In summer 2025, Moreau seminarians John Cahill, C.S.C., and Ethan Kelley, C.S.C., took part in the Ganguly Exchange, an eight-week international ministry program coordinated by the Holy Cross Mission Center (HCMC) in partnership with the Moreau Seminary & Scholasticate Formation Team. Their placements in Holy Cross communities abroad immersed them in new cultural and pastoral contexts, strengthening the bonds of the Congregation’s international family and building the intercultural competencies needed for a lifetime of ministry.
Preparation began in March with an introductory videoconference connecting each participant with his placement supervisor and the leadership of the hosting Holy Cross jurisdiction. When possible, an HCMC representative joined these conversations to help establish shared expectations. From March through May, they pre-departure formation meetings that focused on logistical support, cultural frameworks for adjusting to cultural and social differences, and best practices for American Holy Cross religious traveling abroad.
In late May, John and Ethan departed for their eight-week ministry placements, John to Canto Grande, Peru, where he served in Yancana Huasy and Colegio Fe y Alegria no. 25 and Ethan to France where he ministered in Holy Cross’s four high schools there. For eight weeks, they entered fully into the life of their host communities—joining in daily prayer, sharing in community life, and working in a variety of ministries alongside other Holy Cross religious and lay colleagues. These placements allowed them to experience firsthand the richness of Holy Cross life in different cultural settings and the diverse ways the Congregation’s mission is lived around the world.
Upon their return, they participated in the two-day Ganguly Exchange Debrief on July 31 and August 1 in LaPorte, Indiana, coordinated by HCMC Assistant Director Michael Jezewak and Moreau Seminary & Scholasticate Assistant Rector Rev. Dan Parrish, C.S.C. The Debrief’s five sessions drew upon the biblical story of the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35):
- Recalling – “All the things that had occurred” — sharing presentations that captured key experiences of their placements.
- Cultural Framework – “But their eyes were prevented from recognizing him” — naming the dynamics and lessons of cross-cultural ministry.
- Encounter – “Jesus himself drew near and walked with them” — reflecting on moments that revealed God’s grace in unexpected ways.
- Disturbance – “Oh, how foolish you are!” — identifying ways that their expectations, assumptions, and perspectives were challenged.
- Response – “How he was made known” — planning concrete “mystagogical opportunities” to share with others how God’s was present in the communities where they ministered.
Readers who may be interested in hearing more about Ethan’s and John’s experiences should be on the lookout for those opportunities in and around Notre Dame, Indiana, in the coming months.
Why the “Ganguly” Exchange?
Since the Congregation’s founding, missionary zeal has guided Holy Cross’s ministries. Long before he was a Servant of God or even a Holy Cross priest, Theotonius Ganguly was himself a beneficiary of those missionary endeavors. His childhood faith formation took place at Holy Rosary Church in Hashnabad, Bangladesh, and continued at Bandura High School & College run by Holy Cross brothers. Following God’s call, he became a diocesan priest in Bangladesh before making his way to the University of Notre Dame, where he completed his Master’s Degree and Doctorate. The Holy Cross community in Indiana welcomed him, and after considerable discernment, Ganguly professed First Vows on August 16, 1952, in Jordan, Minnesota, before returning to his home country to serve as an educator, administrator, and, eventually, Archbishop of Dhaka during a critical period in Bangladesh’s national history. Surely his experience of Holy Cross communities on different continents only clarified his discernment to join the Congregation and live out its missionary zeal. For this reason, Servant of God Theotonius Ganguly, C.S.C., the only Bangladeshi on the path to canonization, is a fitting namesake for the Ganguly Exchange.
Provided by Holy Cross Mission Center
August 2025
