Facts about the Holy Cross Fathers : "C.S.C."




Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame, Indiana



FAaS ABOUT THE HOLY CROSS
FATHERSi

The Congregation of Holy Cross was

formally approved by the Pope in 1857,

twenty years after its founding in France

by Father Basil Moreau^ C.S.C.2 It is now
active throughout the United States and

Canada, as well as in France, Italy, Pakis-

tan, Chile, Brazil and Haiti.

The principal works of the Congrega-
tion are : teaching in universities, colleges,

and high schools; preaching missions, re-

treats, novenas, etc.; home missions in
Texas; foreign missions in Bengal, Pakis-

tan, and South America; parish work;

writing — books, magazines, pamphlets,
articles, etc.

The schools manned by the Holy Cross
Fathers are the University of Notre Dame,
Notre Dame, Indiana; the University of
Portland and Columbia Preparatory, Port-
land, Oregon; King’s College, Wilkes-

Barre, Pennsylvania; Stonehill College,

North Easton, Massachusetts; St. George’s
College, Santiago, Chile; St. Gregory’s

College, Dacca, Bengal, East Pakistan.

1 This Leaflet is intended to give essential facts about
admission to Holy Cross Seminary. If you do not
already have our larger free catalogue, **Boys Today-
Priests Tomorrow,” write for it.

2 The letters “C.S.C.” after the name of a Holy
Cross priest or Brother stand for “The Congregation of
Holy Cross—Congregatio a 5'ancta Cruce.”

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HOLY CROSS SEMINARY

Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame, In-
diana, accepts qualified candidates any

time after eighth grade. A lack of Latin
does not bar high school and college

applicants. *

After completing the course of studies

in Holy Cross Seminary, the seminarian

spends a year of intensive spiritual train-

ing at Sacred Heart Novitiate, South

Bend, Indiana; then follow the completion

of the candidate’s university education at

Moreau Seminary, Notre Dame, and four
years of Sacred Theology at Holy Cross

College, the Catholic University, Wash-
ington, D. C.2

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO
HOLY CROSS SEMINARY

Interview: If possible a candidate should

visit the Seminary or a house of the

Congregation have a t;ilk with the

Director of Vocations or any other Holy

Cross priest. Much satisfaction is ob-
tained from such an interview and

1 High school graduates in the East ordinarily enter
the Seminary of Our Lady of Holy Cross, North
Easton, Massachusetts. For full information, require-
ments, etc., they should write to the Director of
Vocations at that address.

2 Occasionally candidates are sent to Rome for Phi*
losophy and Theology.

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many questions may be adequately an

swered.

Age: Those who have completed the
eighth grade are eligible. Moreover, stu-

dents are accepted at any level of high

school and college.

Scholastic: An average of approximatelv
80% (between B and C) is ordinarly
required where the passing grade is

70%. Exceptions can be made only by
the Seminary Council.

Health: Good health is necessary. A phy-
sical examination report by the candi-

date’s family doctor is one of the

required documents.

Character: The solid, manly piety and
goodness of the ordinary, rightly-living

young man is required. A sense of
humor, a love of family, fun, sports,

are signs of a normal American Catho-

lic—the kind who will make the best
priest. But there must also be a serious-

ness of purpose, an excellence of char-

acter, commensurate with the great am-
bition to become “another Christ.”
Courage and a spirit of sacrifice are re-
quired both in the Seminary and later
in the Priesthood.

DOCUMENTS
The following documents should be

sent to the Director of Vocations as far in



advance of entry as possible (several

weeks, or even months, at least) :

Application blank filled out and signed.

Certificate of Birth.

Certificate of Baptism.

Certificate of Confirmation.

Certificate of parents’ Marriage (an of*

ficial copy of the Church record, not the

license) .

A letter of recommendation from the
pastor.

Certificate of good health—statement of
an examination signed by a physician,

and one signed by a dentist certifying

that dental work is not needed, or if
needed, has been completed. Eyes must

be cared for before entrance and fitted

with glasses if necessary.

A grade-school student should send his
latest report card; a high-school student

or graduate should ask his high school

to forward a complete record of his

credits; a college student or graduate

should have forwarded his college

credits.

(These documents may be sent in as
they are gathered—they need not be sent
all at once. Photostats may be sent if the
candidate wishes to retain the original

documents.
)



Address all documents and all matters

referring to vocation to:

The Director of Vocations
Holy Cross Seminary

Notre Dame, Indiana

After a candidate has entered, pay-

ments for board, room, tuition, etc., and

all other correspondence may be sent to
the Reverend Superior at the same ad-

dress.

