C.S.C. into the 2000s
The Congregation’s general administration is headquartered in Rome, and its Superior General is the Very Rev. Hugh W. Cleary, C.S.C. (right), re-elected to a second six-year term in July 2004. Responsibility for the administration of religious houses and the apostolic works of the community is largely entrusted to 11 provinces, 3 vicariates, and 7 districts, covering the following countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Ghana, Haiti, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States.
The work that our Congregation is doing in these places is diverse and dynamic. Here are a few examples:
University of Portland
Name: Father John Donato, C.S.C.
Position: Interim Director, Campus Ministry
Location: University of Portland, Oregon
Date of Birth: 1964
Father John Donato admired his father, whose work as a banker required that he manage both people and technology. As a priest, Father Donato applies the management skills he admired in his father to his work as a parish priest, a business consultant for pastors, and to his campus ministry endeavors.
“I have touched the joys and wounds of life-births and baptisms, First Confessions and First Eucharists, graduations and Confirmations, wedding preparations and growing families, divorces and remarriages, annointings in the middle of the night and in the midst of community, sudden deaths, and welcomed births to new life.”
Here is his story . . .
I had always wanted to be a banker like my father. As a manager of both people and technology, he was the first to computerize the bank’s checking and savings accounts. What a perfect personal icon of the late 20th century for me.
And yet as early as I can remember I recognized an attraction to the priesthood. Maybe it was my vibrant pastor who caught my attention, or maybe it was that simple joy in my heart when I served Mass? I may never know the “hows” and “whys” of this peculiar gift of God in my life. But, I have discovered along my own road to Emmaus that the shadow of the Cross will not extinguish the bright fire of Easter faith.
Parish Ministry: Shepherding the Flock
For nine of my 11 years in active ministry, I have been immersed in my first love: parish ministry. In the place we call parish, the crucified and risen Lord lives, week in and week out. The rhythm of daily Mass and the liturgical seasons keep the little flock attentive for the Master’s voice, shepherding us from death into life. It’s not hard to live the Gospel there.
Business Consultant: Managing the Church’s Business
Always a student at heart, I completed a nonprofit business degree at the University of Notre Dame. Soon afterward, I left for Florida to serve as an auxiliary priest and start an internship as a business and computer consultant for area pastors. One day it occurred to me that I was doing what my father did, but for parishes instead of banks. Those two years proved to be extraordinarily rich pastorally and professionally, but a new adventure in campus ministry awaited me.
Campus Ministry: Guiding the Hearts and Minds of Future Leaders
Now I spend most of my time with college students at the University of Portland, built on a bluff overlooking the Willamette River north of downtown Portland, Ore. Many young men and women here hunger for guidance in their spiritual journey. Their questions are simple and refreshing: “How can I serve?” “Will this make a difference?” “Am I called to ministry?” I do much of what I did in the parishes, now attuned more to the academic year than the liturgical one.
Many people think our lives are difficult, trying to fathom a vowed life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. But our lives are quite easy, blessed by those yearning for a glimpse of the Light of Christ in their lives. This Light, offered in the university setting, seems far more dangerous to the networks of privilege than even a fiery, Sunday sermon in a parish pulpit. Who knows what will happen when the searching minds and hearts of our future leaders find words of hope and ready themselves for lives of service!
Where I will be and what I will be doing in the future remains in the hands of Providence. For now, anchored by hope, these first steps into university life and campus ministry on the bluff have made a nice fit for me. How fortunate I am to be surrounded by the learned and the beginners, all with faith-filled lives of their own. And how fitting that at the University of Portland, the hallmarks of “teaching, faith and serve” are proudly displayed on banners all over campus. Here, possibilities abound.
I am not a banker, but that simple joy is still there. Like the young Jesus said when he was found studying the Law in the Temple, I find myself “busy about my Father’s business.”
Haiti
Name: Father Rodolphe Arty, C.S.C.
