Called and Chosen: Embracing God’s Will in the Congregation of Holy Cross

By Sushil Ignatius Soren, C.S.C.
Congregation of Holy Cross, Province of East Africa

My name is Sushil Ignatius Soren, C.S.C., from Bangladesh, and I am a proud member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Province in the Congregation of Holy Cross. As I look back on my vocation journey, I realize more clearly than ever that this path was not something I charted alone. It was, and continues to be, a response to God’s loving invitation—a divine call that has guided my life from its earliest days.

The first flicker of this call came during my primary school years, through a religious sister in our parish. She spoke of the beauty and purpose of the priesthood, planting in my young heart a desire that has only deepened over time: the desire to serve God fully. That early conversation stirred something eternal within me—a longing to follow Christ as a priest.

Growing up in a Holy Cross parish, I was continually inspired by the ministry and selfless witness of Holy Cross priests. My journey was further shaped by attending a school run by the Brothers of Holy Cross, where I encountered the charism of the Congregation more profoundly. This spiritual and educational foundation strengthened my resolve, and in 2011, I formally entered the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Over the years, the journey of formation has been transformative. Prayer, community life, and pastoral ministry have taught me that a vocation is not rooted in personal ambition—it is a surrender to God’s will. During my novitiate, I embraced this calling wholeheartedly, professing my First Vows in 2019 and accepting the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a joyful and radical commitment to Christ.

In 2021, I was missioned to Kenya for theological studies. Living and learning in East Africa has been a rich, grace-filled experience. I encountered new cultures, ministered in diverse communities, and witnessed the vibrancy of faith in ways that deepened my love for God’s people. These encounters expanded my heart and fortified my vocation.

Now, as I prepare to profess Final Vows and be ordained a deacon in May 2025, my heart is filled with deep gratitude. I echo the words of Jesus in John 15:16:

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.

I thank God for His unceasing guidance. I’m profoundly grateful to the Provincials and their Councils in both Bangladesh and East Africa, to all my formators, the members of Holy Cross, and my family and friends who have supported and journeyed with me in faith.

As I stand on the threshold of a lifelong commitment, I move forward with joy, trusting in God’s grace and the power of the Holy Cross to lead me in service to His Church.