The Lovers of the Holy Cross opened a Jubilee Year of celebration on September 14, 2019, with a Mass at Christ Cathedral in Orange, California, commemorating the 350^th anniversary of their founding.  Founded in Vietnam in 1670 by Bishop Pierre Marie Lambert de la Motte, a French missionary, the congregation has faithfully endured despite experiencing a turbulent history of persecutions, wars and religious suppression.

On September 9, 1659, Pope Alexander VII signed the edict Super Cathedram establishing two apostolic dioceses in Vietnam, appointing Bishop Lambert to be Apostolic Vicar of South Vietnam.  This event marked the birth of the Vietnamese Catholic Church.   He received the vows of the first two Lovers of the Holy Cross in 1670.

In the ensuring years, the congregation went through a painful history of bloody martyrdom, where convents were destroyed, sisters dispersed and others killed for their faith. Today, they number 30 congregations in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and the U.S., with over six thousand sisters serving the people of God.

The Lovers of the Holy Cross of Los Angeles, one of the autonomous and independent congregations that are part of the family, was established in 1992. Ministering in the Los Angeles area, they have 66 professed sisters, four novices, seven postulants and seven candidates in eight communities.

The spirituality of the Lovers of the Holy Cross is embodied in their love for Jesus Christ Crucified, believing that “in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His body, which is the Church.” (Col 1:24)

“Since the beginning,” said Sr. Grace Duc Le, Superior General, “our spiritual patrimony continues to inspire us to offer ourselves generously in serving the poor and homeless in shelters and on the streets, assisting the sick and lonely, and teaching the youth faith and morals.  May we passionately do everything for the sake of glorifying God and for the salvation of souls!”

For more information, please visit: www.lhcla.org