I am Brother

[JReducation]

Actually, I would say that the single life is the least understood, although probably you were meaning amongst consecrated forms of life (sorry if I’m nitpicking!).

I also get this a lot, and unfortunately it does get me down a little sometimes - especially when people look disappointed when I explain to them that I’m not a priest and not going to be a priest. Sometimes this is followed by sympathy inasmuch as its assumed that I tried but failed the interview.

I have to say that in my own order my lack of vocation to ordination was positively received, although there was from a few people a slight sense of puzzlement as to how else I might fill my time. I don’t actually think there’s a shortage of work to do in the world, however!

And JR, thank you very much for beginning this thread, which I’ve found very heartening. I think maybe there is a sea change going on in religious life, with more men called to the life of brotherhood as opposed to priesthood than might have been the case a couple of decades ago. This seems to be happening in many male orders and congregations, even if only in a relative sense. I think it’s important that we articulate that experience as widely as we can.

Fraternal greetings to all.

Mike,

The pendalum is definitely swinging in many religious families. I can speak about my own Franciscan family best. Currently there are 1.7 million Franciscans around the world in 114 nations. I believe we are the largest religious family in the Church, but am not sure about that. The interesting part is that less than 30,000 Franciscans are priests. The rest are brothers and sisters, both secular and regular.

Just focussing on the men who are secular and regular brothers, they are renewing the Franciscan family. Every few years a new community of Franciscans emerge. They range from secular men living in private vows, in communities that range from contemplative to socially active. But they are intimately related to each other, to the order,to St.Francis and ultimately to God and his Church.

The secular brothers are even more of a mysery than the regular brothers. In our house we have both. I’m a regular brother (religious) and we have secular brothers in private vows as well. People often wonder if the secular brothrs failed the test or something. But it is always exciting to see the light of comprehension in the eyes of a young man when he realizes that Christ may call him to live for him and that there is no single path that Christ uses, but multiple paths, each according to what is best for us and for the Church.

This is what has to be kept in mind. God calls us to posess him via the path where such posession of the beloved is possible for us, not the next person over.

Fraternally,

Br. JR

 

[carm_bro]

Interesting ideas you have Brother. Currently we are working on our website and hopefully we will have that up soon. As far as a future collaboration goes, I like the sound of that but will have to put of anything formal for the time being. Perhaps something informal in the interim eh?

At any rate it’s good to talk with you!

God Bless, Br. Alphonsus.

 

[onetruechurch]

Oh Brother!

The word “brother” does not always give warm and fuzzy feelings. When I was growing up I had both an older brother and an older sister. My sister was very sweet and kind to me but my brother constantly picked on me. Soooo…as a child I didn’t think too highly of brothers.

Also…don’t you have to be black to be a brother?

But, seriously, I love to watch the “Brother Leo Show” on EWTN. He looks like he is having so much fun doing those science experiments. He was riding one of those contraptions that hover above the ground the other day. Wow! What a fun life! He’s the kind of brother every little girl wishes she had.

JR, I have read many of your threads and posts and think very highly of you. You are extremely intelligent and caring. I never knew any Religious Brothers when I was growing up. They don’t usually hang around small towns. We definitely need more like you.

 

[JReducation]

Oh Brother!

The word “brother” does not always give warm and fuzzy feelings. When I was growing up I had both an older brother and an older sister. My sister was very sweet and kind to me but my brother constantly picked on me. Soooo…as a child I didn’t think too highly of brothers.

Also…don’t you have to be black to be a brother?

But, seriously, I love to watch the “Brother Leo Show” on EWTN. He looks like he is having so much fun doing those science experiments. He was riding one of those contraptions that hover above the ground the other day. Wow! What a fun life! He’s the kind of brother every little girl wishes she had.

JR, I have read many of your threads and posts and think very highly of you. You are extremely intelligent and caring. I never knew any Religious Brothers when I was growing up. They don’t usually hang around small towns. We definitely need more like you.

Thanks for that!

Fraternally,

JR

 

[JReducation]

Since so much can be said about the call to be a brother, whether a regular or a secular brother, I thought that maybe we could narrow the focus to regular brothers for the moment.

For those who are unsure, a regular brother is a man who is a member of a religious order or congregation. A secular brother is a member of a secular order or secular institute. Both make vows, but the regular brother is considered by Church law to be a consecrated religious and part of the consecrated state. He is a lay man, but not a secular.

The status of the secular brother depends on the status of his particular institute. A secular brother can be a cleric too. Some religious families consider the profession of secular brothers or secular sisters equivalent to that of the regular brother, but the vocation is lived in the secular world. This is a good discussion too, but it would be very complicated to keep it all sorted out in one thread or via PM.

