By Olga Mosychuk
The University of Portland is a Catholic institution but what exactly is Holy Cross?Understanding its distinction within the Catholic community is important to the UP student body, since this 172 year-old congregation is the foundation on which the University of Portland was built.Founded by the Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C. in post-revolutionary France, Holy Cross diverged and spread throughout the world.While the Franciscan Order focuses on eliminating poverty and the Dominicans emphasize preaching, members of the Congregation of the Holy Cross are known as "educators of the faith," according to the Rev. Patrick Hannon, C.S.C.In 1842, Holy Cross pioneers set up their first institution, Notre Dame, in Indiana. In 1902, they spread their congregation to Oregon, where Archbishop Alexander Christie established the University of Portland as "the Notre Dame of the Pacific Northwest". Instead of holding deep solitary monastic duties, such as those in Dominican and Franciscan Orders, the Holy Cross ministry at the University of Portland is devoted to Apostolic endeavors. The Congregation intends to live among people and educate those around them in their faith. Here on The Bluff, priests and brothers live in the dorms and are available for consultation; they are a part of the everyday lives of the student body, setting them apart from members of other Catholic Orders.The Jesuits, while deeply dedicated to education, do not integrate into their surroundings as extensively; they do not live on campus with their students. The Rev. Jim Lies, C.S.C. notes that he "has had the good fortune to both teach and to live in residence on campus", a comment that mirrors the mission of Holy Cross ministry. Holy Cross priests teach in several departments across UP and serve in a number of administrative roles as well.However, Lies remarked that "whatever the position each of us may have, education has always been at the heart of our ministry and mission".According to Fr. Thomas Doyle, C.S.C, the notion of family is an important and unique aspect of the Order. The entire Congregation of Holy Cross consists of priests, brothers and sisters, a combination that is almost unheard of in more ancient Catholic orders. Members of Holy Cross live in a community and shy away from solitary, hermitic existences. The ministry relaxes and worships with the laity, and tries to involved themselves in every facet of UP life.Members of today's Congregation of Holy Cross wholeheartedly follow Moreau's zeal and vision. They are committed to his belief that "an education that is complete is one in which the hands and heart are engaged as much as the mind". The community and education within the University of Portland will continue to grow, drawing from the teaching, faith and traditions of its Holy Cross foundation.
