: health, education, work, etc".

"Their daring," the Pope said, "was animated by the Holy Spirit and by a strong and generous love of brothers, especially of the weakest and most underprivileged."

"This is my body. . . "

2010-07-11T06:26:00.009-04:00

Daily Eucharist is central in the life of a Holy Cross Brother. Our Constitutions remind us that, "We find ourselves especially close as a brotherhood when we share this greatest of all table fellowships."

Bro. Richard Kelly, CSC, of Austin, Texas reflects on this gift . . .

There are many joys and blessings in my life as a Brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross. One of my greatest blessings is that I get to go to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (the Mass) just about every day with the other sixteen Brothers I live with in our residence on the campus of St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.

Early each morning I go downstairs to our chapel. A ciborium (gold cup)is on a table as I enter. I take a small white host from the ciborium and place it on a gold plate.The small host, made of unleavened bread, reminds me of myself. As I put it onto the gold plate it’s like I’m offering myself to God for this day. A few minutes later during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist these hosts will become the body and blood of Jesus Christ when the priest celebrant repeats the words of Jesus, “This is my body which will be given up for you.”

I observe the Brothers slowly coming into the chapel and each one takes a host from the ciborium and places it on the gold plate. I feel supported that these men, my brothers, believe in the same God as I do.

The celebration begins and the priest leads us in telling God we’re sorry for our sins. Then we listen to three readings from the Bible. The words we hear from God’s Word are like spiritual food for us, nourishing our souls; especially the third reading from one of the gospels, which is always about Jesus. Soon the celebrant priest takes the hosts and repeats the words of Jesus, “Take and eat, this is my body which will be given up for you.”Then he says over the cup of wine,”This is the cup of my blood…which shall be shed for you…for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.” Soon we eat Christ’s body and blood, which gives us strength to try and act like Jesus during the day ahead.

At the end of the celebration the priest says to us,”Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and others.” We leave the Mass strengthened to bring Christ’s peace and love to all we encounter today. I am truly blessed that I can be part of this group of men that try each day to follow the way of Jesus in loving God and other people.

So Others Might Eat (SOME)

2010-05-28T16:50:00.006-04:00

Bro. John Gleason, CSC, a Holy Cross Brother and former Novice Director is no novice himself when it comes to serving others. He does this every day as the Director of Elder Services for SOME, an interfaith social service agency in Washington, DC. “The needs of the poor and homeless in our community are at an all time high,” said Brother John Gleason. “The fact is, this is a serious situation for people on fixed incomes. These are our community’s elders, yet they are forced to make impossible choices—between paying their rent or utilities, or purchasing groceries.” Listen as he shares about his work. . .

The Congregation of Holy Cross believes strongly in social justice. Are you involved in similar work? Do you have a desire to join us in our ministries to the poor and oppressed? If so, write to me at holycrossvocations@earthlink.net.

~ Bro. Jonathan Beebe, CSC

Anticipating Bro. André's Upcoming Canonization (click here for video)

2010-05-18T10:27:00.002-04:00

Continue to pray with us as the Congregation of Holy Cross makes preparations for Bro. André's upcoming canonization in Rome in October 2010!

Congrats to Bro. Joe!

2010-05-17T20:38:00.000-04:00

One of the brothers in my community, Bro. Joseph Zutelis, CSC celebrated 60 years as a religious brother in the Congregation of Holy Cross. Bro. Joe is 88 years young and is very active, volunteering at a local nursing home and playing piano every night. He is a master English teacher, having studied at Oxford. He taught for many years at Notre Dame International School in Rome, Italy. All of this from a man whose first language was Lithuanian and whose father owned a local pub in his native New Philadelphia, PA. (Bro. Joe
is to the far right in the picture.)

Requiescat in Pace, Bro. Maurus O'Malley, CSC

2010-05-14T13:53:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, May 9, Mother's Day, Bro. Maurus O'Malley, CSC, ("M.O.M") the eldest Eastern Province Brother of Holy Cross, passed away. Bro. Maurus was one of our community "giants," having been one of the founding brothers of Holy Cross High School in Flushing, New York as well as the first Novice Master at St. Joseph Novitiate in Valatie, New York.

My first memory of Bro. Maurus was when I had just entered the community. I was preparing a liturgy and asked him to do a reading. He was seated and I was standing over him. He looked up at me, saw my age, and said in his commanding voice, "Kneel." I dutifully knelt and then asked my favor -- and he happily did the reading! May he rest in peace. His obituary from the Albany, New York paper is copied below.

ALBANY — Brother Maurus O’Malley, C.S.C. died Sunday, May 9, 2010 at Albany Medical Center where he had been a patient since April 14. He was 94 years old and had been a professed member of the Brothers of Holy Cross for seventy years.

