Missions
Our Holy Cross Constitution on Mission (Constitution 7) describes our primary apostolic works in terms of education, parish, and mission.
“For many of us in Holy Cross, mission expresses itself in the education of youth in schools, colleges and universities. For others, our mission as educators takes place in parishes and other ministries…Our mission sends us across borders of every sort. Often we must make ourselves at home among more than one people or culture…” (C7, 16-17).
The Church recognizes certain local churches around the world as “mission territories” and encourages the established churches to offer support. From its foundation, the Congregation of Holy Cross has served in “mission territories” around the world.
Originally, Holy Cross missionaries from France were sent to serve in the “mission territories” of Indiana, Quebec, Louisiana, Poland, Bengal, and Algeria.
Follow this link to explore the areas of Holy Cross missionary effort in “mission countries” around the world http://www.holycrossusa.org/missions/
Today our activities in mission countries continue in
- ASIA: Bangladesh, India, Philippines
- AFRICA: Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
- LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN: Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Mexico, Peru
Explore the areas of Holy Cross missionary effort around the world
Organizations supporting Holy Cross missionary efforts include:
- OVERSEAS LAY MISSIONARIES (USA):
District of East Africa
District of Chile
Holy Cross Mission Center
The Holy Cross Mission Center is sponsored by the United States Province of Priest and Brothers. The mission center seeks to promote an awareness of the international and intercultural aspects of Holy Cross life and mission. Learn more about the foreign ministries of the United States Province by clicking below on the sites relevant to particular geographical areas.
Holy Cross in East Africa
Holy Cross missionaries from the USA first came to Uganda, East Africa, in 1958. Despite times of civil war and disruption, the District of East Africa has expanded to ministries in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. There are now 55 Holy Cross religious ministering in all three countries.
Holy Cross in Peru
Holy Cross priests of the former Eastern Province first went to Peru in 1963 to do pastoral work on a plantation. Today, Holy Cross priests, brothers, and sisters serve in the District of Peru—some in education, some in parish work.
Holy Cross in Chile
In 1943, Holy Cross religious arrived in Chile from the former Indiana Province, and today continue to serve in schools, parishes, and orphanages of this district as outspoken advocates of the poor.
Holy Cross in Mexico
A Holy Cross priest from the United States began working in Mexico in 1973 and was joined by other priests in 1987. Some 11 Holy Cross religious in Mexico now conduct an expanding formation program as well as parish ministry.
Holy Cross in India and Bangladesh
At the request of the Holy See, Blessed Father Moreau accepted the mission area of Eastern Bengal, India, as the proto-mission of the Congregation; this generous response to the needs of the Church assured the official approval of the Congregation of Holy Cross by the Vatican. Moreau sent the first missionaries (priests, brothers, sisters) to Bengal beginning in 1853.
Because of distance, language, and culture, this area was extremely difficult for the Holy Cross missionaries sent from Europe and North America. Climate and disease would claim the lives of many of these missionaries. However, except for a brief period in the late 19th century, Holy Cross has continued to labor in that mission field, and, after 150 years, a vibrant local Church has been established.
Over the years, political changes have split the original Eastern Bengal region of India into Bangladesh and several states of northeast India. Today, Holy Cross has three provinces in the region—two provinces in Bangladesh and one province in North East India—with more than 150 religious, including eight Holy Cross bishops.
Holy Cross in South India
Foreign missionaries faced expulsion from the region of northeast India, and so Holy Cross went to South India in 1959 to recruit native Indian candidates. Since that time, two more entries—the Province of South India and the Vicariate of India—have developed in the southern region of the country with 125 religious. In October 2009, Holy Cross celebrates the 50th Jubilee of our arrival in south India.
Holy Cross in Haiti
Holy Cross missionaries from Canada first came to Haiti in 1944 to direct an existing secondary school in Cap Haitien.That initial mission, now called College Notre-Dame, sparked the establishment of other Holy Cross educational, social, and parochial ministries throughout Haiti, now organized as the Province of Notre-Dame du Perpetual Secours with 70 religious, including two Holy Cross bishops.
Holy Cross in Brazil—brothers and priests
In 1943, three Holy Cross priests from Canada came as missionaries at the invitation of the Archbishop of Sao Paulo to establish a parish in an urban industrial area. Other parishes, Colegio Santa Cruz (1952) and social ministries were established in subsequent years and developed into the District du Bresil, sponsored by the Canadian province. In 1951, American Holy Cross brothers arrived as missionaries in Santarem on the Amazon River to direct an existing school, Colegio Dom Amando. In subsequent years, the brothers expanded southward to Campinas and founded Colegio Notre Dame (1962), as well as other social ministries. These works developed into the District of Brazil, sponsored by the South-West province. In 2009, both these Holy Cross districts embarked on a path to fom a union of these two entities for greater service to the church of Brazil.
Holy Cross in West Africa
In 1957, Holy Cross brothers from the United States came to Ghana, to assume direction of St. John’s School, Sekondi. Their ministries and numbers have expanded over the years to other parts of West Africa, including nearly 20 years service in Liberia. The current 35 members of the District of West Africa, sponsored by the Midwest province, conduct ministries in Ghana.
Holy Cross in the Philippines
Holy Cross ministry, through Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., and the Family Rosary Crusade, has been present in the Philippines for 50 years. In 2008, the Asian Region of Holy Cross (the five provinces/vicariate in India and Bangladesh) established a permanent foundation in the country to serve as a center for the Family Rosary ministry, a house of studies for Holy Cross religious, and a base for future ministry and vocation recruitment in the Philippines.
