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Welcome to the Congregation of Holy Cross

By Claude Grou, c.s.c.

Since the beginning of June 2024, the Canadian Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross has asked me to serve as Provincial Superior. I accepted this invitation to accompany my brothers in Holy Cross with trust in the One who gives us the strength to serve. I would like to briefly share with you the importance of our work in today’s Church and world.

We are one of the most active religious congregations in Canada.

We count around one hundred members and several hundred collaborators. You can find us mainly in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Ontario. We have contributed to the establishment of communities in several countries: Brazil, India, Bangladesh, and Haiti. Today, religious members from these countries are coming to assist us in our mission in Canada, allowing us to remain a dynamic group.

One of our greatest treasures in Montreal is without a doubt Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, the largest shrine in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph. In 1904, Saint Brother André, a remarkable religious who was canonized by the Church in 2010, built a small chapel. That seed bore fruit, and today about twenty religious, assisted by a large number of collaborators, welcome more than two million visitors each year to this unique place of prayer.

Looking back on our Canadian history, since 1847, we recognize the exceptional contribution of our predecessors to both the Church and society. Through our schools and colleges, we have helped educate thousands of people. One of us, Father Camille Lefebvre, along with a small team of religious, played a central role in the revival of French education in Acadia. Father Émile Legault played an essential role in the early days of Quebec theatre and in religious broadcasting on television. Father Paul-Aimé Martin founded Fides, an important Quebec publishing house… and so on.

The spiritual accompaniment of our contemporaries is also very close to our hearts. That is why we founded a renowned school for the training of first-class spiritual companions: Le Centre Le Pèlerin.

Our community today reflects our increasingly multi-ethnic society. Religious members from various countries and cultures live and work together. They serve their brothers and sisters and share the same faith and the same desire to dedicate their lives to serving one another.

Père Claude Grou

Father Claude Grou, c.s.c.

Provincial Superior

Brief History of Holy Cross

The history of Holy Cross in the world began in the town of Sainte-Croix, in the Diocese of Le Mans, France, in 1837. Basile Antoine Moreau united two entities for which he was responsible: a young community of teaching Brothers, the Brothers of Saint Joseph, founded in 1820, and a group of six auxiliary priests assigned to parish missions in the aftermath of the French Revolution. He added a female branch in 1840: the Marianites of Sainte-Croix. This group of brothers, priests, and sisters was recognized by the Bishop of Le Mans as a religious community under the authority of Father Moreau, c.s.c., with the purpose of educating youth and renewing French society.

The Early Steps of the Mission: From France to America

As early as 1841, he was requested by a diocese in Algeria, to which he sent a team composed of a priest, brothers, and sisters. Then, in 1843, a bishop originally from France but in charge of a diocese in Indiana, United States, made a similar request. Again, he sent a team from the three branches. This marks the origin of the current Notre Dame University, which is highly regarded as a Catholic university within the American context.

Around the same time, the Bishop of Montreal made a request that Father Moreau was able to answer in 1847, once again by sending a team from the three branches. The team settled in Montreal, in what is now the Saint-Laurent borough, opened schools, and participated in the diocese’s pastoral work. Teams of Sisters would later go to Western Canada starting in 1920.

Rooting in Acadia: Education and Vocation in the Francophone Land

Father Camille Lefebvre, c.s.c., who left Saint-Laurent in the suburbs of Montreal, Quebec, arrived in the Memramcook Valley in New Brunswick in June 1864 to found Collège Saint-Joseph as early as October of the same year, the first francophone higher education institution in Acadia. In 1928, this college became a university and took the name Université Saint-Joseph, adding new programs and schools including the School of Agriculture, the School of Education, the School of Social and Economic Sciences, and the School of Business. In 1953, part of the student body moved to Moncton. This college thus became the forerunner of the Université de Moncton, established around 1960 with Father Clément Cormier, c.s.c., as its first rector. Sister Marie-Léonie of the Sisters of Sainte-Croix founded the Little Sisters of the Holy Family in 1880 and took charge of it. She was canonized in the spring of 2025.

A Missionary Momentum Toward the South and the East

In the years following 1945, Sainte-Croix experienced a wide expansion both in English-speaking Canada and Latin America. Regarding Latin America, this was in response to a call from Rome to all apostolic religious communities to assist the Churches of the South. Canadian and American teams were sent to Haiti, Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

Let us go back briefly to the years 1850–1866. With the development of his mission in America, Father Moreau needed financial support from the Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. It was the prefect himself who approached Moreau in 1852 to propose a mission in India, in the state of East Bengal under British jurisdiction. Father Moreau accepted, and in June 1853, three brothers, three priests, and three sisters arrived in Dhaka. Administrative matters regarding canonical entities were settled in the following years.