Thomas Edward O’Malley was born on October 13, 1915 in Pittsburgh, Penn. the sixth of the seven children of Peter J. and Bridget (Lowery) O’Malley. The O’Malley family were communicants at Holy Rosary Church. Thomas did his elementary education at the parish grade school and his secondary education at Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School. In June of 1938 he received his bachelor of arts degree from Duquesne University.

The following July he entered the Congregation of Holy Cross as a candidate for the brotherhood at Sacred Heart Juniorate in Watertown, WI. He received the habit of the Brothers of Holy Cross on August 15, 1938 at St. Joseph Novitiate in Rolling Prairie, IN. At that time he was given the religious name of Brother Maurus. He made his profession of temporary vows on August 16, 1939. Three years later he pronounced his perpetual vows in Sacred Heart Basilica, Notre Dame, IN.

Brother Maurus pursed his graduate studies at the University of Notre Dame from which he was granted the degree of MS in Ed in 1945. He was awarded a second MS in Ed degree from St. John’s University in Jamaica, NY in 1972.

He devoted most of his active ministerial life to the apostolate of education. His career saw him on the faculty of schools conducted by the Brothers of Holy Cross in Indiana, New York, Delaware and Connecticut.

He was one of the founders of Holy Cross High School in Flushing, Queens and did much to foster the establishment of the school’s Women’s Guild which over the years has done much to encourage and further the education of young men in that New York City area.

From 1957 to 1963 he was the founding Master of Novices at St. Joseph Novitiate in Valatie, NY.

Throughout his life Brother Maurus took pride in his Irish heritage and traveled there to visit relatives several times.

Run 4 Vocations

2010-05-14T13:38:00.000-04:00

See Jon run. See Roger run. See the Holy Cross Brothers "Run 4 Vocations!"

A group of us recently participated in the Albany Diocese "Run 4 Vocations." Over 150 people ran -- well, walked -- for fun, for exercise, and to raise awareness of the unique character and purpose of each vocation in the Catholic Church. The day began with a welcome and blessing by Bishop Howard Hubbard and continued with witness talks, music, and other entertainment. After completing the 5K course, runners and walkers were invited to a delicious BBQ lunch. I was very thankful for all of the brothers who came out to support our vocation outreach efforts. Coincidentally, we had Bro. John Paige and Bro. James Branigan with us, both of whom are Albany natives and graduates of the Vincentian Institute. Bro. John, my high school principal and chemistry teacher, will soon become the next president of Holy Cross College in South Bend, Indiana. Bro. James, a long-time runner, is currently headmaster of my alma mater, Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT. The brothers really are one big family!

Celebrations

2010-04-04T09:24:00.004-04:00

Feast days and religious celebrations are an integral part of the life of a Holy Cross Brother. We were very fortunate this year in that we celebrated both the Solemnity of St. Joseph and Easter within a few weeks of each other.

On March 19, over 25 Holy Cross members - brothers, priests, and friends - gathered to pray at Holy Cross High School in Queens. The Holy Cross Brothers were originally founded by Fr. Jacques Dujuarie in France in 1820. At that time we were known as the "Brothers of St. Joseph." It was Fr. Moreau's unique vision that the Brothers should be united with an auxiliary group of priests that he had established, forming in 1837 the Congregation of Holy Cross. He placed the Brothers under the patronage of St. Joseph, for whom they were named. To this day, following the advice of Blessed Bro. Andre - "Ite ad Joseph" or "Go to Joseph" - we continue to pray daily for Joseph's guidance, strength and perseverence in all that we do.

A few weeks later, a group of Brothers here in my community attended services for Holy Week and the Triduum in local parishes. Each year we return to the chapel at St. John's University for the Easter Vigil. I have included here a clip of the Exultet or Easter Proclamation. Who could not be inspired by our Catholic faith as the cantor sings of God's glorious achievements for our salvation!?

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!

Exult, all creation around God's throne!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Ad Multos Annos (To Many Years!)

2010-03-12T16:45:00.000-05:00

Bro. Ralph in Flushing, NY celebrated his birthday for 4 days in a row! This clip shows his third party - with over 100 women at the annual "Supper is Served" dinner. Lots of hugs and kisses that night. Congratulations, Bro. Ralph!

Retreat Days at St. Edmond's Academy

2010-03-05T10:44:00.013-05:00

On March 1 and 2, Bro. Mark and I traveled to St. Edmond's Academy in Wilmington, Delaware to give a retreat to the 7th and 8th grade classes. St. Edmond's is distinguished among our other sponsored schools in that it is our only school for boys in grades K through 8.