My question to kick off the next segment of this discussion is What does a brother bring to the Church that is unique?

Fraternally,

Br. JR

PS. JR is not for Junior We have two brothers with the same name. So I’m called JR and the other brother is called by our full name.

 

[Trishie]

I think perhaps there may be times when a Brother can be more flexible. When I’ve gone through tough times, a priest has never visited. I think they are more protective of their position. I was going through an awful time, alone, but I opened my door to Brother Leo, who said what I don’t believe any priest might say to a woman alone in her house, “I came to bring our love and comfort.” He stayed to have a coffee and to gently talk about what I was going through and what might make things easier.

He came also on behalf of the priests…but in my experience, priests waith for you to come to them. Of course they are very conscious of their need to protect their position in all circumstances, but Brother could put that aside. I think perhaps this is one of the gifts of being a Brother. You are willing to jump the fences to provide what is needed.
I shall never forget Brother’s opening words, “I came to bring you our love and comfort”.

And yes, it helped. God bless him

 

[Trishie]

My question to kick off the next segment of this discussion is What does a brother bring to the Church that is unique?

Fraternally,

Br. JR

I think perhaps there may be times when a Brother can be more flexible. When I’ve gone through tough times, a priest has never visited. I think they are more protective of their position. I was going through an awful time, alone, but I opened my door to Brother Leo, who said what I don’t believe any priest might say to a woman alone in her house, “I came to bring our love and comfort.” He stayed to have a coffee and to gently talk about what I was going through and what might make things easier.

He came also on behalf of the priests…but in my experience, priests wait for you to come to them. Of course they are very conscious of their need to protect their position in all circumstances, but Brother could put that aside. I think perhaps this is one of the gifts of being a Brother. You are willing to jump the fences to provide what is needed.
I shall never forget Brother’s opening words, “I came to bring you love and comfort”.

And yes, it helped. God bless him

 

[JReducation]

I think perhaps there may be times when a Brother can be more flexible. When I’ve gone through tough times, a priest has never visited. I think they are more protective of their position. I was going through an awful time, alone, but I opened my door to Brother Leo, who said what I don’t believe any priest might say to a woman alone in her house, “I came to bring our love and comfort.” He stayed to have a coffee and to gently talk about what I was going through and what might make things easier.

He came also on behalf of the priests…but in my experience, priests wait for you to come to them. Of course they are very conscious of their need to protect their position in all circumstances, but Brother could put that aside. I think perhaps this is one of the gifts of being a Brother. You are willing to jump the fences to provide what is needed.
I shall never forget Brother’s opening words, “I came to bring you love and comfort”.

And yes, it helped. God bless him

Despite their name, Leo, they are really gentle kittens. I am reminded of our own Brother Leo who was St. Francis’ friend, nurse, secretary, confessor, seeing-eye dog and most humble son.

Thanks for sharing this.

Br. JR

 

[ThomasEugene]

YES! He’s from Manila! His monestary is dedicated to the Transfiguration. I haven’t talked to him in years. When he was in the states, whenever we’d all go out somewhere, he’d play this game that I liked to call “Find the Filipino.”

“Did you see that girl? She’s a Filipino.” He was awfully homesick.
I haven’t seen him in over ten years. You’re not in Manilla, are you? His name is Brother Pachomius (though in the states we called him “Vic”). He joined the order when he was 11 years old. They grow their own coffee there.

Filipinos are very fond of looking for fellow Filipinos abroad!

I am formerly from Manila… About 6 years ago, we transferred to a province called Batangas.

What I knoe is that the Benedicitne Monastery of Transfiguration is at Bukidnon, another province.

Thanks for the info!

 

[brotherhrolf]

I have nothing but respect for our good brothers. I was taught by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart from 8th grade through 12th grade before and just after Vatican II. My screen name is an homage to the medieval brothers who sat and wrote out scripture and decorated it using their God-given talents in an age without printing presses.

I have kept track of the brothers who taught me and am in contact with my sole classmate of 40 years ago who joined the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. I would not be who I am were it not for the Brothers.

You see Bill O’Reilly on TV at night? He closes his show with a vocabulary lesson. I chuckle at it. We did that from 8th grade on courtesy of the Brothers.

Brother Rene taught me in 8th grade and followed my career until I went into the Navy. When it comes to math, I am challenged. It was Brother Maurus who got me through Trig in my senior year by working patiently with me after school. Brother Alfred and Brother Bernie encouraged us to write expressively on the school newspaper. Brother Fred further inspired my love of books when I helped him in the school library.

