Holy Cross Unites on Climate Change

Joint Statement Calls for Collaborative Action
Montréal, Québec, Canada — Leaders of the four Congregations of Holy Cross sisters, brothers and priests have issued a joint statement on climate change, declaring “Earth and the life it sustains are precious gifts of God” and calling action to safeguard these gifts “a moral responsibility integral to the mission of the Family of Holy Cross.”
The statement commits the four Holy Cross congregations, numbering over 2,800 members around the world, to collaboratively take specific actions to stem the global climate crisis. These actions include fostering an ethos of care for God’s creation, resisting the culture of consumerism, reducing energy consumption, and achieving carbon neutrality in the congregations by 2050.
The congregations’ leaders, commenting on the scope and significance of the statement, noted, “With the Holy Cross family ministering in 19 countries on five continents, we realized the positive impact we could have on climate change by pooling our experience, expertise and energy. By signing a joint statement, we have committed our congregations to work together on specific goals in response to this global crisis. Because climate change especially affects marginalized peoples, our response is a matter of justice and solidarity.”
Holy Cross congregations serve impoverished and vulnerable people, many of whom live in areas already experiencing the impact of climate change, particularly Bangladesh and sections of east and west Africa where droughts, floods, loss of work and population migration are occurring. “Climate change is already destroying Earth’s life-support systems, and endangering human health and security,” the statement reads. “Those least responsible and most affected are poor people and nations.”
The signing of the statement took place at a meeting of the four general councils of Holy Cross, hosted by the Sisters of Holy Cross in Pierrefonds, Québec, Canada, from September 28 to October 1. The four congregations are the Marianites of Holy Cross, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; the Congregation of Holy Cross (priests and brothers), Rome, Italy; the Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Cross, Montréal, Québec, Canada; and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
The statement was developed by the Holy Cross International Justice Office (HCIJO), which animates and unites the social justice work of the four congregations. By providing educational resources and action opportunities, the HCIJO works to develop a well-informed, unified, public Holy Cross voice able to impact critical justice issues of the times.
According to HCIJO director Sister Mary Turgi, CSC, “This joint commitment of the Holy Cross congregations to address climate change could not be more timely as we enter the final phase of preparations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December (7-18). Every day of inaction brings accelerated climate change. It is imperative that all of us, at all levels of society, take steps now to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advocate for a fair and effective climate deal in Copenhagen.”

Blessed Brother Andre Bessette, CSC

Statue of Brother André outside St. Joseph's Oratory
Born August 9, 1845
Died January 6, 1937
Venerated in Catholic Church Feast January 6

Letter from Fr. Hugh Cleary, Superior General

Tragedy in Haiti

You are already aware of the enormous tragedy in Haiti due to the devastating earthquake. We stand by our confreres and the people of Haiti during this time of loss and pain. Fr. Hugh Cleary, the superior general has sent the following information.
“ Thank you for your prayers for the people of Haiti and for all our Holy Cross religious, sisters, brothers and priests, living and ministering there. We have heard that many of our buildings in Port-au-Prince have been severely damaged. Our own religious, men and women, seem to be safe and accounted for except for one of the young men in the scholasticate. We just received word that Father Michel Eugene, the Provincial, who had been missing since the earthquake struck, has made his way back to the community. He is safe and well, thank God. He had been at a meeting and it is only in the last half hour that we have heard of his safety. One of the temporarily professed seminarians, Emmanuel Jacques Gillaume, in the third year of his theology studies, is still missing. He had been at school taking an exam; no one has seen him or heard from him since the quake. Please keep him in your prayers. The death toll in Haiti will be staggering and the number of people without shelter and in need of medical attention will be enormous. A number of you have asked where you might send donations and relief aid. One suggestion is to send your contribution of relief aid to the Generalate here in Rome and we will coordinate a process of distribution in Haiti with the Provincial Administration”…

Whatever contribution you can make for the confreres and the people of Haiti will be much appreciated. You may send the contribution to the Administrator. Thank you for your generosity and solidarity.

