Four U.S. Province priests are among those participating in an annual two-week pilgrimage to Le Mans, France, the birthplace of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Today through July 1, Rev. Jose Luis Tineo Coral, C.S.C., and Rev. Stephen LaCroix, C.S.C., will join 38 other Holy Cross priests, brothers and sisters from the four Congregations founded by Blessed Basil Moreau will gather at the historical site of Holy Cross’s founding to discover the roots of their common heritage and to look toward the future in light of this heritage.
This year’s pilgrimage, sponsored by the Marianites of Holy Cross, has been specially planned for Holy Cross religious who made their Perpetual Profession in the past five or six years.In addition to the participants, Rev.Thomas Looney, C.S.C., is a presenter during the event. Rev. Gregory Haake, C.S.C., will serve as a French-English translator for the group.
During the two-week pilgrimage, the participants will engage in conferences and dialogue on the heritage and charism of Holy Cross. The conferences will focus on key persons in the founding and establishment of the Congregations and the respective roles they played. Time is also set aside for reflection and sharing on the spirituality of Holy Cross and its application within the ministerial undertakings of the Congregations.
Some of the highlights will be visits to those sites that have significance relative to the community’s history and heritage. As part of their pilgrimage, the participants will visit Laigne-en-Belin, the birthplace of Fr. Moreau; Ruille sur Loir, where Rev. Jacques Dujarie served as pastor and where he founded the Brothers of Saint Joseph and the Sisters of Providence; the Solitude of the Savior, the home of the Marianites of Holy Cross; and the Church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix, which was founded by Fr. Moreau and where his remains are enshrined.
In addition to these Holy Cross sites, the group will also visit the Abbey of Solesmes and Le Grande Trappe. These are two places of spiritual significance for Fr. Moreau, as he personally went to those places for guidance and prayer.
On June 23, the participants will walk from the retreat center where they will reside during the program to the parish Church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix. There, they will gather for Morning Prayer and the celebration of Mass with the parishioners. They will return to the conventual church later in the week to celebrate Mass together at the tomb of Blessed Moreau and to renew their vows.