Many years ago (before the choir loft was rebuilt in my cathedral) I sang in the cathedral choir and saw Brother Lee and two other brothers (that I didn’t know) in the congregation. Brother Lee was principal of my high school. He didn’t remember me from Adam’s housecat but it was a joyful reunion on my part.

What do the brothers bring? I would not be the man I am today without being formed by the Brothers. It is a crying shame that the number of brothers is sorely diminished from what it was in 1967. I educated my two sons in Catholic high schools but they were not taught by religious. They only had religious oversight.

The brothers stood “in persona Christi” for us. Reflecting about this, that is what the brothers bring.

 

[JReducation]

I have nothing but respect for our good brothers. I was taught by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart from 8th grade through 12th grade before and just after Vatican II. My screen name is an homage to the medieval brothers who sat and wrote out scripture and decorated it using their God-given talents in an age without printing presses.

I have kept track of the brothers who taught me and am in contact with my sole classmate of 40 years ago who joined the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. I would not be who I am were it not for the Brothers.

You see Bill O’Reilly on TV at night? He closes his show with a vocabulary lesson. I chuckle at it. We did that from 8th grade on courtesy of the Brothers.

Brother Rene taught me in 8th grade and followed my career until I went into the Navy. When it comes to math, I am challenged. It was Brother Maurus who got me through Trig in my senior year by working patiently with me after school. Brother Alfred and Brother Bernie encouraged us to write expressively on the school newspaper. Brother Fred further inspired my love of books when I helped him in the school library.

Many years ago (before the choir loft was rebuilt in my cathedral) I sang in the cathedral choir and saw Brother Lee and two other brothers (that I didn’t know) in the congregation. Brother Lee was principal of my high school. He didn’t remember me from Adam’s housecat but it was a joyful reunion on my part.

What do the brothers bring? I would not be the man I am today without being formed by the Brothers. It is a crying shame that the number of brothers is sorely diminished from what it was in 1967. I educated my two sons in Catholic high schools but they were not taught by religious. They only had religious oversight.

The brothers stood “in persona Christi” for us. Reflecting about this, that is what the brothers bring.

Teaching brothers brought many wonderful gifts to the classroom. It is unfortunate that the education system has become complicated that it is almost impossible for religoius congregations of teachers to run schools without outside intervention.

Nonetheless, there are many brothers who moved from the classroom to other settings where their education skills are very needed, especially in mission countries and among the poor in the urban areas of our own country.

There is a lot to say for the man who stands in Christ’s place before the young. I was educated by friars and they were awesome. Even though they spent very little time with us, because their rule did not allow much contact with the laity, those moments that they shared with us were very special and always a lot of fun. I always remember their love for sports.

Thanks for sharing your story,

Fraternally,

JR

 

[JReducation]

In doing some reading today I came acros something written by one of the brothers from the Franciscans of the Renewal (CFR). I was actually surprised, because I did not know this about them.

They place a great deal of emphasis on the brortherhood. They’re not talking about fraternity, though this is very important too. They were talking about being a lay brother as opposed to an ordained brother. The writer was saying that they have a deep regard for the brothers because the brothers present religious life to the world with all the intensity of the evangelical counsels. When people come into contact with them they feel and see obedience, poverty and chastity standing independently. Many people do not know that the evangelical counsels are independent of Holy Orders.

When the average man on the street meets a brother he knows that he is talking to someone who is living the Gospel for one purpose, the perfection of charity. When you meet an ordained brother, the perfection of charity becomes wrapped up with priesthood the the ordained ministry and the mystique of the perfection of charity is often confused and confusing to the outsider.

The writer, who is an ordained brother was saying that one thing that the lay brothers do for his community is to remind them that they are who they are. In other words, it is as if you have a voice that constantly reminds you that you are not simply a parish priest, an army chaplain, or a theologian etc. You are a Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite, Benedictine, Trinitarian, Marianist, Missionary of Charity and so forth.

He was explaining how the lay brothers keep reminding the ordained brothers that being a a parish priest (for example) is a dimension of your vocation to serve Christ. But the parish does not excuse you from silence, contemplation, washing dishes, community recreation, poverty, obedience, community life, the LOTH or manual labor. Being a pastor does not mean that you’re in charge. You run the parish, but the brother who is the superior of the house is the voice of Christ and Francis to whom you have promised obedience for the rest of your life. This is an extremely important ministry in those religous communities that are founded as communities of brothers, even if some of the brothers are ordained. You can have a pastor and his associate pastors under the care and guidance of a lay brother who makes sure that the charism of the community shines through the parish or whatever they are doing.

