What's New?

    There have been a lot of changes in the Congo over the last few years and, regretfully, we have not reported all of these on the website pages as they occured.  So we've got some catching up to do.   The biggest news is that Father Huub Wagemans, osc, was elected the provincial of the European Province a few years ago, and he now resides at Saint Agatha's Priory, the motherhouse of the order,  in Holland.  Since the order in the Congo does not yet have the status of a province or pro-province (on the way to becoming a province), it remains under the jurisdiction of the father province in Europe, and thus Father Wagemans is the major superior of the Crosier region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  After consultation, he appoints a Crosier in the Congo to serve as resident regional superior.  He has appointed Father Paluku Muhumira Henri, osc.

    Even though he resides in Europe now, evidently Father Wagemans still retains a great interest in the Congo and watches over the growth of the region very carefully.  He is the one who gives final approval to acceptance of men into the order, profession of vows, and ordinations.  Likewise, all major projects and works of the Crosiers in the Congo fall under his jurisdiction.  This past September he conducted a pastoral visitation of the region along with Father Peter Snijkers, osc, who is now the director of the mission office at the Crosier Priory at Diest in Belgium.  They spent several weeks interviewing all of the Crosiers there, spoke with Father Henri and his council, as well as all comittees and directors of major projects in the region.  Certainly a major concern was the formation of the young Crosiers.  Another was the rapid growth of Holy Cross College and its new psychology program.  They met with the Crosier communities in Mulo, Musienene and Kinshasa and gave directives and suggestions for bettering Crosier community life and for the better functioning of apostolates.  They visited the Bishop of the Diocese of Butembo-Beni and other collaborators and friends of the Crosiers. Together with the congolese Crosiers they reflected on problems and challenges of the region and gave their encouragement and support for the contuance of Crosier life there and the educational and pastoral works of the order in the Congo.

    Besides all these activities, Father Wagemans received all the vows of those making first profession, renewing vows, and those making perpetual vows.  He also presided over the ceremony of the acceptance of new postulants and the investiture in the religious habit of new novices. He dedicated the new chapel for the residence of the brothers studying philosophy at Holy Cross College.  It is named for Saint Odilia, the patron of the Crosier Order.