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Father John Jenkins at Cathedral Sainte-Julian, where the Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of the newly declared Blessed Basil Moreau was held on Sunday, September 16, 2007. The Chapel of Saint Michael provides a dramatic backdrop as Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., and Rev. Jim McDonald, C.S.C., prepare for the Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral Sainte-Julian. Prior to the start of Mass, Rev. Father John Jenkins, C.S.C, confers with other Holy Cross priests – Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Vice President for Student Affairs; Rev. Hugh Cleary, C.S.C., Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross; and Father Richard Warner, C.S.C., Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame. More than 200 priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross were present during the Beatification celebrations throughout the weekend.

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Journal Entry: September 16, 2007

Bonjour to you from Le Mans, France! Our delegation of Notre Dame students just finished experiencing and celebrating the beatification of Father Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. It has been an enriching experience — a way to better understand the mission and heart of our University and its religious.

Our weekend has been a pilgrimage in honor of the life of Father Moreau. Friday morning, we celebrated Mass at the beautiful church where Father Moreau was ordained. The church staff was wonderful; they welcomed us with open arms and celebrated Mass with us despite the language barrier. This is one of the beautiful aspects of the Mass which I have come to appreciate more this weekend—its universality.

Magnificent churches seem to be a recurring theme on our pilgrimage and in Europe in general. We had the opportunity to tour Chartres Cathedral. It was breathtaking. We also went to Father Moreau's home parish for a prayer service. We were all surprised and overjoyed to see, up in the top left corner of the church, a stained glass window featuring a large golden dome. Below it, there was a picture of students in cap and gown. Inspired, we all ended the prayer service by singing the Alma Mater (something we did multiple times this weekend).

Even with all of the sightseeing, the best part of the weekend was being able to spend time reflecting on the life and mission of Father Moreau. We heard numerous times, in a number of languages, about all the virtues which Father Moreau exemplified in his life: trusting in divine providence, valuing the education of the mind, emphasizing the formation of the heart, a commitment to unity, devotion to the poor, and a zeal for his mission. We were able to hear great tales of a man who will likely one day be a saint. It was during the time I spent in reflection that I was able to see how these same values have come into play this weekend and in my experience of Notre Dame.

The joke was made early in the weekend, amidst many travel delays and unknowns, that we would just have to follow Father Moreau's example and trust in divine providence to bring everyone together. It would be interesting to hear what Father Moreau would say about this football season.

Furthermore, it was amazing to watch as Holy Cross religious from all over the world came together to honor this man whose life was an inspiration to them all. At first, after hearing about Father Moreau, I questioned why we would have such a large ceremony to honor his life, when it was so clear that he wouldn't want to be honored. In fact, it seemed to me like one of the last things he would have wanted.

As the weekend progressed, though, I came to realize that the purpose of it was not for his benefit, but rather for the rest of us. He was being acknowledged as someone whose life we could all look to for inspiration. Moreover, it was an event that was able to unify and renew the order which he founded. The ceremony served as a rally and a reminder of the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross all over the world. I particularly enjoyed the fact that prayer at the Mass for the beatification included seven different languages, a testament to the global mission together in one place.

Finally, I was encouraged to think about how the mission of our University still exemplifies the same values which Father Moreau emphasized. He sent Father Sorin and six Holy Cross brothers to Indiana in 1840 with the intent to educate minds. I'm sure he would be ecstatic that the same University is a leader in college education even today. Also, I think the best part about Notre Dame is the emphasis that is put on forming the hearts of her students along with their minds. The Center for Social Concerns and Campus Ministry offices, with all of their opportunities and popularity, attest to the continued success of this mission.

Notre Dame students and alumni help to achieve Father Moreau's mission by serving all over the world, in the places where they are most needed. Thinking through these things, I smile to think of the ways that Father Moreau's spirit lives on through the Congregation of Holy Cross and its students. I pray that the Congregation, at Notre Dame and all over the world, will continue to pursue its cause with zeal. Indeed, it would be the only fitting way to honor the life and mission of Blessed Father Basil Moreau.

Mike Hawking, Class of '09

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