Companions of the Cross

Companions of the Cross

The Companions of the Cross is a Society of Apostolic Life based in Ottawa, Ontario. It is a community of Roman Catholic priests, which is Eucharistic, Charismatic, Marian and Magisterial. It was founded by Father Robert Bedard and was approved in 2002 by Vatican City as a Society of Apostolic Life. Fernando Suarez is a notable member of the society, ordained as a priest in 2002.

[edit] Vision

A definition of the beliefs, practices and goals of the Companions is:

To give God permission to use the members however He wants.
To seek God's will and follow it.
To surrender fully to Jesus as Lord and Saviour
To regard Eucharist as the source and summit of their Catholic faith, and promoting its Exposition and Adoration.
To be Charismatic, including Spontaneous Praise. They also practice Spiritual Warfare when deemed necessary.
To honour Mary, the mother of Jesus.
To be loyal to the Magisterium.
To bring people into a personal relationship with Jesus as their saviour.
To lead a common life in a community, and encourage its growth.
To live a lives to focus on God, and their work for Him.
To aid the materially, mentally and spiritually poor.
To submit to local bishops.
To expect a group of men and women of a common vision to help with their ministry.
To devote themselves to a ministry with the laity.
To minister also to priests and seminarians.

The way that the Companions of the Cross live and serve can be summarized as:

Prayer - Which is both time spent in private personal prayer (minimum of one hour daily) and in groups together, the members pray together (praise and listening to God). This prayer tends to include spontaneous prayer and part of the Liturgy of the Hours.
Living in Community - Members live together in community. While recognizing each man's uniqueness, they together form one community, sharing experience, trials and joys.
Work - The community of the Companions is one dedicated to active service in their cities, especially in the inner core. They do the work assigned by their diocese which always involves evangelization. The community feels a special calling to the poor, and to youth.

The Companions of the Cross ministry in locations including Ottawa and Toronto, Ontario, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Houston, Texas.