March 7, 2025 // Bishop

Bishop Rhoades Speaks on Friendship at Holy Cross College

Clare Hildebrandt

Reporter

“We shall always place education side by side with instruction; the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” – Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross

On Friday, February 28, Bishop Rhoades visited Holy Cross College, where he celebrated Mass with students and faculty and attended a first-year theology class.

The small college, consisting of approximately 500 students, warmly welcomed the shepherd of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Aiming to educate through the rich intellectual tradition of the Church, Holy Cross College is rooted in Blessed Basil Moreau’s desire to form both the mind and heart.

Well aware of this mission, Bishop Rhoades referenced both Scripture and philosophy in his homily at St. Joseph Chapel.

“As Sirach says, ‘A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.’ Such a friendship is based on genuine love, not just mutual attraction. These deep friendships take time to develop, and Sirach says they are gained through testing.”

To shed light on this Scripture passage, Bishop Rhoades incorporated Aristotle’s philosophy of friendship into his preaching.

“Aristotle then speaks of friendship that does last, similar to the kind in the Book of Sirach,” Bishop Rhoades said. “He calls them ‘virtuous friendships.’ St. Thomas Aquinas then speaks of [Aristotle’s virtuous friendships] as perfect friendships, because they are based upon mutual love. This is friendship in the fullest sense – two people united, not in self-interest or for pleasure, but in true concern for the good of the other and with a common aim.”

These are the friendships that Holy Cross students should pursue in their communities, Bishop Rhoades urged.

Dr. Marco Clark, president of Holy Cross College, commented on the educational approach of the school as well as Bishop Rhoades’ message to the students.

“At Holy Cross, we take an approach that really is a both/and approach, incorporating the Catholic intellectual tradition, social principles of the Church, and mission of Holy Cross into our education. If I could use one word to describe it, it would be a very ‘intentional’ education,” he said.

Clark added, “And it was just so refreshing to hear [Bishop Rhoades] speak so pastorally and with authority on Scripture, and that message really resonated with our students.” 

Liam Pearl, a senior at Holy Cross, was also delighted with the visit and the opportunity to hear about the bishop’s life.

“It’s amazing that Bishop Rhoades would see the importance of visiting our school. … It’s important whenever leadership figures in the Church come to Holy Cross. We’re always excited to meet them and ask about their prayer lives, careers, and the ways they have grown [as leaders],” Pearl explained.

“It’s also just really cool for the bishop to also recognize the little things we do here at Holy Cross,” Pearl continued. “He expressed his gratitude for the school, educating according to the faith. It shows a lot about his character [that he would remember the little things].”

Freshman David Nagy sat with Bishop Rhoades at lunch and shared some of his experiences at the college. The close-knit community, Nagy told Today’s Catholic, is one of the highlights of his experience at the college.

“Because Holy Cross is such a small school, there’s a lot of accountability when it comes to the community,” Nagy said. “You can’t really sink into the shadows without someone reaching out to you and asking if you’re alright. … They want you to succeed.”

Nagy continued: “This holds true with faith as well. It’s so inspiring to hang out and talk about sports with a group of guys for a half hour and then just transition into talking about our faith. You have people eager to talk about and listen to the faith,” he said with enthusiasm.

Chris Dailey, a freshman, told Today’s Catholic about the transformation of his faith life at Holy Cross College. 

“Just seeing other kids who are so rooted in their faith has had such an effect on me. One thing I noticed when I came to college was that my friends blessed themselves before they ate,” he said.

“I come from a family where faith is your own personal thing, and while I was a faithful guy, I didn’t know something as simple as that could have such an effect. Now, I’ve started praying [before meals]. It has been a big thing for me because I’ll literally take a minute to pray before breakfast, thanking God for his goodness,” Dailey said.

“People learn by example, so everything they do – administration, professors – is guided by the lens of what a good Catholic should do. It has been so beneficial to me as a person,” Dailey concluded.

In the end, the students who spoke to Today’s Catholic said they are looking forward to the rest of their semester at a college that shows them “what it means to be a Christian.”

“Holy Cross is so rooted in faith, and the people here embody it,” Dailey explained. “People embody what it means to be a Christian, which is to actually love people and show them kindness.”

Clare Hildebrandt is a staff writer for Today’s Catholic.