Our vows bind us together in community. We commit ourselves to share with one another who we are, what we have and what we do. Thereby we form a community as did those who first believed in Christ’s resurrection and were possessed by His Spirit. The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul.

— Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, 5:46

Within the Congregation of Holy Cross, Blessed Basil Moreau dedicated our religious brothers to the patronage of St. Joseph. Just as St. Joseph was an integral part of the Holy Family, so too, our brothers have an essential presence in the Holy Cross family.

Brothers profess the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience and in doing so commit themselves to the common work, prayer, and life in Holy Cross. In service to the Church, our brothers answer Christ's call to go out to all the nations and make the Gospel known. They do this primarily as teachers, administrators, or directors in the schools, parishes and missions of Holy Cross around the world. In their commitment to the communal prayer of Holy Cross they strive to grow in holiness and draw the world into deeper holiness.

Their participation in the common life unites our community and provides support and encouragement for their confreres. In their "yes" to Christ's invitation to follow him, they make themselves radically open to serving the needs of the Church and the world. 

In their own words . . .

Why did you decide to become a brother?
When asked why he chose to become a brother, Br. Tom Giumenta, C.S.C. responded, "Although I felt that I could be a priest, I was experiencing a call to spend my religious life with education as my sole focus rather than dedicating myself to sacramental ministry."

What type of man would make a good religious brother?  
"In every assignment, it has been the people who have made a difference in my life. All have been role models and have left a lasting impression on me," says the late Br. Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C. "I have never been assigned to a place that I haven’t liked, and I credit that to the incredible work that Holy Cross does and as well to the example of other Holy Cross Religious in my life."

To learn more about the vocation of a brother in Holy Cross:

• Learn more about Saint André Bessette, a humble Holy Cross brother who became the Congregation’s first canonized saint.
• Read the 2015 Vatican document, "Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church."
• Learn more about the Holy Cross brothers currently in formation with the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province.
• Watch this short documentary that explores the history and the foundations of the brothers in Holy Cross.