The theme of this year's retreat was "Making God, Known, Loved, and Served." Blessed Fr. Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, urged his young community to be both prayerful and zealous with the burning desire to share the Gospel message. The students at St. Edmond's, as part of the Holy Cross tradition, learned that prayer is the language of the heart and a way to experience the presence of God in their lives.
Bro. Mark led them through meditative exercises, asking them to become more and more quiet in order to listen to the voice of God speaking in their hearts. Each small group then wrote a beautiful prayer to open the day. Next, the boys were asked to consider what a world without God might be like. In order to help make God known, each table designed a web page for God. The creativity of the boys was amazing! To conclude the day, the students read together the encounter between Jesus and the rich young man. After a few minutes to practice, each small group acted out the story. A couple of the boys deserved Academy Awards!

Overall, the retreat renewed my hope in this next generation of Holy Cross men. I found them to be open, honest, and insightful about their faith. Let us pray for them and for their families that they will continue to grow into zealous young men who are on fire with the desire to make God known, loved, and served in our world.

~ Bro. Jonathan, csc

Finding New Life in South America

2010-02-26T14:44:00.011-05:00

Bro. Tom Giumenta, CSC of New York writes -

I was really feeling quite comfortable and content just as I was on that day he brought it up. I had exclusive use of a new car, I had a very good job which I liked a great deal, I had friends around and I was living in the great city of New York.
But the Provincial Superior came to visit one cold evening in the winter of 1992 and asked if I would consider going to Chile for a period of 3 years. At first it sounded somewhat interesting but giving up all that I had was hardly attractive. I was invited to visit Chile in December 1992 and the experience truly surprised me.

I indeed felt that working in South America made a great deal of sense to my vision of a religious vocation. During my 11 years in Chile, I can honestly say that although the experience wasn’t always easy, I never thought seriously about returning to the United States. I came to understand God as the Author of challenge and Giver of many favors and graces. So I began to seek more challenges. In 2005, I had the opportunity to begin serving the very poor in Canto Grande, a seriously depressed section on the outskirts of Lima. Once again, I received far more that I ever gave because God’s generosity can never be outdone. Finding new life is indeed available. One needs to listen and respond to Him who lives in the heart.

Superior General Announces Canonization of Bro. André

2010-02-20T11:20:00.001-05:00

Dear Religious of the Family of Holy Cross,

This morning, our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, held a consistory of all the Cardinals in Rome to obtain their votum on the canonization of Blessed André Bessette, C.S.C. The Cardinals affirmed the Pope's decision and so he announced that Brother André will be canonized in Rome on October 17, 2010. Members of the Congregation representing our sisters, brothers and priests were present with other invited guests of those who will be canonized with Brother André. I would like to take this joyful occasion for our Holy Cross Family to thank everyone for your prayers leading to this momentous day for Holy Cross and for the Church.

In particular I wish to express our gratitude to the Holy Father, the Cardinals, our postulator Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, our vice-postulator Father Mario Lachapelle, C.S.C, Father Jean-Pierre Aumont, C.S.C., Provincial of the Canadian Province and Father Claude Grou, C.S.C. Rector of St. Joseph's Oratory.

Our entire Congregation of Holy Cross rejoices today with the universal Church. Brother André, the miracle worker of Montréal, is the first formally recognized saint among us. Clearly their are countless anonymous saints of Holy Cross as well.

Brother André’s early life was marked by physical frailty, poverty, illiteracy and family tragedy; amidst them all, prayer was his peace and joy. His parish priest encouraged the orphaned André to seek the consecrated life as his vocation for he believed it was there that André would find his true home and deepest fulfillment. In recommending André, his pastor told the Congregation of Holy Cross that he was sending them a saint. And so it was. God chooses the weak and makes them strong. André was strong in faith, mighty in zeal. His humility allowed the healing strength of God to fill his being and thus bring healing to others. Through the intercession of St. Joseph, Brother André taught us all to pray and so to find the strength needed to live our lives in the truth of God’s love.

Brother André’s Congregation of Holy Cross is international in scope with ministries reaching to the ends of the earth. In every Holy Cross community and chapel, Brother André is present and revered. He encourages us to pray always so as to bring God’s healing love to all in need. Through the world-wide mission of Holy Cross, Blessed Brother André became a universal figure; and now, in his canonization, he will be a saint for the universal Church. He calls all of us to pray unceasingly with him, through St. Joseph, to bring faith and healing to a broken world. May his humble yet persistent determination be our inspiration and our strength! As Brother André found his home in the consecrated life may new vocations flourish through his intercession!

I encourage each religious and every local community throughout the Congregation to sponsor a novena of thanksgiving for Brother André's canonization leading up to March 19th, the feast of Saint Joseph. Our novena prayer can be repeated in the nine days leading up to Brother André's canonization on October 17th.

