Since God alone provides the means for successful accomplishment of any task, it seems evident that a person needs to be called by God to be an effective teacher. —Blessed Basil Moreau
January 20 is the Feast Day of Blessed Basil Anthony M. Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and one of the most influential and inspirational figures for Catholic Education in the United States and worldwide. Note that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick described Basil Moreau as a patron of religious education. Share the video of Cardinal McCarrick's homily on Bl. Basil following his beatification in 2007 and other information about Bl. Basil with your students:
In the United States, the Congregation of Holy Cross sponsors the following schools:
California
St Francis High School Mountain View
Moreau Catholic High School Hayward
Notre Dame High School Sherman Oaks
Colorado
Holy Cross Novitiate Cascade
Connecticut
Holy Cross High School Waterbury
Notre Dame High School West Haven
Delaware
St. Edmond's Academy Wilmington
Illinois
Holy Trinity High School Chicago
Indiana
Holy Cross College Notre Dame
Moreau Seminary Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame Notre Dame
Louisiana
Holy Cross School New Orleans
Massachusetts
Stonehill College Easton
Maryland
Bishop McNamara High School Forestville
New York
Holy Cross High School Flushing
Archbishop Hoban High School Akron
Gilmour Academy Gates Mills
St. Edward High School Lakewood
Oregon
The University of Portland Portland
Pennsylvania
King's College Wilkes-Barre
Texas
San Juan Diego Catholic High School Austin
St Edwards University Austin
Holy Cross High School San Antonio 
Timeline of Blessed Basil Moreau's Life
1799 Born February 11 in Laigné-en-Belin, a little village near Le Mans, France, the 9th of 14 children; his father was a wine merchant.
1814 Entered the diocesan seminary.
1821 Ordained a priest at age 22.
1835 Taught and served as assistant superior in Le Mans; named leader of the Brothers of St. Joseph founded by Fr. Jacques Dujarié. Founded the society of Auxiliary Priests.
1837 United the brothers and priests into the Association of Holy Cross.
1840 Professed vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
1844 Received the vows of Leocadie Gascoin and three Marianites.
1857 Received papal approval of the constitutions for the Association, which became the Congregation of Holy Cross.
1866 Resigned as superior general, but continued an active preaching and retreat ministry.
1872 Celebrated his Golden Jubilee.
1873 Died on January 20 at age 73.
1955 The cause for his beatification was introduced in Rome.
2003 Proclaimed Venerable.
2007 Beatified on September 15, 2007 in Centre Antarès, Le Mans, France by Pope Benedict XVI.
Reflection/Assignment
A Holy Cross Brother, Br. Majella Hegarty, applied some principles from Basil Moreau's document Christian Education to a list of essential teacher traits with the qualities defined by Moreau. Here is the list:
LOVE zealous desire for material and spiritual success of every pupil
HOPE trust in God's power and goodness, in the fundamental good in the human nature of pupils
PATIENCE ability to note and stifle the beginning of annoyance, anger
DECISION strong convictions, definite purposes, command of one's job
DIGNITY self respect. Be not distant but keep your distance.
TACT moderation—a little blind, a little deaf to things that do not matter. Not "You're hopeless" but "You can do better than that."
STUDY OF PUPIL'S NATURE intelligence and adaptability to suit teaching methods to maturity level of pupils and to individual differences
ATTENTION TO DETAIL intelligent control of classroom conditions—light, heat, etc. alterness in noticing physical discomfort and illness
MECHANIZATION OF ROUTINE beginning and stopping on the minute; having a settled plan for distribution and collection of materials, for seating, for entering and leaving the room, classroom courtesies, grades, etc.
Personalize the list for your own purposes. Add other traits and qualities that can help you as a teacher.
