Founder Fr. Basil Anthony Moreau

Fr. Moreau is one of the rarest jewels of France whose birth was a God sent blessing to the whole of humanity.

He was born on 11,February 1799 near Le Mans in a family of 14 children to very poor parents. His mother was an adorable woman who engaged him in matters of spiritual and fed him with an insatiable longing for God.

The times in which he lived were not very friendly. He grew up in troubled and hostile times amidst hardships and persecutions. Like any other youngsters of his time, Moreau too had dreams. He wanted to bring a healing touch to a bleeding nation. Even as a young boy Moreau proved his brilliance and went on to join the Seminary to become a priest in the diocese of Le Mans. He opted to embrace priesthood at a time when the values of Jesus Christ and the values of the world were at loggerheads.

Faced with the consequences of ravages of the devastating, bloody and devouring French Revolution Moreau Could not remain indifferent and apathetic. He began to search for answers to many of the unanswered questions. One such fruit of his relentless and persistent reflections gave rise to the birth of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
As a professor at the major seminary in Le mans around 1835, he gathered around him some clerics who were to be later called as the priests of Holy cross, engaged in preaching ministry. It is at this time that Fr. Moreau extended his helping hands at the death bed of one of his great friends, Fr. Dujarie, by accepting to adopt the Brothers of St. Joseph, founded by him in 1820, with vision to spreading the light of knowledge as educators of faith. These Brothers and his own priests were united in 837 under the banner of Holy Cross, leading to an unheard of ventures, of uniting lay men and clerics as a single indivisible brotherhood, in the history of the church.

In his unremitting pursuit of extending services to the womenfolk, he gathered in 1838, a band of dedicated women and gave them a rule of life with an idea of engaging them in educational ministry.
After a lot of struggle and consistent persuasion the Bishop of Le mans consented to recommend Moreau's request to the Pope for papal approval which would give him the liberty to go any where in the globe to spread the light of Jesus Christ. Even this was given only on one condition, a condition that no one was ready to fulfil. It was to take the dreadful Eastern Bengal Mission. Every one feared sending their men to this alien land. He defied conventions and traditions to become the first man to venture thus. Fearless of the consequences he dispatched his band of Brothers, Sisters and Priests who braved unknown conditions, unfamiliar terrain, unusual diets and un-welcoming weather to land in this holy soil of Bengal, then in India in 1853. If we are here in India today, it is thanks to Fr. Moreau's crusading zeal and undiminished love for God and His people.

The life of Moreau is a moving tale of man who was ridiculed , mocked and abandoned by his own men, the very men whom he loved to see grow up. This is the tale also of a provident God who delighted in testing his servant to the zenith of human endurance . we see in Moreau's history a tangible conflicting tension throughout. It is a story of a faithful servant who places his complete and unmitigated trust in God and of God who takes pleasure in sending trail after trial.
It is fascinating however to observe this man's indomitable courage even at this time of great sorrow. His morale could not be impaired. He continued to go about doing what he cherished most all his life. He about preaching the word of God tirelessly until his last breath on 20th January 1873.

Moreau's dreams have not ended. He had left behind him a burning trail to be followed by his sons and daughters. Today the Brothers and Priests are engaged in innumerable ministries in more than 13 countries, trying to visualize for our times what Fr. Moreau had dreamt of.

We in India are forever indebted to this colossal personality