Works of the Cross

Works of the Cross

"The Work of the Cross will grow, it will be a leafy tree in my Church,
it will bear many fruits of salvation that will glorify the Trinity"

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Our Spirituality

Works of the Cross

A tree of five branches
		Apostleship of the Cross Sisters of the Cross of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Covenant of Love Fraternity of Christ the Priest Missionaries of the Holy Spirit Family of the Cross

The Venerable Servant of God Concepción Cabrera de Armida (1862-1937), lay woman, married and mother of nine children was chosen by the Lord as an instrument to communicate the Spirituality of the Cross and to establish the Work of the Cross. She gave a most decisive impulse to each one of the branches of the Work with her life and her writings.

The Work of the Cross was brought to life in the Church to promote the sanctity of the people of God in the following of Christ, Priest and Victim.

Apostleship of the Cross

The first branch of the tree is the Apostleship of the Cross. It was founded on May 3, 1895 in Mexico by the Venerable Ramón Ibarra González, then Bishop of Chilapa, Guerrero.

It is noted for being open to all faithful Christians who are part of God’s people: laity, religious and priests, who seek to live their baptismal consecration according to the Spirituality of the Cross, praying and offering their daily works and trials, especially for priests and thus respond to the universal vocation to sanctity.

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Sisters of the Cross
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This is the branch of the tree of the Cross that most clearly goes to the heights, because its character is contemplative prayer. It is a religious congregation of the contemplative life. They were founded on May 3, 1897 in Mexico City.

The Sisters of the Cross dedicate their lives to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and voluntarily offer themselves in favor of the sanctification of priests.

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Covenant of Love
with the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The third branch of the Works of the Cross, specifically for laity, was founded on November 8, 1909 in Mexico. The members of Covenant of Love are called to consecrate themselves to the Father in union with Christ, Priest and Victim, through the constant offering of their lay lives.

Its members also strive to console the Heart of Christ through a life of intimacy with Him that will allow them to know and share his most intimate feelings.

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Fraternity of Christ the Priest

The Fraternity of Christ the Priest, for bishops, priests and deacons, was founded on January 19, 1912.

The Fraternity of Christ the Priest brings them together so that under the motion of the Holy Spirit they live their faith experience in ecclesial communion with the Spirit of Christ, Priest and Victim, for their own sanctification and the sanctification of the priestly people.

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Missionaries of the Holy Spirit

The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit were founded by Fr. Félix de Jesús Rougier, M.Sp.S. on December 25, 1914 in Mexico City. They are at the same time the last branch of the tree and the axis which enlivens all the Works of the Cross.

The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, priests, permanent deacons and brothers, live and share in community the Spirituality of the Cross by their total consecration through the religious vows and their apostolic work.

They live their priestly spirituality offering to the Father his Son, Priest and Victim and offering themselves with Him as a host pleasing to God.

They make their own the mission of Jesus who was sent to save us and to sanctify us through the gift of His Spirit. As apostles of that same Spirit they are sent to promote holiness among the people of God, according to the Spirituality of the Cross. Priests take precedence in the apostolic action of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit.

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Family of the Cross

There are also other institutions that live and promote the Spirit of Christ, Priest and Victim and they all form the "Family of the Cross". Their core are the Works of the Cross and "although they are five, in authenticity they are one, one Work of sacrifice and love".

The members of the Family of the Cross live and grow by the impulse of the Holy Spirit to continue, through the time and space, the intercession plead which was its origin:

Jesus, savior of all people, save them!