Founded in Le Mans, France, in 1837 by Blessed Basile Moreau, the Congregation of Holy Cross began to spread to other countries in 1841.
Today, the religious of Holy Cross number more than 1600. They work in several countries on four continents: Africa, America, Asia and Europe.
The religious, priests and brothers and sisters are members of a Catholic religious congregation that works in education, parishes and various other sectors of society, depending on the country where they are located.
AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE

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Ave Crux Spes Unica

The Legacy of Blessed Basile Moreau in Canada
Exhibition organized by the Fathers, Brothers and Sisters of the Congregation of Holy Cross with the collaboration of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal
January 20 to July 1, 2023
Level 4
The year 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Blessed Basile Moreau (1799-1873), founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The exhibition is a tribute to his work and aims to present the spirituality of Father Moreau and the legacy he left to Canada through the women and men who followed him.
Located on the heart level of Saint Brother André (4th floor), 13 display cases showcase religious objects, art objects, books, archives and iconographic documents such as photographs, maps and drawings.
During the festivities, the Basile Moreau Chapel, located at the back of the Basilica’s choir, is exceptionally open to pilgrims and visitors, who can find a place of meditation and information on the original funerary stele and the statue of Father Moreau that are located there.
To complete the experience, six posters of the exhibition – featuring an image of Father Moreau and the title of the exhibition with a QR code associated with each poster – are displayed at various significant locations in the Oratory. They provide additional information to the exhibition.