Photos provided by the Holy Cross Mission Center.
The Holy Cross Mission Center (HCMC) is pleased to share several recent updates highlighting our ongoing work with Holy Cross ministries and partners:
- 2025–26 Twinning year comes to a close: As the 2025–26 Twinning Year comes to a close, we celebrate another year of growing relationships across the Holy Cross family. Through prayer, fundraising, and encounters, Twinning Partners strengthened connections across cultures and supported ministry projects. Thank you to every Twinning Partner whose generosity and dedication continues to strengthen our Holy Cross family. To learn more, read the “2025–26 Twinning Year in Review” article on holycrossmissions.org.
- Fr. Tom visits Holy Cross ministries in Tanzania: In June, HCMC Director Rev. Tom Eckert, C.S.C., traveled to Tanzania to visit several Holy Cross ministries, including St. Felista’s Parish and the Audrey Veldman Vocational Training Center. During his visit, he met with Mr. Keenan Bross, C.S.C. Keenan is assisting with plans for a new school supported by the Holy Cross Mission Center in partnership with the Institute for Educational Initiatives, which is leading the teaching initiative. Br. Jordan Chang, C.S.C., was also in Tanzania during Fr. Tom’s visit. Br. Jordan is serving at Brother André Hospital in Kenya through the Ganguly Exchange, an eight-week international ministry program coordinated by the Holy Cross Mission Center in partnership with the Moreau Seminary & Scholasticate formation team.
- Preparing an Advent reflection series: HCMC Outreach Coordinator Maria Kangapadan has been developing “Behold: A Holy Cross Missions Advent Reflection Series” for the Advent season. Featuring reflections from finally professed international men of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the series will invite readers to prepare their hearts for Christ through prayer while reflecting on the hope, joy, peace, and love of Advent. We appreciate the international priests and brothers who are investing time and energy towards contributing to this, and we thank the U.S. Province’s Director of Communications Lisa Kochanowski, for collaboration on this new initiative.
- Welcoming Fr. Alfred: Maria welcomed Rev. Alfred Dsouza, C.S.C., Mission Procurator of the Province of Northeast India, to the Holy Cross Mission Center during his visit to the United States for the three-week Congregational Formation for Leadership Program. They discussed the ministries of the province and explored opportunities to establish new Twinning Partnerships between Holy Cross ministries in Northeast India and the United States.
- Strengthening collaboration with Baraka Bouts: Maria met with Maisie Jenuwine, missions captain of the University of Notre Dame Women’s Boxing Club, Baraka Bouts, to discuss collaboration for the upcoming academic year. Their conversation focused on Mission Mondays and continuing the club’s support of St. Joseph’s Hill Senior Secondary School and Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School in Uganda. Maisie was enthusiastic about her role as the missions captain, and we are looking forward to working with her over the next academic year.
- Exploring a future Baraka Bouts immersion: Maria also met with Rosie Binette, president of Baraka Bouts, to discuss the possibility of a future immersion experience to Uganda. Such a trip would allow boxers to encounter the ministries they support, strengthening their understanding of the mission and relationships at the heart of their fundraising efforts. Thank you, Rosie, for your continued support of the Holy Cross Missions.
- Connecting with Brother André Hospital in Kenya: Maria and HCMC Project Coordinator Delila Baca met through videoconference with Rev. Steve Mburu, C.S.C., administrator of Brother André Hospital in Kenya, to learn more about the hospital’s ministries and discuss ways the Holy Cross Mission Center can support its work. They also explored opportunities to strengthen the hospital’s existing Twinning Partnership with Christie Hall at the University of Portland. Thank you, Fr. Steve for your passion and zeal for your ministry and for your Twinning efforts.
- Strengthening communication across Holy Cross ministries: Maria met with Alexis Cleaver from the Congregation’s Office of Apostolic Mission and Charism to discuss ways to streamline communication with Holy Cross schools, parishes, and other ministries. Their conversation focused on better connecting partners with the resources, materials, and opportunities available through the Holy Cross Mission Center.
- Planning for 2027 Holy Cross Heritage Month: HCMC Assistant Director Michael Jezewak participated in the first Holy Cross Heritage Month (HCHM) Steering Committee meeting for next year’s monthly celebration starting January 6, the Feast of St. André Bessette. This will be the third such HCHM, and partners interested in learning more can visit holycrossmonth.org.
- Supporting C.S.C. travelers around the globe: Since the start of June, Michael has been conducting two-week check-in meetings with the four Ganguly Exchange participants who are ministering in Mexico, Peru, and Kenya this summer. With the help of Office Coordinator Paula Lent, he has also been coordinating logistics for C.S.C.’s arriving in South Bend from Bangladesh and India in August. On the home front, Michael and Paula have been meeting with and supporting U.S. Province missionaries who are in town for the summer months.
- 2026 Mission Appeals underway: Each year the Holy Cross Mission Center coordinates the U.S. Province’s participation in Mission Cooperative Appeals in dioceses around the U.S. 16 Holy Cross priests, including two from the Province of East Africa and one from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province in Bangladesh, have been involved in the planning and execution of these Mission Appeals. We give thanks to each of them for supporting the Congregation’s international missions in this way. Learn more about Holy Cross Mission Appeals at holycrossmissions.org.
Provided by the Holy Cross Mission Center, July 2026.
