The Most Interesting Man in the World

He can light every candle in the Grotto with one match.

He once heard his own confession.

When in Rome, they do as he does.

He is the Most Interesting Man in the World.

He is recognized immediately, just by a white square at his neck.

He has wit and he knows the perfect formula for a homily.

He is relatable and human.

He is the Most Interesting Man in the World.

He is a Holy Cross priest.

Photo by Matt Cashore

Holy Cross priests are united by their five guiding principles: mind, heart, zeal, family, and hope. Men of Holy Cross on the Notre Dame campus and all over the world manifest these principles in various ways in their ministry and service. If these are played out in different ways depending on the C.S.C., what characteristics seem to be consistent across the order? Three things immediately come to mind: their wittiness, their enthusiasm for what they do, and their obvious humanity and relatability.

Wit. The Congregation of Holy Cross is a community of brothers. This is key to their formation as priests and men. I imagine that wittiness is an essential quality to develop in a group of males who eat, pray play, and live together. Somehow they manage to poke fun at their brothers while concelebrating mass with them, point out lessons in discipleship from the movie Frozen, and incorporate commentary on the Resurrection through the lens of the social media platform Yik Yak in homilies.

Enthusiasm. Holy Cross priests are educators in the faith wherever they go. They embrace this mission with the upmost enthusiasm. Whether serve as the rector of a dorm, a teacher, an administrator, or at a Holy Cross mission, the men of this order look for hope in daily situations and find opportunities to share their zeal for the Christian faith. C.S.C.s always seem to have way too many things going on at once, which in some ways is a great problem to have in the context of their enthusiasm – lucky for those of us benefitting from their faithful energy!

Humanity. This is my favorite quality of a Holy Cross priest. They are unapologetically human, and always find ways to relate to the community around them (see the last sentence of the Wit section). The men of Holy Cross exist to create family wherever they go. They give the gift of presence and genuine character on a daily basis and are very approachable.

So why, exactly, is a Holy Cross priest the Most Interesting Man in the World? Because he is a priest.

 

The six deacons to be ordained on April 11th after taking their final vows. Greeted by their Holy Cross brothers.
Photo by Matt Cashore 

This weekend, the Congregation of Holy Cross welcomes six new priests into their order through the Sacrament of Holy Orders: Deacons Matthew Fase, C.S.C.; David Halm, C.S.C.; Timothy Mouton, C.S.C.; Stephen Chase Pepper, C.S.C.; Daniel Ponisciak, C.S.C.; and Christopher Rehagen, C.S.C. The ordinations will be celebrated at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at 2 p.m., and all are welcome!

On April 11, 2015, each of these men will become the Most Interesting Man in the World. See the Holy Cross Vocations website for more information.

I take zero credit for the idea of or words “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” This character belongs to Dos Equis and is in no way mine.