Today: A Living Presence on Four Continents

In 2025, we support our Church and communities of integration in 18 countries across four continents: Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. We form the male branch of a large tree called the Association of Holy Cross. Together with the three female branches, we often work in partnership to create new services in response to the pressing challenges of the Church and society.

To Learn More

Sisters of Holy Cross

Soeurs de Sainte-Croix
Discover the Sisters of Holy Cross, women inspired by prayer, community life, and missionary zeal, committed at the heart of the world to educate, serve, and spread the light of the Gospel.
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Mother Province

Province Mère

Discover the mission and vibrant brotherhood of the Congregation of Holy Cross, united in the service of Christ through education, prayer, and missionary commitment across five continents.

VISIT WEBSITE

150 Years of Basile Moreau in Canada

150 and de Basile Moreau au Canada
Discover the legacy of Blessed Basile Moreau in Canada, 150 years after his entrance into heaven, through a virtual exhibition celebrating his work and the impact of Holy Cross.
VISIT WEBSITE

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Info CSC August and September 2025

At the heart of the Congregation of Holy Cross, community life is a commitment to journey together in faith, sharing, and service.

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Concrete Commitment for Today

Concrètement, pour toi, aujourd'hui

A Living Brotherhood, Meaningful Missions

At the heart of the Congregation of Holy Cross, community life is a commitment to walk together in faith, sharing, and service. United in prayer and mission, our religious serve in a variety of settings: parishes, education, and spiritual accompaniment, both in Canada and around the world. Discover how our commitment takes shape through concrete actions in service of others.
Explore the community and its missions
Explorer sa vocation

Exploring Your Vocation to Move Toward Your Future

A vocation is a unique call that brings meaning and direction to our lives. Whether through religious commitment, service to others, or a deeper spiritual journey, each person is invited to discern their path. Be inspired by the stories of those who have responded to this call and explore the path that may be yours.

EXPLORE YOUR VOCATION
Tracer son chemin

Charting Your Path with Holy Cross

Whether you are searching for meaning, engaged in your community, or reflecting on a deeper call, Holy Cross offers personalized support along your journey. Our four vocational programs help you identify your sources of life, deepen your relationships with others, and explore the spiritual dimension that gives purpose to existence. Discover the program that resonates with you and take the next step on your path.
CHARTING YOUR PATH

Trainings in Montreal

Come Meet Us at the Vocation Fair!

November 8, 2025

The Congregation of Holy Cross will be present at the Vocation Fair on November 8, 2025, at Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, an inspiring event bringing together youth, pastoral workers, and vocation witnesses from all backgrounds. Under the theme “God is calling me, here I am!”, this free event invites you to discover the richness of vocations in the Church. Stop by our booth to chat, ask questions, learn about our formation programs, and explore how God is still calling today. A great opportunity to connect, share, and discern together.

International News

A School Bus for Vakkampatty School

February 16, 2025

Vakkampatty School, located in a rural area of the Diocese of Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, currently serves 1,543 students from eight Catholic parishes. Founded in 2008 by the Congregation of Holy Cross, the school plays a vital role in a region lacking public school transportation within a 20 km radius. Its aging fleet of eight used buses urgently needed an upgrade. To purchase a new bus valued at $49,500, the school had already gathered $16,167. Thanks to a generous contribution of $33,333 from Missions Sainte-Croix, the remaining amount was covered, allowing the school to acquire this essential vehicle for student transportation.

Emergency Relief for Families Affected by Flooding in Tripura

August 23, 2024

Recent floods in Tripura have caused widespread devastation: destroying infrastructure, disrupting daily life, and plunging thousands into hardship, particularly in the areas of education and agriculture. In response, the Holy Cross Fathers acted with compassion and efficiency, organizing relief camps, distributing food rations, and providing psychological support to victims. Their presence on the ground has brought comfort and tangible assistance to the most vulnerable. An emergency relief fund of USD $20,000, partially supported by Missions Sainte-Croix-Canada, has been mobilized to address urgent needs and support the rebuilding of affected communities.

Congregation of Holy Cross in Canada

Program Coordinator
Father Joy Biswas, C.S.C.
joybiswascsc@gmail.com
514-746-7925

Communities and Missions | Explore Your Vocation | Charting Your Path

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