Position: District Superior of Holy Cross in Haiti
Location: Haiti
Date of Birth: 1966
Father Arty’s involvement in the church as a youth lead him to devote his life to the work of Holy Cross in Haiti. Today, he nurtures the solidarity and community cohesion necessary to serve the poor in Haiti and to build the future of this beautiful country.
“I was motivated by the practical human values around me: honesty, the gift of self, love, and generosity. In my prayers, I never stopped asking the Lord to make my life a response of love, a model of wisdom and faithfulness.”
Here is his story . . .
Born in the north of Haiti in 1966 to a profoundly Christian family, I studied at the College of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, run by Holy Cross for 60 years. With the help of this scholarly institution, I discovered the religious family of the Holy Cross and the charisma of its founder Basil Moreau.
In college I was fascinated by youth initiatives such as scouting, Catholic action, cultural clubs and philanthropic organizations. It was here that my vocation first took root. Thanks to the dynamism and the skill of the religious living at the college, this center of education became a beacon for many young people of my generation. We felt confident and accompanied by respected and skillful elders. The youth ministry was dynamic and vocations flourished.
Choosing the Religious Life of Holy Cross
The involvement of Holy Cross in ministry awakened vocations in many of my comrades. It was not the achievements of our elder colleagues that led us to community, but their involvement in mission. They called us to make a fundamental choice in our lives. I often pointed out to my friends the particular opportunities and challenges of teaching that ministry could offer.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help, I assumed responsibilities for youth groups. In my prayers, I never stopped asking the Lord to make my life a response of love, a model of wisdom and faithfulness.
In April of 1980, I participated in a national congress of the youth Eucharistic movement. This great event profoundly affected my life. It was then that I began to ponder consecrating my life to Christ to better serve the poor. Four years later, I made the right choice—to value the religious life of the Holy Cross. I repeated from the moment I entered the novitiate: “I am here, I am staying.”
Study and Vows Lead to Life of Service
I believe firmly that the will of God showed itself in my decision to choose Holy Cross. After my novitiate and some years of study at the Notre Dame seminary in Port au Prince, I was sent to the Gregorian University in Rome to complete my theology studies. My vows with Holy Cross marked for me the beginning of my daily affirmation. All of my rich pastoral experience began with this.
I spent seven years in college ministry and the initial training of young professed. Since January 2000, I have assumed the leadership of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Haiti. This was a surprise to me and many that a 34-year-old would be given such a responsibility.
As superior of the district, I have agreed to be the living memory of 60 priests and brothers who live and work together in the mission. My work consists of administration and managing the religious personnel, the pastoral services, and coordinating the community life of the district during this period of growth, consolidation, and missionary expansion. In Haitian society, weakened by the breakdown of its infrastructure, we act for solidarity and community cohesion. The quality of our presence in our many ministries demonstrates our dynamism and our active hope.
Choosing Life and Building the Future of Haiti
When you wonder about the future of Haiti, the Holy Cross chooses life. Everyone is invited to become an authentic person by following the Lord in their physical life, as well as in their intellectual, social, and spiritual lives. Thus, the recruitment of candidates becomes possible thanks to the dynamism of the mission, which cannot be denied.
In the steps of our pioneers and in solidarity with the Canadian missionaries who gave their youth, their energy, and their intelligence to the service of the Church in Haiti, we are building anew with the limited means we have. My coworkers and I work ardently to build the future province of Haiti. I am engaged not only in accompanying my brothers in this process, but also in awakening more interest and appreciation of the potential and the achievements of Holy Cross in this beautiful Caribbean country.
Chile
Name: Brother Thomas Giumenta, C.S.C.
Location: Santiago, Chile
Brother Thomas Guimenta moved to Chile to experience the challenge of living the religious life in a different culture—little did he know that he would be working among people who are truly hungry for spirituality.
“The reason I stay in Holy Cross is because God has gifted me with a wonderful relationship with Him. The vowed life simply becomes my way of responding to that love. The rewards have far outweighed any sacrifice.”
Here is his story . . .
