The Holy Cross Mission Center has been busy this month. Here is what we have been up to:

1. For those looking for our office, you can now find us in 124 Haggar Hall on the University of Notre Dame’s campus. Stop by and see our new home!

2. On March 4, Assistant Director for Community Engagement Michael Jezewak attended the Haiti Committee meeting of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend, which has been supporting Mary Immaculate Parish and School in Haiti for several years. Thank you to Carrie Urbanski and the other committee members for welcoming Michael to learn more about the great work you have done to support the Mary Immaculate community over the years.

3. On March 12-13, Michael coordinated a successful series of meetings with academic and student affairs leaders at the University of Portland. Thank you to Fr. John Donato, C.S.C., Fr. Peter Walsh, C.S.C., and Fr. Bob Loughery, C.S.C., for your help coordinating the trip.

4. Michael Jezewak spent a morning meeting with Br. Raymond Pappenfuss, C.S.C., a member of the Midwest Province of Brothers who serves as Mission Promoter for the Province of West Africa (Ghana). This meeting provided Michael an opportunity to better understand the ministries in the Province of West Africa, formerly a District of the Midwest Province, and the ways that Br. Raymond has supported them throughout his lifetime of ministry in Holy Cross.

5. On March 21, Michael presented to students in King’s College’s Physician’s Assistant Program who will be participating in an immersion experience in Canto Grande, Peru, this summer. A few days later, Michael and Fr. Tom presented to some of the 15 students from Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns who will experience Holy Cross’s international ministries this summer. Both student presentations centered around a Blessed Basil Moreau quote: “[Education] is the art of helping young people to completeness. For the Christian, this means that education is helping a young person to be more like Christ, the model for all Christians.” Students received an overview of Holy Cross’s international ministries, resources for daily reflection during their immersions, and practical tips for travel.

6. Fr. Tom and Michael presented to 6 Holy Cross men in formation who will be traveling to Holy Cross mission sites this summer as part of the Ganguly Exchange, formerly known as their international summer ministry experience. They reviewed practical concerns related to ministry placements, communication with their Site Supervisors, flights, medical preparation, and visa applications. We will meet at least once more in May to facilitate pre-trip reflection, discuss Holy Cross missionary history, and send them off. Please keep these men in formation in your prayers along with all the U.S. students traveling to Holy Cross’s international ministries this summer.

7. Michael and HCMC Office Coordinator Bridget Williams are working to fill Holy Cross’s assigned 2024 Mission Appeals. This year, the HCMC is asking for more Holy Cross priests to participate in order to more widely share stories of Holy Cross’s inspiring ministries in Bangladesh, Chile, Kenya, Peru, Tanzania, and Uganda. We invite all U.S.-based Holy Cross priests to give one weekend of their time to this effort by emailing us at hcmc@holycrossusa.org.

8. Fr. Tom and Michael attended a panel discussion titled “The Escalating Crisis in Haiti” hosted by Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for Peace Studies on March 28. They attended to better understand Haitian history and the current circumstances facing Holy Cross ministries in Haiti.

9. The HCMC has begun its 2024-25 season planning with Baraka Bouts leadership. Thank you to Coach Nate Walker, current club president Nicole Lies, next year’s club president Anna Prest, and club leaders Monica Caponigro and Olivia Mancuso for initiating the planning process. We look forward to supporting you as you prepare for the fall Baraka Bouts!

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Published: April 1, 2024