Blessed Basil Moreau (February 11, 1799–January 20, 1873) was the French priest who founded the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1837. The congregation’s name was taken from the small French town, Sainte-Croix, in which the congregation was founded. While the congregation was still in its early stages, Moreau sent members to developing areas of the world—Algeria, Canada, Bangladesh, and the United States—to make God known, loved, and served. Today, members of Holy Cross live and work in sixteen countries on five continents. In the United States, Holy Cross missionaries founded—and continue to serve—many schools, including the University of Notre Dame and the University of Portland. Moreau was beatified on September 15, 2007, in Le Mans, France.
Blessed Basil Moreau
