Holy Cross Seminary

Message From The Rector, Father Vicente Griego

Holy Cross Seminary is one of six seminaries operated by the Society of Saint Pius X, and is located in the countryside 25 kilometers outside of Goulburn, and about 2 hours driving time south-west from Sydney, Australia. Although Holy Cross is an international Seminary, as are all the Society's Seminaries, open to candidates from all over the world, it is nevertheless especially geared to take Seminarians from Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Holy Cross seminary is the smallest of the Society's seminaries. The others are in Switzerland, France, Germany, the U.S. and Argentina.

The special purpose of the Society of Saint Pius X is the priesthood, and everything that concerns the priesthood. Consequently, the formation of priests in our Society's Seminaries is the chief and most important work accomplished by the Society. It strives to form true priests in perfect fidelity to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. This means adherence to every aspect of Catholic Tradition, and in particular the constant and consistent condemnation of the multiple aspects of liberalism and modernism by the pre-Vatican II Popes. It also means the refusal of the revolutionary ideas promoted since the second Vatican Council, which have so effectively destroyed the Church's authority.

The formation given at Holy Cross seminary is entirely Thomistic, that is according to the principles of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, as prescribed in the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1366, and by the Popes, especially Leo XIII and St. Pius X. It consists of one year of Spirituality, two years of Philosophy and three years of Theology. This formation is given according to the spirit of the Society's founder Archbishop Lefebvre, from whom it received the traditional Latin Mass and the traditional philosophical and theological formation so necessary to the life and functioning of a true Catholic priest. The Society's specially spirituality, related to the present very grave crisis in the Church, and an effective response to it, is described in Archbishop Lefebvre's book Spiritual Journey. The greatness and majesty of God, the gravity of original sin and actual sin, the mystery of the Incarnation, and the satisfactory Redemption, the Church, the sacraments and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are consequently the center of the spirituality taught at Holy Cross Seminary.

Holy Cross is not just a Major Seminary. It is also a Brothers' Novitiate, for those men who are willing to sacrifice all to follow Christ and seek for perfection. Formation in the practice of the vows, the religious and community life, generosity and prayer are the main elements to be achieved during the novitiate. After and novitiate the Brothers remain to learn the invaluable practical skills that enable a brother to serve the Society most effectively. The religious life, exemplified by the Brothers is crucial to the life of the Society and to that of Holy Cross Seminary.

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