Best of the Week 2019-2020: Holy Cross Values

ST. ED'S CELEBRATES TWO RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE HOLY CROSS MISSION

Today at St. Ed's, we celebrate the upcoming Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the patronal feast of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Blessed Fr. Basil Moreau, C.S.C. chose Our Lady of Sorrows as the patron of the Congregation because of her ultimate witness of hope in the Cross of Christ. As it is written in the Holy Cross Constitutions, "There stood by the cross of Jesus his mother Mary, who knew grief and was a Lady of Sorrows. She is our special patroness, a woman who bore much she could not understand and who stood fast. To her many sons and daughters, whose devotions ought to bring them often to her side, she tells much of this daily cross and its daily hope." As shown above, Our Lady of Sorrows is one of six stained-glass windows in St. Ed's Holy Family Chapel that tell the story of Holy Cross and the founding of St. Edward High School. "I think we see in the person of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, a witness of someone who placed complete and total trust in Divine Providence; she is a model for us all to follow as we seek to live out God's call for our lives," says Mr. Liam Haggerty '02, VP of Mission Effectiveness.

"'You did not choose me, I chose you.' The Congregation of Holy Cross recognizes this quotation as the special calling of their Founder, Basil Moreau. Father Moreau had a deep devotion to Our Lady. She accepted God's call and remained faithful to it in spite of adversity. Mary's faith in God was not in vain as her son did rise from the dead," says Br. Dennis Bednarz, C.S.C. "As our young men discover more about themselves during their time at St. Edward, many students have doubts about their future. Many are unsure as to what they will do after St. Edward and are nervous about this uncertainty. Praying and reflecting on the Seven Sorrows of Mary reminds us all that, if we put our faith in the Lord, He will indeed take care of us. Using Our Lady of Sorrows as our guide, we certainly can 'Go and Do Likewise,' as our school theme states."

We also remember this weekend the anniversary of the Beatification of our Holy Cross founder, Blessed Fr. Basil Moreau, C.S.C. who was beatified on September 15, 2007. Fr. Moreau founded the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1837. His vision was to build a community of priests, brothers, and sisters to spread the Holy Cross mission worldwide. Moreau's unique educational philosophies impact the way all Holy Cross schools educate the hearts and minds of students. Moreau's vision came to fruition, and today members of the Holy Cross family serve throughout the world in countries as distant as Bangladesh, Kenya and India. Holy Cross priests, brothers and sisters also operate 32 parishes, 19 high schools, and seven colleges and universities - each continuing to spread Moreau's original mission - both educational and spiritual. At St. Edward High School, Fr. Moreau's mission of more than 150 years ago is put to work each day in the classrooms, on the practice fields, and among the community. Let us remember all members of the Congregation of Holy Cross and their ministries in living out the Holy Cross mission.