Social Ministries

In the encyclical letter "Evangeli Nuntiandi: Evangelization in the Modern World" (1975), Pope Paul VI links the work of doing justice with evangelization. He notes that the Gospel is about liberation from all oppressive structures and respect for cultures.

Pope John Paul II, in the encyclical letter "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: The Social Concerns of the Church" (1987), speaks in particular about the “option for the poor” as a central tenet of Church teaching.

Our Holy Cross Constitution on Mission (Constitution 2) takes up these themes of the Church’s Magisterium when it reminds us that:

“Christ was anointed to bring good news to the poor, release for prisoners, sight for the blind, restoration for every broken victim. Our efforts, which are his, reach out to the afflicted and in a preferential way to the poor and the oppressed. We come not just as servants but as their neighbors, to be with them and of them… We stand with the poor and the afflicted because only from there can we appeal as Jesus did for the conversion and deliverance of all: (C7, 13).

Social Justice Ministries

While social justice activity, education, and service are an essential element of every Holy Cross school and parish ministry, the following corporate social ministries of the Congregation throughout the world exemplify how Holy Cross responds in direct service to the poor.

Bangladesh:

  • Bangladesh Rehabilitation & Assistance Centre for Addicts (BARACA), Dhaka
  • Addiction Ponorbashan Nibash (APON): Female Rehabilitation Residence, Mohammadpur-Dhaka
  • Apongaon (APON): Male Rehabilitation Residence, Jaila-Singair
  • Bangladesh Inter-Religious Council for Peace and Justice (BICPAJ), Dhaka

Brazil:

Canada:

  • SECAVOM (Services de consultation et d’accompagnement vocationnel de Montréal),
  • Montreal, QC
  • Pastorale et Solidarité Sociales Sainte-Croix, Montréal, QC
  • Centre de Consultation Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC

Chile:

  • Fundacion Moreau, Santiago
  • Centro Hogar San Jose, Talagante
  • Centro Hogar Santa Cruz, Santiago
  • Centro Pastoral San Roque, Santiago

France:

  • Foyer St. Joseph de Préville, Rennes

Haiti:

  • Fame Pereo (medical services: Leprosy, HIV/AIDS), Port-au-Prince
  • Programme DEC/Sel Iodé (Elephantiasis prevention), Port-au-Prince

India:

  • Holy Cross Rural Development Centre, Salem, Tamilnadu
  • ASHA (Association for Social and Human Advancement), Damdamia, Tripura
  • Centre for Social Action, Bangalore, Karnataka
  • Manigandam Village Development Society, Nadupatty, Tamilnadu
  • Abayadama Human Development Center, Whitefield, Karnataka
  • Anugraha Social Service Centre, Bannerghatta, Karnataka
  • Jeevan Jothi Technical Institute, Honavar, Uttar Kannada

Peru:

  • Yancana Huasy (Asociasion de Apoyo y Promocion del Excepcional), Canto Grande

United States Of America:

Other Ministries

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… Wherever through its superiors the congregation sends us we go as educators in the faith to those whose lot we share, supporting men and women of grace and good will everywhere in their efforts to form communities of the coming kingdom”(C7, cf 12, 16).

The following ministries where we exercise our charism of being educators in the faith, exemplify how Holy Cross responds to the need to form and support communities of faith.

Spiritual Activities

Apostolate Of The Catholic Press

Additional Holy Cross Ministries:

Chaplains:
  • Hospital, Hospice & Elder Care
  • Campus Ministry
  • Military
  • House of Religious Men and Women
Parish/Diocesan Assistance:
  • Sacramental & Pastoral Ministry
  • Administration
Social Work:
  • Crisis Counseling
  • Homeless/Elder Services
  • Health Care Services
Legal Services:
  • Justice Advocacy
  • Jail Ministry
Internal Congregational Ministry:
  • General, Province, Vicariate, District Administration
  • Vocation Promotion
  • Formation
  • Auxiliary Services