It was an interesting approach that he was taking to the vocation to be a brother. Among the many things that a brother does for the Church one of the most important things that he does is keep his religoius community on track with the “program” of the founder, because they live it without the other distractions that ministry can bring into the life of a religious.

Equally interesting was to note that those religous communities where the brothers play a central role in maintaining the traditon of the religious order or congregation are in a constant state of renewal. They are dynamic in the sense that they are always seeking ways to be more faithful to their charism. Their charism is contageous. The secular men and women whom they serve in their different ministries often acquire much of the spirituality of the community. Whether it is a parish or some other ministry, people feel they are part of a family, because they are caught up in the spirit of the religious.

Brothers preserve the purity of religous life for the Church and for their confreres. In today’s world we need more spirituality. Within that spirituality the sacraments are lived long after the liturgy is over for the day.

I’m sure there are many men who hear Christ calling them to himself, but don’t hear him calling them to Holy Orders. Sometimes, these men, not knowing much about brothers, are unsure what Christ is talking about. Thoughts like those of this friar places the voice in its proper context. You may be called to be a beacon with a religous order, a beacon that proclaims the perfection of charity through a consecrated life.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Nom_the_Wise]

I have a really cool idea! (and for the first time in weeks, this idea really cheered me up, so forgive me for butting in again…)

I just responded to this thread:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=5045892&posted=1#post5045892

I was kind of having fun with it. It was posted by a high school kid who is extremely anxious about either becoming a priest or becoming a dentist. I told him to be both.

I don’t think this has ever been attempted in CAF, but wouldn’t it be great if all of you brothers just swarmed his thread and advocated being a brother dentist? The reason I had this idea is I suggested that he enter an order that does medicine (like the Alexians) but then I realized that I don’t know anything about the Alexians besides that they run hospitals, and I figured someone on *this *thread would know, but I thought it would be fun (and quite a rush of excitement for this poor guy) if a bunch of brothers just *stampeded *over to his thread. What a wonderful witness (and very in keeping with Franciscan Spirituality, I might add).

Sometimes I suggest stupid things. This very well may be one of them. Or it may be awesome! (or my antidepressants may be working overtime ). And remember: Shhh! It’s a secret .

Otherwise…carry on!

(Note to Thomas Eugene: If you ever go to Manila, tell me and I’ll PM you my real name and you could go visit the Benedictine monastary and tell Brother Pachomius that I say hi. Then you could hang out with him!).

 

[Mark77]

God Bless You Brother!

Pray for the patience to endure and the endurance to be patient (I have neither!)

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

Mark

 

[JReducation]

I ran into this on the site of a religious community and thought it was beautiful. Enjoy!

**A Brother…

Has a wonderful vocation.

Is a man of deep prayer and graced with many blessings from God our Father, the one who created us.

Strives to become one with God our Father, Jesus Christ his Son - our Brother and the Holy Spirit.

Serves on Ecclesial Family Teams, in areas of deepest apostolic need drawing all peoples to Christ in Covenant Communion of the Most Holy Trinity in the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.

Uses the gifts God has given him to serve the Church and within the Missions throughout the world of Our Lady’s Society.

Is respected in his work and is brother to all.

Works to build Gods’ kingdom on earth and to prepare for the life yet to come.

Uses the gifts God has given him to serve the Church and within the Missions throughout the world of Our Lady’s Society.

Is respected in his work and is brother to all.

Works to build Gods’ kingdom on earth and to prepare for the life yet to come**

societyofourlady.net/brothers-ministry.html

Fraternally in Christ crucified,

JR

 

[RevDrNorth]

Good thread.

The Order of Saint Luke (an ecumenical religious order based in the United Methodist Church) has brothers and sisters within the order. They are all addressed as “Br.” or “Sr.”. The only distinction between clergy and lay is when the Eucharist is celebrated and then only the celebrant (clergy) wears a clergy stole. Even if others are clergy they wear the order’s scapular and not a stole. In this way all of the Brothers and Sisters are equal.

saint-luke.org/index.html

I believe the Episcopal Brotherhood of Saint Gregory functions the same way.

gregorians.org/

As JR points out one vocation is not greater than another. All have a part to play in the kingdom as God has called and gifted them.

 

[pnewton]

May you serve as a light to all here, both of the love of Christ and the wonderous vocation of religious brother.

I owe more to the religious sisters than I could ever repay. Their prayers and intercessions have helped me through many trials and I especially appreciate their prayers for my son who was born of my wife whom the doctors consisder barren.

The religious of the Church are the front line troops on the most key battlefield, battling in prayer, as Paul has commanded, against principalities and powers. We all enter this battle when we pray. You guys are the professional career soldiers who live in the trenches.