FINANCES*

We never have refused and never shall
refuse a candidate because of inability to

pay for board and tuition. In Holy Cross

there is no distinction between the candi-

date whose parents are paying in full and

the one whose parents can afford only part

or none at all. The regular rate for board
and room is $30.00 per month and for tui-
tion $10.00 per month. ($360 for the

school year of 9 months). Of this we ask
parents to contribute as much as they
honestly feel they can afford and in any

way which is convenient for them. What-
ever they decide upon — and we’d like
them to let us know — will be perfectly
satisfactory to us, and they must feel free,
if necessary, to adjust the amount later on
according to their means.

* A change in the cost of living may bring about a
change up or down in these figures. If a candidate who
has not been paying the full amount leaves, he is
expected to promise to reimburse the Seminary when-
ever possible.

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This charge is made only while the can-

didate lives in Holy Cross Seminar}

(whether he is a high school or college

student) . After that there will be no fur-

ther financial burden whatever (except

for personal things^ such as clothing, dur-

ing the one year of Novitiate right after

leaving Holy Cross) . After the Novitiate,

the Congregation assumes full financial

responsibility for board, tuition, clothing,

medical care, etc.

Moreover, candidates are asked to pro-

vide for their books, toilet articles, train

fares, etc., while they reside in Holy Cross

Seminary, i.e., before the Novitiate year:

a sum of $75 per year (at least half of

which should be deposited with the Supe-

rior on arrival) should cover these or-

dinary personal expenses (unless the

candidate comes from such a distance as

to require considerably more for train

fare) . Laundry may be mailed home or
done at the Seminary at $1.50 per month.

All the seminarians receive full medical

and hospital care under the Blue Cross

plan at a cost of $2.00 a month.

Ex-servicemen eligible for benefits

under the G. I. Bill of Rights may ignore
these paragraphs concerning finances as

the G. L Bill covers all charges.

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CLOTHING

Clothing owned at the time of accept-

ance may be worn, but if new purchases
are to be made, suits and shoes should be

darky not necessarily black. (Black is not

required until the Novitiate year.) Old

clothes for every day wear, recreation and

work periods should be brought, and all

shoes must have rubber heels. These are

necessary; black tie, a dark hat, winter

overcoat, heavw jacket or sweater, bath-

robe, slippers, raincoat, rubbers, sewing

kit, and fountain pen.

The candidate should bring from six to
ten suits of underwear, pairs of socks,

towels, wash-cloths, handkerchiefs, and

shirts. The latter should have collars at-
tached and several should be white. Sport

shirts and “T-shirts” are also useful. He
will need several pairs of pajamas. This

clothing need not be marked.

Useful but not necessary: a trunk, ath-

letic equipment (baseball glove, swim-

ming trunks, ice-skates).

The Seminary provides blankets, sheets,
and pillow cases. If found necessary after
entry, additional clothing and personal
supplies may.be sent from home or pur-
chased in nearby South Bend.

N.B. Trunks, etc., should be shipped 3

or 4 days in advance to assure their ar-
rival in plenty of time.



A DAY IN HOLY CROSS SEMINARY

Rising 5:40 a.m

(On Saturdays, Sundays and recreation days,
rising at 6:1(3)

Meditation, followed by Mass, Communion,
and Thanksgiving 6.00 a.m.

Breakfast followed by housework 7:05 a.m.

Glasses (or study) 8:00 a.m.

Recreation 10:10 a.m.

Classes (or study) 10:30 a.m.

Visit to the Blessed Sacrament 11:55 a.m.

Dinner, followed by recreation 12:05 p.m.

Glasses (or study) 1:15 p.m.

Recreation 3:30 p.m.

Study, conference, etc J... 5:00 p.m.

Visit to the Blessed Sacrament 5:50 p.m.

Supper followed by recreation 6:00 p.m.

Study 7:25 p.m.

Night prayer preceded by Spiritual Reading
and Rosary or Benediction 8:25 p.m.

Study or optional retiring 8:50 p.m.

Retiring for all 9:30 p.m.

Exceptions are made in this schedule
on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and for

special occasions. Weekly there are con-
fessions, Way of the Cross, conferences by
the Superior — each month a Holy Hour
and retreat.

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STUDIES

High School Candidates: While in Holy

Cross Seminary the high school student

pursues the regular classical, college-

preparatory course. Among the classes
are Religion, Latin, English, Algebra,

Geometry, History, Greek, French,

German, Physics.

