Brothers?

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I understand Bishops, Priests & Deacons, but how do Brothers fit into the mix? Where did they come from and what are their responsibilities?
 
lepanto said:
This may help.

brothersonline.org/
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From that website i got this:

“A Brother is a man committed to living the Consecrated Life in response to a call from God. Brothers are engaged in a variety of ministries in keeping with the charism of their congregation and model the person of Jesus through the relational manner in which they serve.”
 
It looks like some Brothers are Priests, but is that a requirement? And what about seminary/educational requirements?
 
krueter said:
It looks like some Brothers are Priests, but is that a requirement? And what about seminary/educational requirements?
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no brothers are not priests, they are brothers (a priest is father). Some members of religious orders are brothers and some are priests or deacons (whether they are called monks, friars, canons etc). Brothers are celibate men in consecrated religious life. Priests are celibate (in the Latin Rite) men in holy orders. Sisters are celibate women in consecrated religious life. Neither Brothers nor Sisters (nuns) in consecrated religious life receive holy orders. However, some brothers may be ordained as deacons. Are you confused yet? Originally most monks and friars were brothers (that is, not ordained priests) although some may have been ordained in the various minor orders (lector, acolyte etc), and some were deacons (Like St. Francis). To meet their sacramental needs or the needs of the communities in which they were located, some were later ordained priests.
 
Thank you. Now I understand it. Locally we have a Catholic University with many Friars and that was where my confusion began since they often refer to each other as brother and it is nearly impossible for me to tell which ones are priests and which ones are not. Actually, I had made the assumption (obviously incorrect) that all Friars are Priests, but this explains why only a few of them celebrate mass in the area.

Thanks again.
 
Some of us in religious orders think of our selves as brothers first even if we are ordained to the priesthood.

After all, we make final vows as a brother some time before we are ordained to the priesthood.

Some orders only ordain brothers to minister as priests to their order.

But you are correct. The proper way to address us is Brother [name] unless we are ordained then it is Father [name]. Usually it is our first name but some may prefer that you use their last name (I have yet to meet any who prefer this but I am sure there are some out there somewhere).
 
krueter said:
Thank you. Now I understand it. Locally we have a Catholic University with many Friars and that was where my confusion began since they often refer to each other as brother and it is nearly impossible for me to tell which ones are priests and which ones are not. Actually, I had made the assumption (obviously incorrect) that all Friars are Priests, but this explains why only a few of them celebrate mass in the area.

Thanks again.
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Why would a man choose to live in a religious community and take vows without being ordained as a deacon or priest? Obviously, female religious cannot receive Orders, but why would a male religious choose not to? I could understand him not becoming a priest if that was not his calling, but why not the diaconate? What do male religious do if they are not priests or deacons?
 
lak611 said:
Why would a man choose to live in a religious community and take vows without being ordained as a deacon or priest? Obviously, female religious cannot receive Orders, but why would a male religious choose not to? I could understand him not becoming a priest if that was not his calling, but why not the diaconate? What do male religious do if they are not priests or deacons?
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Laura, they are simply following God’s call to live in a religious community and to serve that community in whatever way the community deems best for the individual. Some serve as cooks, porters, guest masters (such as with the Benedictines and Discalced Carmelites, who have guest houses), sacristans, writers, musicians, etc… Br. Andre was once such brother:

ewtn.com/library/MARY/BROANDRE.HTM

. . .as was Br. Lawrence of the Resurrection:

carmelite.com/saints/lawrence.shtml

. . .and as was St. Gerard Majella:

newadvent.org/cathen/06467c.htm
 
I think we need to beware of getting caught up in the trap of elevating functionality to a higher level than essence. A religious brother has a role in the world and Church of living a life of witness and service to the evangelical councils and charism of his community which is fundamental. He doesn’t have to be a deacon or priest or anything else to do this. What does a brother “do” beyond this? Whatever is called for in his particular state of life and the apostolate. This will vary and depend upon the situation of each individual community. But there are brothers who do everything from taking care of the household, to ministering to those who come to the door in need of assistance, to engaging in “professional” level work such as administration, teaching, medicine.
 
FCEGM said:
Laura, they are simply following God’s call to live in a religious community and to serve that community in whatever way the community deems best for the individual. Some serve as cooks, porters, guest masters (such as with the Benedictines and Discalced Carmelites, who have guest houses), sacristans, writers, musicians, etc… Br. Andre was once such brother:

ewtn.com/library/MARY/BROANDRE.HTM

. . .as was Br. Lawrence of the Resurrection:

carmelite.com/saints/lawrence.shtml

. . .and as was St. Gerard Majella:

newadvent.org/cathen/06467c.htm
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chicago said:
I think we need to beware of getting caught up in the trap of elevating functionality to a higher level than essence. A religious brother has a role in the world and Church of living a life of witness and service to the evangelical councils and charism of his community which is fundamental. He doesn’t have to be a deacon or priest or anything else to do this. What does a brother “do” beyond this? Whatever is called for in his particular state of life and the apostolate. This will vary and depend upon the situation of each individual community. But there are brothers who do everything from taking care of the household, to ministering to those who come to the door in need of assistance, to engaging in “professional” level work such as administration, teaching, medicine.
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Thank you FCEGM and Chicago! 🙂 That was actually very helpful. Please forgive me for my extreme ignorance about brothers. :o I have never known any who were not also priests.
 
I too find this information very enlightening. I didn’t quite know the differences either…Roanoker
 
chicago said:
I think we need to beware of getting caught up in the trap of elevating functionality to a higher level than essence. A religious brother has a role in the world and Church of living a life of witness and service to the evangelical councils and charism of his community which is fundamental. He doesn’t have to be a deacon or priest or anything else to do this. What does a brother “do” beyond this? Whatever is called for in his particular state of life and the apostolate. This will vary and depend upon the situation of each individual community. But there are brothers who do everything from taking care of the household, to ministering to those who come to the door in need of assistance, to engaging in “professional” level work such as administration, teaching, medicine.
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An excellent point, chicago!
 
lak611 said:
Why would a man choose to live in a religious community and take vows without being ordained as a deacon or priest? Obviously, female religious cannot receive Orders, but why would a male religious choose not to? I could understand him not becoming a priest if that was not his calling, but why not the diaconate? What do male religious do if they are not priests or deacons?
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The brothers I know work in college campus ministry and do an amazing job. They are a large part of the reason I am Catholic today. Sometimes I think a brother can be less intimidating than a priest. That’s no reason for men to not become priests, but if it is their calling to be brothers, then that may make them more approachable for some people. The order does ordain priests for the community.
 
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