September 23, 2025 // Bishop
‘The Heartbeat of the Congregation Is Hope’
Holy Cross Sisters Honor Their Patroness, Our Lady of Sorrows
In the Church of Loretto attached to the motherhouse of the Sisters of Holy Cross in South Bend is a beautifully painted image of Our Lady of Sorrows. While her head is bowed in grief, she stands upright, embracing the world’s sorrows while still holding on to hope.
Worshippers gather during Mass for members and friends of the Sisters of the Holy Cross at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto in South Bend.
This image is dear to the hearts of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, as their founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, encouraged great devotion to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Sorrows. Because of this devotion, the sisters mark her September 15 feast day with a special celebration. This year, Bishop Rhoades traveled to the Church of Loretto, located on the campus of Saint Mary’s College, to celebrate Mass with the sisters.
With members and friends of the Sisters of the Holy Cross standing behind him, Bishop Rhoades elevates the Eucharist during Mass at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto in South Bend on Monday, September 15. The chapel at Saint Mary’s College is built in the round.
In his homily, Bishop Rhoades encouraged all to meditate on the life of Mary and her fiat. He reflected on the mission of the Sisters of the Holy Cross and their ties to Our Lady of Sorrows.
“Mary’s heart was broken, but she did not fall into despair as she stood at the foot of the cross,” Bishop Rhoades said in his homily.
Photos by Clare Hildebrandt
Bishop Rhoades greets a woman following Mass for the Sisters of the Holy Cross at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto on the campus of Saint Mary’s College in South Bend on Monday, September 15, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, who is the patroness of the congregation.
“She continued to trust in God and in her son’s mission of salvation. She did not lose faith or hope. She wept tears of sorrow, but she did not succumb to bitter anger. She believed in her son’s words of forgiveness, not only for the repentant thief crucified next to Jesus but also for the soldiers whom Jesus prayed that the Father would forgive, for they ‘know not what they do,’” he preached to the congregation.
He continued: “As Jesus entrusted the Church to His Mother, so, too, Blessed Basil Moreau entrusted your congregation to her, under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. I was reflecting on what this means for you as Sisters of the Holy Cross. To be entrusted to her not only means having recourse to her but also imitating her virtues, especially her loving compassion for all who suffer.”
Afterwards, the sisters enjoyed lunch with Bishop Rhoades.
“It is a joy to have the bishop join us,” Sister Sharlet Ann Wagner, president of the congregation, told Today’s Catholic. “He is the shepherd of our diocese and is always so warm and welcoming,” she added.
“Our Lady of Sorrows is our patroness,” Sister Sharlet continued. “Our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, gave us Our Lady of Sorrows as our patroness. For the Sisters of the Holy Cross, one of the most important images of Our Lady of Sorrows is Mary at the foot of the Cross … [who is] Our Lady of Compassion, standing with those who are suffering. … She is our model. We stand with those who are suffering in our own time and place. We look at the crosses today [and ask]: How do we stand with those who are suffering today?”
Molly Gower, a professor of religious studies and theology as well as vice president for mission at Saint Mary’s College, joined the celebration.
“What I see are the sisters being people who have their eyes open to what is sorrowful in the world,” Gower said. “Where people are hurting and suffering, they spiritually accompany people. It could be a pretty dark place if they just stayed there. But they are an Easter people,” she explained.
The congregation models hope, Gower said, which is fitting for the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope.
“The sisters are … a community of pilgrims [who say], ‘I will walk with you and respond to you and move toward God.’ … The Sisters of the Holy Cross are a wonderful model of a countercultural way of being, a way of being Christian that prioritizes community,” Gower added. “This Jubilee year is so good, and it’s a good year to remember we are people turned toward hope. The motto of the sisters is Ave Crux Spes Unica or ‘Hail to the Cross Our Only Hope.’ The heartbeat of the congregation is hope.”
Sister Eileen Dewsnup, while enjoying coffee and cake in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, told today’s Catholic: “[Our Lady of Sorrows] stands in front of all the sorrows – Gaza, Sudan, here. … Mary is a mother of compassion. … It is important for everyone, including our novices, to know this. She is a true model for us as she holds the world in her lap.”
Clare Hildebrandt is a staff writer for Today’s Catholic.
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