CONGREGATION OF HOLY CROSS. — In 1820 Giacomo Francesco Dujarié, parish priest of Ruillé-sur-Loir (Sarthe), founded, under the name of “Brothers of St Joseph,” an association of laymen to assist parish priests in their priestly ministry and in teaching. It developed rapidly, so much so that by decree of Louis XVIII of 25 June 1823 it was declared of public utility. On 31 Aug. 1835, Dujarié, old and infirm, with the consent of the Bishop of Le Mans, transferred authority and powers over the Congregation of the Brothers of St Joseph to Basilio Moreau. Moreau was at that time vice-rector of the major seminary of Le Mans, and had founded in the same year an association of auxiliary priests, living with him in the seminary, also destined to assist parish priests in preaching missions and retreats.
Having accepted the office of superior of the Brothers of St Joseph, he transferred their novitiate to the suburb of Le Mans, to provide more easily for the formation of novices, and in 1836 he moved with the auxiliary priests from the seminary to Holy Cross, into a house near that of the Brothers. On 1 March 1837, with the consent of the bishop, the members of the two communities, 8 ecclesiastics and 51 Brothers of St Joseph, gathered in the house of Holy Cross, signed a “Fundamental Act” by which they accepted the union of the two communities under the same superior general. The new institution was called the Association of St C., from the name of the place where it was founded. Papal approval came on 25 May 1856 and on 13 May 1857 the constitutions of the institute were approved under the name of C. of St C.
Its purposes are preaching, especially in the countryside and in foreign missions, and the Christian instruction and education of youth in schools. It developed rapidly, and missions multiplied in the department of Sarthe and in neighboring ones. In 1840 priests and brothers were sent to North America. In 1841 there the house of Notre Dame du Lac was founded, and in 1843 a college was opened which later became the University of Notre Dame du Lac, still today one of the most flourishing in North America. In 1847 in Canada there was first founded a parish with a college at St Laurent near Montreal, and later, in 1846, the University of St Joseph in Memramcook in the province of New Brunswick. In 1852 the Apostolic Vicariate of Dacca in East Bengal (India) was entrusted to the C. of St C., abandoned in 1875 and resumed in 1888. The province of the United States has recently opened a college at Santiago de Chile. To the province of Canada belongs the famous shrine of St Joseph du Mont-Royal. The mission of Bengal has been divided into two dioceses: Dacca and Chittagong. The province of France, which disappeared with its suppression, was reorganized in 1926. Today the C. is divided into 3 provinces (France, United States of America, Canada) and has charge of the dioceses of Dacca and Chittagong (India). It numbers 1497 religious with 80 houses.