The Holy Cross Mission Center is pleased to share that we have maintained ongoing involvement with the community through the following efforts:
- Ministry Visit in Florida: During her visit to Viera, Florida, Outreach Coordinator Maria Kangapadan connected with staff and parishioners at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, where she was hosted by Rev. John Anthony Britto, C.S.C., the pastor. She attended one of their three Lenten Mission nights, as well as Masses and faith formation classes for grades K–8, and met with Schonda Rodriguez, Youth Ministry Coordinator, to discuss points of collaboration between the Holy Cross Mission Center (HCMC) and youth programming for the fall. She also spoke with Kelli Salceda, Director of Life Long Faith Formation, who plans faith formation for grades K–5 and the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), about ways the HCMC could collaborate with the parish through OCIA or children’s faith formation. Maria learned about the parish’s longstanding partnership with Yancana Huasy (a Holy Cross ministry in Peru that serves children with disabilities and their families) from Beth Lowry, the Business Manager. The parish fundraises for the mission in Peru every summer and Beth shared that this tradition began when missionaries would bring back handmade Peruvian items, such as bags and cards, to sell in support of the Holy Cross missions. Fr. John, Beth, and Maria discussed making the parish’s existing fundraising effort part of the Twinning Program to promote encounters between the ministries of Holy Cross in Peru and St. John the Evangelist parish. Maria also got to briefly visit the Cocoa Beach Community and meet Rev. Anthony (Tony) Grasso, C.S.C, the Superior of that retirement community. Thank you, Fr. John, and the staff and parishioners of St. John the Evangelist, and Fr. Tony for your warm hospitality!
- Haiti Twinning Partnership with St. Joseph Church, South Bend: HCMC Assistant Director Michael Jezewak and Maria Kangapadan have been in ongoing conversation with St. Joseph Catholic Church regarding the continuation of its relationship with Mary Immaculate Church in Haiti through the Holy Cross Mission Center’s Twinning Program. Maria has also been working with Fr. Charles Mehu, pastor of Mary Immaculate, to have the parish onboarded as a ministry of Holy Cross in Haiti, while engaging him and members of the Haiti Committee at St. Joseph to discern next steps and explore how formalizing this partnership through the HCMC can provide additional support, including access to benefits such as the $4,000 Bricklayers Matching Grant through June 2026.
- Fr. Tom’s Site Visit to Chile and Peru: Holy Cross Mission Center Director Rev. Thomas Eckert, C.S.C., accompanied Rev. William Lies, C.S.C., Provincial Superior of the U.S. Province of Priests and Brothers for the Congregation of Holy Cross, on his official provincial visit to Chile and Peru. While there, he visited several ministries supported by the HCMC, including Parroquia Señor de la Esperanza, Colegio Fe y Alegría no. 25, Policlínico Hno. Andrés, Yancana Huasy, and Nuestra Señora de la Merced. While at the Centro Patricio Peyton in Peru, Fr. Tom also had the opportunity to briefly cross paths with an immersion group from Stonehill College, a higher education institution of the Congregation located in Easton, Massachusetts.
- Michael’s Site Visit to Uganda: Michael visited the ministries of Holy Cross in Uganda from March 4–12, 2026, including several sites supported by the Holy Cross Mission Center as well as additional partner ministries. In Kampala, he visited St. Jude Subparish and St. Denis Parish; in Bugembe, he visited St. Andrew’s Nursery and Primary School, St. Augustine’s Nursery School, Holy Cross Nursery and Primary School, and St. Jude Holy Cross Parents’ School; and in Jinja, he visited St. Andre Bessette Health Center, Holy Cross Center for Community Empowerment, and Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School. He also traveled to the Fort Portal region, where he visited St. Joseph’s Hill Senior Secondary School and St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. During his visit to St. Joseph’s Hill S.S.S., Michael was joined by students from Duncan Hall, a dorm at the University of Notre Dame, who were there on a Spring Break immersion trip. Duncan Hall is a Twinning partner with St. Joseph’s Hill S.S.S. Thank you to the Holy Cross ministries in Uganda for hosting Michael and the Immersion participants!
Provided by the Mission Center, April 2026.
