Best of the Week 2019-2020: Holy Cross Values

ST. ED'S CELEBRATES THE FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH AND HOLY CROSS BROTHERHOOD TO REMAIN STRONG IN FAITH & COMMUNITY

On Thursday, the St. Ed's community celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph, the patron of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and the feast day of the Brothers of Holy Cross. Although the community couldn't gather together to celebrate with an all-school Mass, students, faculty and staff were encouraged to tune into the live-broadcasted Feast of St. Joseph liturgy held at the University of Notre Dame Basilica with celebrant Fr. Ryan, twin brother of St. Ed's Math Department Chair Mr. Brendan Ryan. Additionally, St. Ed's Campus Ministry Department tweeted fun facts about St. Joseph, the Brothers of Holy Cross and the Congregation of Holy Cross throughout the day and Mr. Ryan hosted a Lenten Prayer reflection in the afternoon for students, faculty and staff via Google Hangout.

"Ultimately, I wanted to try and keep things as normal as possible for our community during this celebration, even if we couldn't join together in the same space," says Campus Minister Ms. Cari White. "It's fitting that we had to start our social distancing transition during the time we celebrate our community of Holy Cross. The Brothers are known for adapting to teach in tough situations across cultures and borders. St. Joseph, especially, had to adapt. His plan wasn't to stay beside Mary during Jesus' birth, but he made it work to the best of his ability. Lent is already a time of sacrifice, and to have to sacrifice in the ways we all are individually can help us experience Lent more deeply. By continuing to communicate with each other through prayer and faith, we all can stay grounded and connected to what's most important."

Continuing the Student Ministers' #40Ways40Days Lenten Challenge, Ms. White has provided the St. Ed's community with links to participate in daily Mass livestreams from St. Raphael in Bay Village to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, spiritual reflections students can engage with on Twitter, community-wide morning prayer emails and intentions for each day, and games focused on Holy Cross trivia that students can play together to win prizes. "Staying connected to our faith is really important and when people feel isolated, it can be hard to remember that God is always walking with us," says Ms. White. "Our faith is the one thing that is consistent in our lives and that can help us remember that we live our faith outside of any building or place. While we are not necessarily all in the same space, we are not alone. This time can be an opportunity for us to connect with God in a deeply personal way we may not have had time to focus on before. Our Holy Cross values help us to strive for excellence and I've seen our community really embrace the idea of family and finding ways to support each other. It's clear that our community will always find a way to be together."