The patronal feast of the Congregation of Holy Cross was prayerfully commemorated by the parish community of the Church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix in Le Mans, France, beginning on September 6 with a nine-day novena to Our Lady of Sorrows. Even with the Feasts of the Exaltation of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows being in the middle of the week, a festive Mass was celebrated on both days in the Christ the King Chapel with approximately 40 parishioners.

On September 17, much like every third Friday of the month, Mass with the texts of Blessed Basile Moreau’s Mass was celebrated at the tomb of the Founder. This was followed by the recitation of the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows.

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The following Sunday, the parish combined its celebration of Our Lady of Sorrows with the beginning of the school year Mass. Families and children, many of whom attend Saint-Anne-Sainte-Croix school, filled the church while music was provided by the parish choir and orchestra.

Since Our Lady of Sorrows is also the patronal feast of the parish, the celebration continued after Mass with a barbeque with approximately 150 parishioners present.

The Church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix is also the home of the International Shrine of Basile Moreau, which serves to promote the spiritual legacy of the beatified founder of the Congregation. The church itself was built under the vision and leadership of Blessed Moreau to be a sign of unity of the Holy Cross family. He considered it to be one of his most important accomplishments.