My ministry right now is to assist in Formation with the candidacy program and the professed program in Santiago. I also assist with the formation programs in Mexico and Lima. I spend some time in our counseling center here in Santiago, several days in the guidance department at St. George’s College, and a bit of time in the campus ministry office at the University of Santiago.
One of the reasons I came to Chile was because I felt it would be a challenge to live the religious life in a different culture. Doing so makes one dependent on God in a whole new way.
Catholic Culture Encourages Spirituality
One of the most interesting things about being in Chile is having the opportunity to live the religious life in a Catholic culture. There are certain predispositions to inner growth that many people have here for belonging to a Catholic culture. People are hungry for spirituality here and they articulate that.
The reason I stay in Holy Cross is because God has gifted me with a wonderful relationship with Him. The vowed life simply becomes my way of responding to that love. The rewards have far outweighed any sacrifice.
Ghana
Name: Brother Paul Mensah, C.S.C.
Position: District Administration
Location: Ghana, West Africa
Date of Birth: 1959
Brother Mensah is a skilled businessman who has followed God’s call to use his gifts to serve the needs of priests and other religious workers. Through responsible management of the Church’s finances, he contributes to the existence and mission of Holy Cross in Ghana.
“With open hands and a living faith, the Lord has directed my life’s journey to discover the meaning of the phrase, ‘Relax, God is in charge.’”
Here is his story . . .
There comes a time in our lives when moving into the future is best served by looking into the past. Looking into the past presupposes a journey. I look at my personal journey as two-fold; my outward journey and my inner journey.
The Process of My Vocation and the Choice of Academic Field
I came to know Holy Cross through a friend who was a student of St. Theresa’s Minor Seminary at Amisano, Ghana, where Holy Cross brothers were teaching and administering. I was in secondary school when my friend, Philip Danquah sent me brochure about the brothers. I became interested in the work they were doing and corresponded with the vocation directors-Brothers Joseph Tsiquaye and James Kozak-over a three-year period with occasional visits until I completed secondary school.
In 1983, I took my first vows in Holy Cross in Sekondi, Ghana. I made my final vows on Dec. 29, 1990, with brothers Michael Amakyi and Daniel Dardoe in Sekondi.
After the novitiate, I pursued philosophy and theology at the major seminary in Cape Coast. From then on, I changed to the study of business based on the needs of the community. In 1992, I graduated in accounting and finance from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Tex.
Using Business Skills in Ministry
Since my return to Ghana in 1992, I have been involved in a variety of ministries. I completed my national service at the University of Cape Coast for two years in administration and teaching management information systems. I was very much involved in the computerization of the planning unit and the finance office of the university.
From 1995 to 1997, I worked in the various formation programs of the district. I have been the director of the temporary professed members and the assistant director in the candidacy program. Since 1993, I have been part of our leadership team and responsible for the finances of the district.
In 1997, I began working with Catholic Mission Press, a diocesan printing press. This was the first Catholic printing press in Ghana, but had been neglected. Today, I am trying to rejuvenate the press—making it an income-generating project for the Archdiocese of Cape Coast.
The need for financial responsibility and accountability led me to organize workshops on accounting and financial management for priests and others who work on church finances, and I facilitated a similar workshop in Nigeria in 1997. I serve and consult on different committees and boards at the national level for the Church. I serve on the board of Quality Insurance Company, an insurance company of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ghana. I also serve on a finance committee of the Bishops’ Conference at the National Catholic Secretariat. At the moment, I serve as the executive secretary of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Men in Ghana.
What I Am is God’s Gift to Me; What I Become Is My Gift to God
I joined Holy Cross not knowing where this would lead. My desire was to respond to a call to be of service to God and humanity. The challenges and the commitment that are entailed in living the religious life in community, prayer, and mission have provided me the opportunity for growth as a person. It is the personal growth and the rich experiences I have gained in Holy Cross that have helped me in my various ministries.
Through the mix of various opportunities and a variety of ministries, I get a feeling of purposeful living, with the meaning that my life has been given to me as a gift.