We are all blessed through Brother André in our vocation as consecrated religious and we, Blessed Basile Moreau's Family of Holy Cross, are affirmed in the holiness of his life.

Sincerely in Holy Cross,

Father Hugh W. Cleary, C.S.C.
Superior General

Pope Benedict XVI Announces the Canonization of Bro. André Bessette, CSC!

2010-02-19T07:03:00.005-05:00

The Holy Father has announced that Blessed Bro. André Bessette, CSC, a Holy Cross Brother known as the "Miracle Man of Montréal," will be canonized in Rome on October 17, 2010. What a glorious day for the Congregation of Holy Cross and the entire Church!

Video of the Pope's Announcement

Men with HOPE to Bring

2010-02-18T17:22:00.002-05:00

Bro. Joel Giallanza, CSC of Texas writes -

“We must be men with hope to bring.” That simple statement from the Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross sums up a lot of what I believe and what the Brothers of Holy Cross believe. We can be men with hope to bring because we stand on solid foundations. Actually, those foundations are truths that have shaped who we are since Holy Cross began more than 170 years ago. They are truths lived and passed on by Blessed Basil Moreau who founded Holy Cross.

We are men with hope to bring because we spend our lives following Jesus of Nazareth. We have known success in the many ministries in which we are involved around the world. But we know that, from the perspective of faith, the only lasting success is our likeness to Jesus. If we succeed in that, we will done all that we have been called to do.

We are men with hope to bring because we trust that God is present and active in our world, always and without exception. The morning newspaper and the evening news are direct challenges to that conviction; so many events and situations seem to indicate that God has abandoned us. We choose to live in contradiction of that. However camouflaged God’s presence and activity may be at times, we believe they are constant.

We are men with hope to bring because we work to be united, with one another as brothers and with all people. There is a strength in our union; Father Moreau called it a lever that could move the whole world. We believe our example of union can be an agent for transformation in a divided world.

We are men with hope to bring because we see and have seen the power of the cross. Father Moreau situated us at the foot of the cross, next to Mary. From that perspective, we can expect the resurrection, the new life that Jesus promised. We hope because we believe those promises to be true for all time. In ministry and in community we have seen those promises come to life.

As Brothers, we can be many things for our world, but “We must be men with hope to bring.”

An Invitation

2010-02-18T16:22:00.006-05:00

Bro. Renatus Foldenauer, CSC of New York writes -

After graduation from St. Mary’s High School in Michigan City, Indiana, I received a position as a teller in Citizen’s Bank in town. I was excited and well accepted by the other employees. However, there was something missing in my life that needed to get attention and touch my heart.

Something was drawing me to attend daily Eucharist before going to work at the Bank. Many Eucharists were filled with a strong sense of God’s presence and consolation. It seemed I couldn’t wait to get to St. Mary’s each morning. Then I found myself stopping for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament after work each day.

I began to recall a vocation talk that Brother Theophane Schmidt of the Congregation of Holy Cross gave to the boys at St. Mary’s during my sophomore year. I had stored that in my memory. I thought what a blessing it would be to live in religious life, to be under the same roof with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! I kept hearing the invitation that I must pursue the Brothers of Holy Cross. After considerable prayer and reflection I accepted God’s invitation to join the Brothers of Holy Cross.

This decision is something I never regretted even after sixty years of religious life. Teaching in high schools, directing choruses and bands, ministering to our Brothers, all seemed like a reverse mission. All is gift. When difficult times come I need but reflect on the words of Jesus: Who do you say that I am? (Matt. 16:13-17)

A Change in Plans

2010-02-18T16:21:00.001-05:00

Bro. Raymond Papenfuss, CSC of Indiana writes -

When I went to Ghana in 1959 my idea was to spend the rest of my life working in Africa. I fell in love with the people, the country—everything! I even got to like the hot weather and above 90% humidity. As far as I was concerned the course of my life had been set and I was quite happy with it, thank you.

Then in 1987 I had an attack of cerebral malaria which nearly killed me. I returned to the States and was told it would be foolish for me to return to Africa. To say I was unhappy would not be even close to the truth. My superiors then asked me if I would be willing to work for Africa from this side of the ocean and I immediately said, “Yes.” I started to raise money for projects in Ghana and discovered that I had a bit of talent for this work. As I look back over the past 22 years, I can see that it was more important for our work in Ghana for me to be here in the States.

Does God have a sense of humor! Bottom line is that we are all “simple instruments.” We just don’t always understand how we are being used. And that’s alright. The path we start down may have many turns and an end that surprises us. But God is in charge and we simply have to be as good an instrument as we can.