The Holy Cross Mission Center was grateful to attend the Holy Cross Institute (HCI) Convocation from February 24-26, 2025, at St. Edward’s University for the third consecutive year. Though HCMC Director Fr. Tom Eckert, C.S.C., had a scheduling conflict with the Bengal Bouts tournament, Assistant Director Michael Jezewak was able to attend presentations and speak with some of 300 atendees. The Convocation was historic as it was the first time that representatives from the eight Holy Cross colleges and universities in the United States were present. This year also saw a record number of Holy Cross religious in attendance, with all four Congregations of the Holy Cross represented.

The theme of the Convocation—“Crossing Borders of Every Sort”—was purposely drawn from the Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Reflecting on the theme, Dr. Richard Bautch, HCI Executive Director, said that it “reflects the deep sense of mission that has inspired Holy Cross educators—past, present, and future. As educators in the faith, we come together to explore emerging best practices, exchange valuable insights, and build connections that will help shape the future of the Holy Cross Mission both nationally and internationally.”

The keynote of the event was given by Superior General Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., on the upcoming Year of Mission (April 28, 2025 – April 28, 2026). (Readers can learn more about the Year of Mission in this Spes Unica blog post). He spoke of the planning process that went into the Year and then invited all Holy Cross religious and lay collaborators to reflect on the following questions and submit responses to the Generalate:

1. In what ways has your jurisdiction/ministry/apostolate (school, parish, social service center, etc.) traditionally been effective in its mission of evangelization and outreach to the poor? How has your ministry been a source of hope for the people you serve?

2. What are the pressing and unmet needs of the neighborhood or society in which you live? Who are those who remain on the “peripheries” and who might benefit from the mission and hope your ministry brings? What are the borders that you must cross in order to reach them?

3. What action(s) will your jurisdiction/ministry/apostolate undertake in order to meet the pressing needs you have identified? How do you foresee these actions as bringing hope to those who need it the most?

Another highlight for Michael was the opportunity to connect with so many Holy Cross educators and distribute “Holy Cross Missions” t-shirts. To the nearly 30 Holy Cross educational leaders who filled out the HCMC’s Inquiry Form, we look forward to reconnecting with you in the coming weeks to see how we in the HCMC can support your schools through our Lenten Almsgiving initiative for Holy Cross Missions, the Twinning Program, immersion experiences, or other educational collaborations.

Finally, thank you to Dr. Montserrat Fuentes, Dr. Rich Bautch, Michael Glynn, and Amberly Russell for welcoming us to St. Edward’s for this inspiring annual event. We look forward to returning in 2026 and continuing to strengthen the bonds of the Holy Cross family!

Published: March 3, 2025