College Students: Those who enter after
graduation from high school, or at any
time during or after college, live in a

special Hall at Notre Dame and follow
a schedule of studies, religious exer-

cises, etc., especially designed to pre-

pare them for entry into the Novitiate
after one or two semesters.* Interested
young men are invited to visit the Uni-
versity in order to observe this college-
seminary program. For full information
and to arrange for such a visit, write
to the address on page seven.

* In the case of older candidates, entry directly into
the Novitiate is sometimes permitted.



THE RELIGIOUS LIFE

The Congregation of Holy Cross is a
Religious Community. Its seminaries ac-

cept only those candidates who wish to
become Holy Cross priests, that is, to dedi-

cate their lives to the service of God and
souls by the three vows of poverty, chas-

tity, and obedience, and under the partic-

ular Rule of Holy Cross. The fourth vow
of foreign missions is required of no one

but is taken voluntarily only by those “who
feel called by God to go to whatever part
of the world the Superior General may
wish to send them.”

The first temporary vows, are pro-
nounced at the conclusion of the Noviti-

ate year. They are renewed annually for
three years. Only then, after this period
of thorough trial and testing, are the semi-
narians permitted to make these vows for
life. Before final vows a candidate is free

to leave at any time.

* If at the end of three years there is still some doubt
about a candidate’s vocation, he may renew temporary
vows for a further three-year period.

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Some candidates ask whether their vow
of obedience permits them to choose their

work as Holy Cross priests. Seminarians

are urged to tell what work appeals to

them and ordinarily they are given that

assignment as priests if their Superiors see

that they have the ability for it. However,

the vow of obedience is the chief one in
the religious life and a priest may be as-
signed wherever he is needed.

VACATIONS—VISITORS—LETTERS

Vacations: In Holy Cross Seminary there

are the full summer’s vacation of ap-

proximately 10 or 11 weeks and a

Christmas vacation of about 2 weeks.

Easter vacation is spent in the Seminary.

Visitors: Families and friends may visit
the Seminary on the second Sunday of
each month. Twdce during the semester
the seminarians are permitted to take

dinner with their families in the Uni-

versity Cafeteria.

Letters: Seminarians may receive letters
from home anytime and must write to
their parents once a week. They may
write to members of their immediate
family without obtaining special per-

mission. Permission to write to other

relatives and friends is readily granted
by the Superior.

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THE LAY FAMILY OF HOLY CROSS

The Lay Family of the Congregation of

Holy Cross is an organisation of the par-

ents^ brothers and sisters, other relatives

and friends of the seminarians, priests, and

Brothers of the Congregation. Its purpose

is spiritual (to pray for the seminarians

and the welfare of the Congregation in

general, social (to acquaint the families

of the seminarians with each other), and

financial (to provide occasional help for

worthy seminarians and for the Seminary) .

There are branches of the Lay Family in
Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Fort Wayne,
New Bedford, New York, Pittsburgh,
Portland, Me., South Bend, Toledo, and

Washington, D. C. Meetings are held once

a month; in the summer, picnics and par-

ties are arranged in order that the semi-

narians-to-be and their families may be-
come acquainted with the old seminarians
and their families.

FOR THE PROSPECTIVE SEMINARIAN

1 . Pray fervently for the grace to know
your vocation and the courage to follow

it. The devil will throw many tempta-
tions in your way in an attempt to de-
stroy God’s previous gift in the very

beginning.

Family prayer — especially the Family
Rosary — is one of the most eflfective

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means to obtain God’s choicest blessings

on all the members of the family.

2. Go to Mass, Confession and Holy Com-
munion frequently.

3. Have a regular confessor or priest ad-

visor.

4. Be obedient, studious, charitable, gener-

ous, cheerful, truthful at all times.

5. Be careful to choose good companions

and to avoid occasions of sin.

6. In due time before you are ready to

enter (several months at least), write

to the Director of Vocations at the

Seminary, ask for an application blank,

and gather the required documents

(see page 6) .

Lay Brothers of Holy Cross

The Lay Brothers in the Priests’ Society of
Holy Gross live the fullness of the religious
life under the vows of poverty, chastity, and
obedience, and assist the Holy Cross Fathers at
home and abroad as office-workers, carpenters,
cooks, maintenance men, etc., and most of all
by their liVes of prayer and sacrifice in imitation
of Our Lord and their special patron, St.
Joseph.

The ordinary age for acceptance is from 17
to 35 but exceptions are occasionally made.

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For more information about the Priests
and Lay Brothers of Holy Cross write to:

THE DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS
Holy Cross Seminary
Notre Dame, Indiana

or

THE DIRECTOR OF VOCATIONS
Seminary of Our Lady of Holy Cross

North Easton, Massachusetts

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