Vocations and intellectual apostolate

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FK04US

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Hello forum,

I have been looking at male religious orders/institutes for a priestly vocation. As part of my discernment, I have identified that I would like to focus on orders that have an international/global reach (Latin America and Europe in particular) with a strong spirituality and intellectual apostolate. So far, I have checked the Jesuits and I am very impressed with them. But my list ends there, so I am looking for suggestions. Do you know of other orders/institutes with an international and intellectual focus? I would like to be able to spread the word of God in the intellectual world and to have a community of fellow brothers in my journey.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
I strongly suggest that you look at the Dominicans, they are the Order of Preachers. In fact, the four pillars of their order are: Prayer, Common Life, Study and Ministry.

domcentral.org
opwest.org

Please continue to listen where the Holy Spirit speaks inside of you and thank you for saying Yes to your vocation!

Peace
 
The Carmelites would also be an Order that would fulfill that criteria.
 
There are also Benedictines at Christ the King Priory in Schuyler, Nebraska who were founded to do missionary work. Good luck!
 
Thank you all for the suggestions. I will check them out and see where does the Spirit leads me to. I really like the Jesuits but it is always good to check what else is “out there” in Mother Church.

In Christ,
 
FK04US said:
Hello forum,

I have been looking at male religious orders/institutes for a priestly vocation. As part of my discernment, I have identified that I would like to focus on orders that have an international/global reach (Latin America and Europe in particular) with a strong spirituality and intellectual apostolate. So far, I have checked the Jesuits and I am very impressed with them. But my list ends there, so I am looking for suggestions. Do you know of other orders/institutes with an international and intellectual focus? I would like to be able to spread the word of God in the intellectual world and to have a community of fellow brothers in my journey.

Thanks for your thoughts.
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Are you feeling called to religious priesthood, or staying a brother? That can help you focus your discernment. Please remember that the Holy Ghost works on attraction, and grace builds on nature.

The Institute on Religious Life has a website in which you can do a search.

religiouslife.com/

They also have a new website out called “religiousbrotherhood.com”

religiousbrotherhood.com/

I personally have been researching the Brothers of the Christian Schools–the Lasallians–for a novel I’m working on. Their order has an amazing track record when it comes to dealing with young boys, and how I wish their vocations would swell like those of the Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominicans! I think the big cities who have the greatest school crises should bring in a FCS for consultation, but that’s just me.

HTH.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
Thank you Cloisters. I am attracted to both, religious life and priesthood so an order of brothers only would not be ideal for my case. In addition, I am also looking for a community that is committed to higher level education (college, seminaries, and similar) on a global/international basis (hence the typical Bennedictian abbey/monastery would not be a good fit either).

In Christ,
 
Look into the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Their charism is ecumenism and they run an institute in Rome as well as staffing parishes and retreat centers all across the world. In their last class they had men from Africa (Ghana), the Philippians, Brazil, and India!

atonementfriars.org/
 
FK04US said:
Thank you Cloisters. I am attracted to both, religious life and priesthood so an order of brothers only would not be ideal for my case. In addition, I am also looking for a community that is committed to higher level education (college, seminaries, and similar) on a global/international basis (hence the typical Bennedictian abbey/monastery would not be a good fit either).

In Christ,
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Dominicans?

My SD is an OP in Quebec (he’s American, though), involved in full-time formation. I can forward his email to you if you PM me. (If interested).

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
The Incarnate Word Priests are very intellectual, but are a missionary order. Your formation/life would require a lot of study, but you would also be sent to serve in their missions, many of which are in South America.
iveamerica.org/

God bless!
 
FK04US said:
Hello forum,

I have been looking at male religious orders/institutes for a priestly vocation. As part of my discernment, I have identified that I would like to focus on orders that have an international/global reach (Latin America and Europe in particular) with a strong spirituality and intellectual apostolate. So far, I have checked the Jesuits and I am very impressed with them. But my list ends there, so I am looking for suggestions. Do you know of other orders/institutes with an international and intellectual focus? I would like to be able to spread the word of God in the intellectual world and to have a community of fellow brothers in my journey.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...
I would limit myself to three major groups, all large and international, priestly and intellectual.
  1. The Jesuits, your first choice. They teach at the college and university level and eliminated saying the office by their founder to concentrate on missionary work, whether abroad or in the large cities of the US. They dress as priests or wear civvies. The self-styled orthodox crowd doesn’t approve of them.
  2. The Benedictines. They are the ones who saved European civilization. From their abbeys they run universities, colleges and prep schools. St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN has one of the most intensive humanities programs in the US. Check out their online quarterly, The Abbey Banner, and read about their projects and the backgrounds of their priests (and brothers!). They say the office and wear a habit in their institutions.
  3. The Dominicans. Study is their watchword, but they haven’t developed their schools in the same way as the Jesuits and Benedictines, as they focus on preaching.
 
FK04US said:
Hello forum,

I have been looking at male religious orders/institutes for a priestly vocation. As part of my discernment, I have identified that I would like to focus on orders that have an international/global reach (Latin America and Europe in particular) with a strong spirituality and intellectual apostolate. So far, I have checked the Jesuits and I am very impressed with them. But my list ends there, so I am looking for suggestions. Do you know of other orders/institutes with an international and intellectual focus? I would like to be able to spread the word of God in the intellectual world and to have a community of fellow brothers in my journey.

Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...
Check out the Dominicans. If you want a rigorous intellectual life, it will be very hard to drop below the Dominicans or the Jesuits. But if you want a community life, you’re going to have to check out the Dominicans, who unlike the Jesuits, have not eliminated common observance of the office.

There is also the advantage of a firm Thomistic formation, if you are worried about a sufficiently orthodox formation from the Jesuits.
Thepeug said:
Check out the Eastern Province Dominicans. I spent a discernment weekend at their House of Studies in Washington, DC. They are an incredible group of men.

www.dominicanfriars.org
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This is completely true.

-Rob
 
Im going to have to give another shout out for the Dominicans. The Society of Jesus is rather questionable in there Orthodoxy although I will admit there are good Jesuits.

I know in the Western Province (opwest.org) they will accept you with any four year degree program then take you to get your bachelors in Philosophy soon followed by your M.Div and your MA in Philosophy or STM in Theology (Sometimes Both) as far as Missionary work I know the Western Province has a few missions scattered around Latin America and I think one in Africa. Also if your interested in higher studies after your Masters you could always attend the Angelicum which is run by the Order of Preachers.

Good Luck in your search!
 
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