Joining these men as a brother of Holy Cross is the choice that has made all the difference in my life. In the words of St. Augustine, “What I am is God’s gift to me; what I become is my gift to God.” That is what Yahweh asks of me: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with my God.
Bangladesh
Name: Father Lawrence Noresh Das, C.S.C.
Position: Seminary Work/Justice & Peace Coordinator
Location: Bangladesh
Date of Birth: 1966
Born into a peasant family—one of 11 children—Father Lawrence Noresh Das overcame war and poverty to obtain an education. By combining religion and law, he has found a way to bring justice and peace to people of less fortunate circumstances.
“I request you for your prayer and moral support that we can continue this ministry. May the rights of a voiceless people be defended and peace be established in Bangladesh and the world at large.”
Here is his story . . .
I was born in a remote and primitive agricultural village named Dhormopur Baniapara on Jan. 31, 1966. I am the first child among 11 children in our peasant family.
Prayer and Perseverance Make Education a Reality
I started schooling with great vigor and enthusiasm in 1971. But, when war broke out in the country, I missed two years in my academic career. When I was able to return to school, I had to overcome much difficulty. Education was not valued in my area, and there were very few schools. But I was determined to study because I wanted to be a priest.
In 1978, I was admitted into St. Philip’s High School. It was very competitive; only a quarter of the candidates were accepted. My only hope was prayer. Fortunately, the boarding master gave me the option to take an oral test. My perseverance paid off and in 1983, I graduated from a minor seminary in Dinajpur.
I graduated in 1985 from a college in Dinajpur and after the intermediate examinations, I was sent to Shantiniketan (the home of peace), a center in Jalchatra parish for a spiritual formation course. Those who passed the course were asked to complete their studies at Ramna seminary. I was one of the selected ones, and I graduated in 1987 from Notre Dame College in Dhaka. From there I was sent to Banani National Major Seminary for my priestly formation. Upon completion, I was asked to study law by the superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross. I graduated from a law college in 1999, and I received my membership in the Dhaka judge court to practice as an advocate for a year.
Religious Studies Parallel Legal Studies
The life example of Father Thomas Zimmerman, C.S.C., and the community life of this Congregation attracted me. I joined the Congregation in 1990, while I was in my third year of study at the Major Seminary. After this year, I was sent to the Novitiate and pronounced my first vows on Jan. 24, 1992. I finished my studies at the Major Seminary was ordained a deacon in 1995.
In 1999, I had the opportunity to help Father Richard Timm, C.S.C., in his human rights office. I found this work interesting and was encouraged to get further training. In the second half of my diaconate, I was sent to Pirgaccha parish to work with Father Eugene Homrich, C.S.C., who has been serving this country more than 40 years. He has spent much of his life working with the Garos of Mymensingh diocese. These people are aboriginal and suffer from poverty and injustice. This is a terrible situation, and I felt a call to defend human rights.
Serving the Poor and Less Fortunate
I was ordained a priest on Jan. 10, 1996. It was a cold and foggy day but a golden day for me. After my ordination, I was assigned to Srimangal parish. This parish has many kinds of tribal people. They have their own language, culture, history, and food habits. These people work in the tea gardens for very low wages—less than half a dollar a day. The literacy rate is low, and education is not available. The most pitiful sight is that these simple and humble people are suffering from extreme poverty and at times are being harassed. I was given an opportunity to take a stand for them, and I had a good number of enriching experiences during my stay there.
In the meantime, I was assigned to work as the secretary in the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Bangladesh. In 1999, I was transferred to the Narinda Holy Cross Aspirancy to be the assistant director along with my justice and peace activities and the work of vocation promotion through Holy Cross.
I believe that through justice and peace activities we can make our prophetic role visible to the people of God. Currently, to create public awareness and the capacity for defending human rights, classes are being given to groups of different ages; articles are being written in the Catholic weekly magazine, the “Pratibeshi”; and a series on legal aid is being prepared according to the context of the country. I request your prayer and moral support as we continue this ministry. May the rights of a voiceless people be defended and peace be established in the country and the world at large.
