Congregation of Holy Cross formed at Le Mans

Background. Basil Moreau, a priest from Le Mans, established the Auxiliary Priests in 1835 to serve the Diocese of Le Mans. By 1837, he led both this group and the Brothers of St. Joseph. Recognizing the need for unity, Moreau decided to combine these communities into a single society to share resources and ministries, laying the groundwork for a nascent religious community.

Formation of the Union. On March 1, 1837, the priests and brothers gathered in the church of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix in Le Mans. They signed the Fundamental Act of Union, which legally joined them into one association. This event marked the formal creation of the Congregation of Holy Cross, with the church becoming the mother church of the new foundation.

Religious Identity. The new congregation took its name from the Sainte-Croix neighborhood in Le Mans. Moreau envisioned the group as an apostolic institute composed of distinct societies. He consecrated the priests to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the brothers to the pure heart of St. Joseph, establishing a spiritual framework for the united community.