 

[JReducation]

As I was leaving the Eater Vigil, I stopped to greet the priests and deacons at our parish. We are fortuante to have five priests and four secular deacons in our parish. I couldn’t help but feel a special joy as the priests and deacons said, “Happy Easter Brother.”

That word, Brother means great deal to me. Not because it is a title like Doctor, but because it tells me that people see me in terms of who I am in relation to them. I am not their priest or deacon from whom they receive the grace of the sacraments. I don’t really do something for them in that sense. I’m not a minister as the Director of Religious Education or an EMHC. I don’t do much for these people. I am someone to them. I am their brother.

My life is to be Christ to them, Christ their brother, who is the Son of the same Father. What I do is irrelevant in many respects. I can be a teacher, nurse, doctor, gardener, cook or social worker. It doesn’t matter to them or to me. Because they and I know that I will always be their brother, even when I can no longer do anything for them.

Every community of brothers has its special charism. When you look at them from a disstance, many people would say that there is little difference between the call of the brother and the rest of the Catholic community. There certainly are overlaps. The brother is called to live the Catholic vocation to perfection. Thus his life is called a call to the perfection of charity. His mission is to light the path to the perfection of charity for the rest of the laity to see their way to the cross.

We are unique in that we live our Catholic life consecrated by vows. In my own community we promise to live in obedience to the Gospel, the Church, St. Francis, our superiors and all legitimate authority, including civil authority, in all things that lead men to Christ.

We promise to live without property. Our speecial call to poverty is very unique. Not only do we renounce the right to ownership, but we renounce the right to all roles and ministries that disstract from the life of brotherhood. We do not ordain men to the deaconate or the priesthood. Though the rule of St. Francis does not forbid ordination, it is of special interest that everyone who came to him, priest, deacon, nobleman and peasant, was first of all a brother. Some men came with both callings, to the priesthood and the consecrated life. Francis spent his entire life caring for his brothers and sisters, regardless of their vocatoin to the priesthood, the married state or the celibate state. They were all sons and daughters of the Father and he cared for and loved them all. We aspire to capture that spirit in our daily lives, to care for our brothers and sisters as St. Francis did in immitation of Christ’s care for his apostles during his earthly ministry.

Our vow of celibacy frees us from all other loves to live for Love alone. We revere the married state as a sacramental sign of the love between Christ and his bride the Church. Like Christ, we also give ourselves to the Church as a bridegroom. We imitate Christ’s love for the Mystical Body by living totally for her and in her.

The community is a young community. We began as a cell of the Secular Franciscan Order, following the rule that St. Francis wrote for the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. We try to preserve that spirit of penance and presence to the secular world, not through secularization, but by making the secular holy. Therefore, we gather in a community of love where the rule of St. Francis written for the Brothers and Sisters of Penance is lived with a greater intensity, trying to complement the life and work that our married brothers and sisters do in the world in the name of the Gospel and in the manner of St. Francis.

We are not above our Secular Franciscan brothers and sisters, nor are we divorced from them. We are their sons and brothers. Like all Franciscan movements through history, the Secular Franciscans have given birth to many communities of men and women consecrated to live the Gospel more intensely, but always retaining the unity that Francis wanted us to protect, so that our lives would reflect the unity of the Mystical Body and the Trinity.

As a brother each of us brings the Gospel into the secular world, in the manner of St. Francis. We spend time before the Blessed Sacrament, pray with the Church through the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours and we honor Mary through the daily mediation of the mysteries of the rosary. We dedicate time for sacred reading, study and silence. We have also been given gifts that are unique to each person: teacher, music, nurse, social worker, cook, carpenter, mechanic, banker, lawyer and many others. We do not cease using them. On the contrary, consistent with the Rule for the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, we use these gifts according to the Gospel. Everyone whom we meet knows that they are touched by a brother. This throws people off, because we are different from other people in the same field of work.

I hope and pray that our life may be a sign to many and attract many other men to do penance in the vinyard of the Lord as consecrated brothers or some other form of consecrated life.

May you enjoy the hope, excitement and joy of the Apostles on Easter Sunday.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[onetruechurch]

Congratulations to Portugues “Brother” Nuno de Santa Alvares Pereira
Excuse me…make that “Saint” Brother Nuno as of today.
(1360-1431)
Order of Friars of Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt Carmel.
:harp:

 

[miniquedoes]

God Bless You Brother! I think it is so cool that you can go out into the world and be a symbol of God’s presence. I was taught by Marianist brothers at the university. They were so fun to be around and I could truly see the joy they always had. I wish some were more visible though. I am filled with awe anytime I see brothers in their habits.

Please Pray for me