What is a Brother?

[Sir_Knight]

Is a Brother a priest? Can he say mass, listen to confession, etc.? If he can, why isn’t he called a ‘Father’? If he can’t, then what is the difference between him and a deacon?

 

[tee_eff_em]

A Brother is a member of a male religious order. If he is ordained, he is usually called “Father” but is still a Brother of his Order.

If he is not ordained, then that is a difference between him and a deacon – The sacrament of ordination. A Brother is under vows to his Order, but has not received a sacrament as such in making those vows. There is no requirement for religious brothers to seek ordination. Many do. Many others do not.

tee

 

[SMHW]

Sir Knight:

Is a Brother a priest? Can he say mass, listen to confession, etc.? If he can, why isn’t he called a ‘Father’? If he can’t, then what is the difference between him and a deacon?

To add to what was already said…

A brother is the male counterpart to a sister (or nun if you prefer although technically I believe ‘nun’ is refers only to those sisters who live in cloistered communities). You have probably heard of monks being referred to as “Brother So-and-so”. As was already stated, a male member of a religious community could be ordained and therefore be a deacon, priest, or bishop but I don’t think it is typical to use the term ‘brother’ for them.

The term ‘religious’ applies to both brothers and sisters.

It actually annoys me when I hear people talking about vocations and then specifying priests and nuns only. They are leaving out a whole class of men: those who wish to serve God through poverty, chastity, and obedience but don’t necessarily find themselves called to ordination.

 

[BrianDay]

SMHW:

It actually annoys me when I hear people talking about vocations and then specifying priests and nuns only. They are leaving out a whole class of men: those who wish to serve God through poverty, chastity, and obedience but don’t necessarily find themselves called to ordination.

Our parish has been quite good to include “religious life” when speaking about vocations.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

The answers so far have been very good. Let me provide a little technical information. The Church is made up of laity and clergy. Religious are, technically, laity. Both male and female may be religious and take vows, usually temporary and then, eventually, permanent that make them part of the community. Many religious orders have ordained members as well. They are clergy, although usually called “religious clergy” as opposed to “diocesan clergy.” In my area we have the Servants of Mary (Servites) and among their number is a “brother” (a male layman who has taken vows) who is currently in the diaconate formation program. When he is ordained he will technically be “Deacon so-and-so” but will still be called “Brother” since he is not a priest.

Deacons are clergy having received the sacrament of Holy Orders and are, therefore, no longer laypersons. That is the primary distinction between brothers and deacons.

Deacon Ed

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Deacon Ed:

Many religious orders have ordained members as well. They are clergy, although usually called “religious clergy” as opposed to “diocesan clergy.”

Deacon Ed

In older Church documents I’ve also seen the distinction characterized as “religious” and “secular” clergy - secular referring to their service in the world as opposed to a closed community. Am I remembering right?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Andreas Hofer:

In older Church documents I’ve also seen the distinction characterized as “religious” and “secular” clergy - secular referring to their service in the world as opposed to a closed community. Am I remembering right?

That is correct and it still applies today.