Prayer Life of a Brother Spirituality of the Congregation of Holy Cross Brother Larry Atkinson, C.S.C. leading a prayer service at Maryknoll, MD. Many Founders of the great religious communities within the Church modeled in their lives one or more elements of Christ’s life.  These aspects eventually evolved into a specific spirituality with its own teachings and practices that influenced the prayer, lifestyle and mission of the community.  The Congregation of Holy Cross is unique in that our Founder, Father Basil Moreau, did not promote one specific tradition of spirituality.  Instead, drawing from various schools of thought, his legacy in Holy Cross is an eclectic spirituality reflective of the piety and tradition of nineteenth century France.To present, therefore, the spirituality that Holy Cross religious embrace today, it is best to highlight the following major aspects of our Founder’s spirituality that he emphasized both in his life and example: Providence - Holy Cross religious are convinced of God’s constant presence and activity in our world.  Since God is faithful to us, we believe that our fidelity is fundamental in responding to God’s call. Zeal - The life and ministry of a Holy Cross religious is characterized by a passion, an inner fire, which urges us to serve God’s people in holiness. Cross - Holy Cross religious understand that the experiences of the cross are inevitable in life and ministry.  By embracing the cross, we open ourselves to the possibility of transformation and the compassion of Christ.  Unity - Father Moreau formed a family of three societies, men and women, lay and ordained.  We believe that if our interdependence as priests, brothers and sisters is a marked quality in our life and ministry, then our community will be a powerful and prophetic sign of love and unity in a world of division. Hope - Holy Cross religious are challenged to be men and women of hope convinced by our way of life that the only way to the resurrection is the way of the cross. Back to Top Final Profession of Vows   Prayer Life of a Brother We pray with the church, we  pray in community and we pray in solitude. Prayer is our faith attending to  the Lord, and in that faith we meet him individually, yet we also stand in  the company of others who know God as Father...It is not merely we who pray,  but his Spirit who prays in us. And we who busy ourselves in announcing the  Lord's kingdom need to come back often enough and sit at his feeet and  listen still more closely. Const. 3 Prayer We pray daily with the church and in community in Morning Prayer  and Evening Prayer from the "Prayer of Christians." Our attendance at daily Mass is either in our own chapels or at nearby churches, sharing our worship with one another and God's people. Although our prayer in solitude is considered "private prayer," it benefits those with whom we live, those for whom and  with whom we minister as well as other friends, relatives and benefactors. And, of course, it benefits the one who prays. This prayer in solitude can be in the form of meditation, spiritual reading, devotional prayers or simply sitting quietly at the Lord's feet. These times give us an awareness of God's presence with us, among us and about us and refresh us daily. Annually we make a several day retreat of undisturbed prayer and reflection. Back to Top