On 8, 11th January, the Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa held its first-ever Holy Cross Educators' Provincial Symposium at Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School, Jinja, Uganda. The historic gathering brought together, for the first time, Holy Cross educators from all our Holy Cross schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, signifying …
On 8, 11th January, the Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa held its first-ever Holy Cross Educators’ Provincial Symposium at Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School, Jinja, Uganda. The historic gathering brought together, for the first time, Holy Cross educators from all our Holy Cross schools in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, signifying the growing commitment to collaborative mission, shared identity, and integral formation among vowed and the Holy Cross Lay Partners. More than 100 religious and lay collaborators participated.
The symposium was arranged by the Provincial Education Committee and was directed by the Provincial Superior, Rev. Fr. Peter Caxton Mayanja, C.S.C, whose desire for formation, unity, and mission, centered on education, remains strong. At the heart of the theme, Holy Cross Education in East Africa: The Work of Resurrection, was the desire to get the participants to challenge themselves to see education as a ministry of restoration of hope, formation of character, and equipping young people to be healers, reconcilers, and builders of God‘s Kingdom within and outside the Church. The theme was in relation to the Holy Cross charism, which drew the attention of educators to see the work of education in the frame of God‘s resurrection.
The two long days at the conference, Friday and Saturday, proved to be inspiring intellectually and spiritually, as a wide array of presenters from the Province and Congregation shared their expertise and provided valuable benefits to Holy Cross education in East Africa.
Other provincial presenters were: Fr. Prosper Atukwaste, C.S.C., who offered a profound reflection on Catholic identity to ensure Holy Cross institutions are rooted in Gospel value and in the Church‘s mission; Br. John Flood, C.S.C., who presented an overview of the Ontario Province‘s educational ministry with a focus on its history, mandate, growth, and challenges; Fr. Henry Kajubi, C.S.C., who addressed community building, noting that education is the connecting link between Holy Cross schools and society; Fr. Richard Pottast, C.S.C., who sought ways to increase the Congregation‘s visibility in its institutions; and Br. Patrick Tumwine, C.S.C., who provided pedagogical approaches for the effective implementation of Holy Cross values in education.
The presence and experiential impact of the Holy Cross education became visible to Holy Cross participants when the testimonies of Epau Emmanuel and Kajumba Rose, former students from the Holy Cross schools in the province, were shared.
With the arrival of Congregational leadership from the Congregation of Holy Cross, the symposium took on an international dimension as well. The Province was privileged to host both Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General, and Br. Prodip Placid Gomes, C.S.C., Second General Assistant, who both participated in its events. Br. Bednarczyk challenged Holy Cross educators to reflect on community as the most effective evangelizer, emphasizing that a true Christian witness is rooted in pastoral relationships based on shared love of Christ. Br. Gomes addressed the importance of spiritual and moral formation at Holy Cross academies and challenged his listeners to develop the whole person, heart, mind, and soul.
Virtual stories and reflections were given from other parts of the world: Br. John Paige, C.S.C. (former Vicar General and First Assistant), reflected on the charism of Holy Cross, and Dr. Marco Clark, President of Holy Cross College, spoke about the vocation, call, and experience of Holy Cross educators. Their talk emphasized that Holy Cross is a universal family and it is present in the East Africa community.
Watch more presentations during the Symposium Here
In addition to the academic program of the symposium, the symposium was a time for rejuvenation and fraternity through spiritual exercises. Sharing in the beautiful liturgical celebrations, the conference came alive with prayer and worship, and the boat trip to the Source of the Nile made room for prayer, fraternity and play!
By the end of the symposium, everyone expressed sincere appreciation for the time they were able to be together, to learn and reflect as a body, and expressed a desire for continued formation and future provincial gatherings in support of their work in educating youth.
As for the importance of the meeting, Fr. Mayanja recognized the mission of Holy Cross education to which the Province is committed. He stated:
As Provincial it is my commitment that we not only have our educators on staff, but true ministers of the charism of Holy Cross. When light breaks through the darkness, we rise together toward a new beginning; Holy Cross education awakens purpose and restores hope. This is a new dawn.
The symposium is in itself a strong voice of hope and renewal, demonstrating our Province of East Africa‘s dedication to holistic education, shared mission and the vocation of the Holy Cross charism.
