THE BROTHERS OF HOLY CROSS IN INDIA
. Written by Bro.Aurele Tessier, C.S.C.
THE BEGINNINGS
The first group of Holy Cross members arrived in Calcutta in may 1853. They consisted of 3 Sisters, 3 Brothers and 3 Priests. From Calcutta, they proceeded to East Bengal (now Bangladesh) which had been entrusted to Holy Cross by the Holy See the precedent year. 7 years later, Pierre Dufal, C.S.C., was ordained first Holy Cross Bishop and took up residence in Dhaka.
Some parts of what we now call North-East India have been under the pastoral care of the Holy Cross religious for a very long time. Till independence in 1947, and even a few years after, Cachar, North Cachar and Mizoram (all districts of Assam at the time) were part of the Chittagong Diocese, entrusted to Holy Cross. The state of Tripura was included in the Diocese of Dhaka, also under Holy Cross.
Blessed Basil Antony Moreau, C.S.C., Founder of Holy Cross
