This Sunday, April 29th, in union with the Universal Church, the Congregation of Holy Cross celebrates the 49^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This year, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has invited us to reflect on the theme of Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God. Read More

“‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ That is the wisdom of an African proverb, and there is a great truth in it,” writes Fr. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C. “As the Roman Catholic Church celebrates Vocations Awareness Week January 9-16, I would like to propose a new, yet similar proverb about vocations to religious life and priesthood: ‘It takes the Church to raise a vocation.’” Read More

“I am a concrete finisher.” That is not something you hear every day from a Ph.D. candidate at one of the world’s top universities, yet Fr. Dan Parrish, C.S.C., tells how obedience to God’s call in his life led him from finishing concrete to the priesthood in Holy Cross and then eventually to higher studies. “Whatever workshops we find ourselves in, we roll up our sleeves and work to make God known, loved, and served.” Read More

“Father, I hear you’re a real hard guy in the classroom. Now, when you’re in the dorms or just around campus, everybody says there isn’t a nicer, friendlier, priest at UP.”  Regardless of the reputation’s validity, I began to reflect that maybe this combination of toughness in public settings and gentleness in more personal ones isn’t actually such a bad reputations for a minster in the Church. Read More

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to transition from the world into the life of a seminary? Moreau Candidate Jim Maslar, who just graduated from the University of Notre Dame, answers that question with today’s post for our blog. It is a post any man discerning the candidate year will not want to miss. Read More

Today we have our second installment in our posts from our Holy Cross men in higher studies. Last month we heard from Fr. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C., who is wrapping up his Doctorate in Theology at Catholic University. This month we hear from Fr. Greg Haake, C.S.C., who is entering the second year of his doctoral studies in French at Stanford University. Please continue to keep these priests and all of our men in higher studies in your prayers. As with Fr. Terry’s post, Fr. Greg’s reflection on his studies reveals these great priests have a lot to teach us and our world. Read More

Back from World Youth Day in Madrid, Fr. Drew Gawrych, C.S.C., filed the following reflection on con-celebrating the closing Mass at Cautro Vientos with the Holy Father.  Read More

This year, we are blessed to accompany a veteran missionary to Latin America, Fr. Don Fetters, C.S.C., who after spending many years working in Chile is now serving in Peru. As you will find right from his first post in which he recounts the call that led him to missionary work, Fr. Don is one of the best spiritual writers in our community. It will be our treat to fall into step with him this year. Read More

The academic year has come to a close at our seminaries. Before heading home, however, Moreau Candidate Michael Gonzalez filed this post for us on how his ministry over spring break helped him understand more deeply the call to and fruitfulness of celibate chastity in the life of the Church. For all those discerning religious life, this is a must read. Read More

Continuing our week of exclusive coverage (a la the Royal Wedding Coverage) of this week’s Priestly Ordinations in Holy Cross, we hear today from Fr. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., the Executive Assistant to the President at the University of Portland. Ordained last year on April 10th, Fr. Gerry reflects with us on his first year of priesthood. Read More

Salt + Light Television, Canada’s “Catholic Channel of Hope”, which produced the moving documentary on Saint André Bessette entitled God’s Doorkeeper, features two of our Holy Cross priests this week on their flagship programs. First, Fr. James Phalan, C.S.C., the director of Family Rosary International, appeared on their weekly Perspectives Program and gives a wonderful education in the faith about the rosary. In the same week, our very own Associate Director of the Office of Vocations, Fr. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C., appeared on the WITNESS program. Fr. Tom Rosica, C.S.B., the CEO of Salt + Light, interviewed him about his vocation to Holy Cross. We just might declare this Holy Cross week on Salt + Light! Read More

Fr. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., the executive assistant to the President at the University of Portland as well as our vocations point man on that campus, filed this report for us about a recent vocations event at UP.  The Spirit is really moving in our CSC community out there. Read More

Today in the Church we celebrate World Day for Consecrated Life.  It is the day we set aside each year to give thanks for all the many religious sisters, brothers, and priests who through their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience have consecrated themselves to the Lord and His service.  But, as Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., Director of the Office of Vocations, pointed out in his homily today, it is also the day that we renew our efforts -- all of our efforts -- to pray and work for the next generation of consecrated women and men who will serve our Church and world.  Enjoy his homily! Read More

Today, Fr. Kevin Grove, C.S.C., the associate pastor of Christ the King Parish in South Bend, Ind., shares with us about a beautiful prayer for vocations at their parish using a traveling monstrance blessed by the late Pope John Paul II. Read More

This past weekend, the Office of Vocations hosted an amazing 23 vocations prospects. Nineteen of them attended the annual College Discernment Retreat held at the Holy Cross Center in La Porte, Ind. Running point on the retreat for the Office of Vocations was Fr. Drew Gawrych, C.S.C., the associate director, and he filed the following post on the retreat. Read More

Here is the last installment from our pilgrims to Rome, as reported by Andrew Solkshinitz. Read More

The Canonization of Saint André may be over, but our pilgrims in Rome are still exploring the Eternal City. Here is the latest post of their adventures from Andrew Solkshinitz. Read More

A full chapel of Notre Dame and Holy Cross College students joined the Holy Cross Community at Notre Dame for a vocation night this past Wednesday night at Corby Hall. Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., the dean of Moreau Seminary, preached a moving homily about the desperate need for priests today “to celebrate the joys of life and walk with us in the sorrow of pain and suffering.” If you have ever felt even an inkling of a call to the priesthood, this is a homily you must read. Read More