Everyday Ethics: St. Edward’s and the Congregation of Holy Cross By Stacia Hernstrom
François Dujarié watched anxiously as the French Revolution tore apart his country. In secret, he trained to become a priest and was ordained for the Diocese of Le Mans during the Reign of Terror. In the aftermath of the revolution, he faced immense challenges. The revolution had left many citizens uneducated and angry at the church. Schools were in ruin, entire villages destroyed. He and his societies of brothers and sisters began rebuilding, teaching children and ministering to families. Ailing, Father Dujarié asked his friend, Father Basil Moreau, to assume leadership of his society of brothers. Father Moreau accepted and invited the brothers to join his association of priests, who were also committed to providing secondary education and pastoral ministry. In 1837, the priests and brothers joined together to become the Congregation of Holy Cross. Father Dujarié, Father Moreau and the men and women of their societies simply and steadfastly responded to the needs of their time — a tenet that would define their mission and become the cornerstone for an institution founded decades later on an Austin hilltop.
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