On 28 April 2026, the special Year of Mission that had been declared by Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, concluded. The year focused on renewing the Congregation’s missionary zeal and fruitfulness had begun on 28 April 2025, the 185th anniversary of Blessed Basile Moreau’s sending of the first Holy Cross missionaries outside of France in 1840.

To mark the year’s conclusion, Br. Bednarczyk sent a video message to the Congregation’s members and mission partners. In the message, he said, “Although today we conclude this commemorative year, it is my hope and prayer that we do not conclude our pursuit of deepening our missionary zeal. Instead, I hope that as a congregation we will continue our efforts of bringing hope beyond all borders and of seeking new pathways in our mission of being educators in the faith, especially to the poor and those on the peripheries.”

Br. Bednarczyk then quoted St. John Paul II, who said, “The Church needs saints. All are called to holiness, and holy people alone can renew humanity.” The Superior General added, “We will not change lives in the same way as Father Moreau, St. André, or the other men and women of Holy Cross once did if we do not follow their example of conforming our lives to Jesus Christ. Like them, as we say in our Constitutions, ‘we must pray always and not give up.’”

The superior general concluded by calling upon the Holy Cross Brothers, Priests, and their mission partners to “journey together in faith, hope, and most of all, in holiness, because it is the Lord Jesus calling us, ‘Come. Follow me.’”

Earlier in the month, on 9 April, Vatican News featured an article written by Br. Bednarczyk on how the Year of Mission has impacted the Congregation. "The goal was that the year would inspire all Holy Cross jurisdictions, ministries, and apostolates, not only to reflect on how they were currently carrying out their mission but also to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in discerning new pathways forward in mission," wrote the superior general. "It has worked. The fire is spreading through the winds of the Holy Spirit."

To keep that fire spreading, Holy Cross apostolates and communities around the world held liturgies on 28 April not only to give thanks for the graces of the past year, but also to continue to stir into flame the Congregation's missionary zeal. A special mass was held as well at the Holy Cross Generalate in Rome. Fr. Emmanuel Kallarackal, C.S.C., Vicar General and First Assistant, who had chaired the Congregation’s Year of Mission Task Force, presided and preached at the Mass.

In his homily, Fr. Kallarackal recalled the teaching of Blessed Basile Moreau, Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, that “zeal is the very essence of our vocation.”

“May the reawakening and the recapturing of the spirit of mission of the early missionaries of Holy Cross continue to be alive in our hearts and minds,” preached Fr. Kallarackal. “May we continue to minister to the people entrusted to our care with that Missionary Zeal which Fr. Moreau described as the virtue that ‘does not allow us to rest as long as there is one soul to be saved.’”