Cannonization of Blessed Brother Andre

Blessed Brother Andre: (News from the Generalate)
Holy Father Benedict XVI has confirmed a miraculous healing due to the intercession of Brother André. The Holy Father authorized the Congregation to issue a decree on December 19th concerning a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Brother André, CSC, founder of Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal. Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged as scientifically inexplicable, a healing due to the intercession of Blessed Brother André.

This announcement followed upon a meeting of the Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops. The 15 members of this group gave their favorable consent for the foregoing of the Cause. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints was thus able to present all the currently available recommendations to the Holy Father. Details of the events leading up to the last stages of the process of canonization will be published at the beginning of the New Year, 2010.

Born on August 9, 1845 at Saint-Grégoire d'Iberville in the diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe, south of Montréal, Brother André died on January 6, 1937 in Montréal. He was declared Venerable on June 12, 1978 by Pope Paul VI and was beatified on May 23, 1982 by Pope John Paul II in Rome.

This is yet another good news for Holy Cross to rejoice and to thank the Lord. Let us rejoice with the Church and model ourselves in the example of Brother Andre in our commitment to religious life in Holy Cross.

Tenth Anniversary of ASHA Foundation

ASHA celebrates its tenth foundation anniversary on the 6th of January 2010 in the presence of all the members of the fathers of Holy Cross, northeast province. ASHA, the official social service wing of the Fathers of Holy Cross was established in 1999 and the building was blessed in the year 2002. Initially ASHA conducted many growth promoting sessions and trainings for the diocese of Agartala. After the establishment of JUST (the official social service wing of the diocese of Agartala) ASHA conduct programs of its own like seminar for students and teachers etc.
For the last two years ASHA venture into vocational training programs like computer education, TV Radio mechanics, Media and communications, Printing press.

On this occasion of decinial celebration, the newly build MOREAU STUDIO (Audio Recording Studio) was inaugurated by Fr. Roy Thalackan, csc and blessed by Most Rev. Bishop Lumen Monteiro in the presence of the confrers. Along with this, there was inauguration of the Office block for ASHA. It was followed by short cultural programs and Community meal.

Province Assembly and Annual Retreat

The Fathers of Holy Cross, Northeast Province had begun two days Province Assembly from 5th to 6th January 2010 at Moreau Community House, Durjoynagar, Agartala. During this meeting, they discussed about the community matter and also report of the new ministries undertaken at different places. The community also felicitate and welcome the five newly ordained priests for the northeast province during the meeting.

The Annual Retreat begun from 6th to 11th January 2010. Rev. Fr. Frank from Sacred Heart Province, Bangladesh is preaching the retreat. There are about 40 Holy Cross priests attending for this retreat coming from as far as Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

First Holy Cross Priest from Tripura Ordained

Rev. Fr. Tarun Hrangkhawl is the first Holy Cross Priest to be ordained from Tripura. He hailed from Rangamura village under Moharpara Parish. He joined Holy Cross congregation and finished his degree studies at Shillong. Then he joined the novitiate at Yercaud, Tamilnadu. He studied philosophy and Theology at Jnana Deepa Vidhaya Peeth, Pune.

He was ordained a priest by Most Rev. Bishop Lumen Monteiro, CSC DD, the Bishop of Agartala on the 3rd January 2010 at Immaculate Conception Church, Moharpara. There were more than 50 priests concelebrating the Holy Eucharist. Besides these, there were alarge number of religious brothers and sisters and faithful from different parts of Tripura.

It was indeed, a day of joy for the church of Tripura as Bishop Lumen said because the son of the soil has been ordained a priest mean that it is a mile stone for the Church and it is indeed the fruits of the work of missionaries in Tripura.

Fr. Tarun has been appointed at Koloriang Parish in Arunachal as a assistant Parish Priest. We wish him all the best for his first Missionary work in Arunachal Pradesh.