Friday, August 8th, sisters Sheila and Shelly, Americans from Austin and Baltimore, came to the Shrine to learn more about Blessed Basile Moreau and the Congregation of Holy Cross. Tiphaine Hamerel was very happy to welcome them and offer them a guided tour. A very nice moment for all!

“Let us be what we must be, and we will see the seeds of the future appear.” (Basile Moreau). The vision implanted in Father Moreau’s soul is this Holy Cross family he founded: Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters.
The Sisters of Holy Cross held their congregational council: namely the General Council, the regional councils, and the novice mistresses, from July 20 to 30, 2025, in Le Mans. The theme was: “In the heart of chaos, pilgrims of hope in the footsteps of Father Moreau”.
There were about 14 sisters, coming from Burkina Faso (French-speaking West Africa), Canada, Peru, the USA, and Haiti. They experienced a profound and moving spiritual experience at the heart of the history of the Holy Cross family, following the footsteps of Blessed Basile Moreau.
The warm and fraternal welcome of the Fathers facilitated this congregational gathering during its visits to the Shrine, the Cemetery of Holy Cross, the Solitude, Our Lady of the Habit, the Church of the Visitation, the most beautiful Cathedral of Le Mans, the Grande Trappe, and Laigné-en-Belin. The Provincial Father Paul Valentin, CSC, who led the two-days retreat on the theme, brought this fraternity to life with a fraternal meal at the provincial house. The hospitality of the Marianite Sisters and the staff of the solitude fostered the atmosphere of the meetings. On site, daily Mass with Fathers Paul Elie Cadet, CSC and Joseph Bagnar Gansalvez, CSC, nourished the reflections.
On Sunday July 27, a Eucharistic celebration of thanksgiving was held at the Holy Cross Church in the presence of a number of parishioners with the Jubilee Sisters, who celebrated their 25th, 50th, and 65th years of consecrated life in Holy Cross, presided by Father Joseph Bagnar Gansalvez, CSC, the vice rector of the Shrine of Blessed Basile Moreau. During this Holy Mass, all the Sisters renewed their vows.
“The Cross, our only hope.” These ten days in the footsteps of Basile Moreau in Le Mans were an incredible and enriching experience at the sacred places of the Holy Cross family. All Glory and Honour to God for the graces received!

The young religious of Holy Cross participating in the “final vows program” are in France for 15 days to walk in the footsteps of Blessed Basile Moreau, to discover more about their founder and the charism of the Congregation. They come from all over the world (Peru, Ghana, India, Bangladesh, Mexico, Brazil, France, United States, etc.) and are accommodated at La Solitude.

On Friday, July 4th, they were accompanied by Tiphaine Hamerel for a guided tour of the Holy Cross cemetery in the morning, then a guided tour of the Shrine of Blessed Basile Moreau in the afternoon, followed by mass around the tomb of Father Moreau, and finally a guided tour of the Saint-Julien cathedral.

The highlight of the day, according to Chris Mulholland, C.S.C., was attending mass in the Shrine, during which Father Moreau’s chalice was used. To see pictures, check our Facebook page.