An Ever Decreasing Vocation?

[Libcath2000]

So much attention, when speaking of consecrated life, seems to be paid to the vocation to the priesthood for men and to the various sisterhoods for women.  It's always seemed to me that there has been little to no emphasis placed on promoting the vocation to the brotherhoods of the Church. 

 

I'd imagine that since V2, with ever increasing roles for the laity within the Church, there has been a lessening of the unique role that many of the brothehoods once played. I suppose the same could be said of the sisterhoods as well, but, the difference is that the sisterhoods still really provide the only venue for women to consecrate themselves totally to God, in a community with a defined charism.

 

I wonder, are there any men here on PM who have pursued the vocation to any of the brotherhoods? 

[Gabriela]

The CARA report "Recent Vocations to Religious Life" (available here: http://cara.georgetown.edu/Publications/religiouslife.html) is loaded with statistics that indicate that brotherhood was never nearly as widespread in the US as were priesthood and sisterhood. I don't know much about religious life in non-modern times, but my impression is that the brotherhood went down with the Middle Ages. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here...

[Luigi]

Christian Brothers have high schools and at least one college in the Midwest.

 

Society of Mary (Marianists, whom most people referred to as The Brothers of Mary) have high schools and three or four colleges all over the country.

 

The Alexian Brothers are mostly Midwest and have four or five hospitals/nursing homes.

 

Within the Benedictines (40 monasteries in the US?), Cistercians (6 monasteries in the US?),Trappists (12 monasteries in the US), maybe 40-50% of the members are brother-monks rather than priest-monks.

 

The brotherhood is making something of a comeback in the Dominican provinces.

 

 

The brotherhood was never nearly as widespread in the US as religious sisters were, as Curiousing says, but they thrived in their ministries and apostolates.

 

The numbers in the orders I mentioned have indeed fallen way off, and I don't know if they show any signs of recovery. I'm not surewhat to attribute the drop-off to. 

 

I've never discerned the brotherhood myself. Anybody else?

[TheresaThoma]

I know that the Dominican Friars have seen a recent surge in their co-operator brothers (ie brothers who are not going to become priests). One of them has a blog which is definitely worth checking out. http://dominicancooperatorbrother.blogspot.com/ . So though it is a not well known vocation there are out there and I think it may be making a comeback. 

 

[OnlySunshine]

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal have quite a few lay brothers.  My Confirmation teacher back in 1998 was a Marist Brother.

Edited January 24, 2013 by MaterMisericordiae

[nikita92]

It's nice to know that there is a brotherhood who is in healthcare! (besides sisters)

[AnneLine]

It's nice to know that there is a brotherhood who is in healthcare! (besides sisters)

 

I think both the Alexian Brothers and the Brothers of St. Camillus are focused on the healthcare field.

 

There seem to be a number of the Dominican Friars and Carmelite Friars -- and OFM Franciscans -- who are opting toward the permanent Brother status.  I know the Dominican Cooperator brothers are very clear that theirs is a distinct but just as valued vocation -- because it leaves men free to engage in ministries that they might not do if they were priests.  They have a bit more freedom to be unique.

 

One of the reasons the Discalced Carmelites opted to move their formation house from the SF area (they had been attending St. Albert's College with the Dominicans in Berkeley, CA), was that when the moved the student formation house to Mt. Angel in Oregon, there were programs that both focused on formation for priests AND formation for Brothers... and it has proved to be a really good move for them.

 

Vocations to the Brotherhood are a disctinct thing from that of discerning for the priesthood.... so someone who feels called to monastic life but NOT to being a priest might find it a good fit....

[petitpèlerin]

There are the Little Brothers of St Francis in Boston. To my understanding, none of them are priests, all brothers. http://www.littlebrothersofstfrancis.org/

The Brothers of the Community of St John do not enter with the expectation of becoming priests, and a large percentage of them (over half, currently) remain non-clerical brothers. (I think the permanent diaconate is also a possibility.) They are formed fully as brothers before the possibility of priesthood is considered, and then each individual call is discerned. They regard the priesthood as being a sacred service that doesn't put them above their brothers but at their service. It's a beautiful thing, really. :) http://www.communityofstjohn.com/

I also know a Salesian brother. It seems that they also have both clerical and non-clerical brothers. Wow. I just checked out their "seminarians and brothers" page. What an impressive bunch of young men. http://www.salesiansofdonbosco.org/

[PhuturePriest]

I discerned being a Friar for a long time, and I can tell you the number of them is going way up. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal is relatively recent and they already have over ninety Friars (Some of them Priests, yes, but a majority of them are not). The Franciscan Brothers Minor were founded three years ago, and they already have over twenty-six Friars, one of them a Priest and a few of them in seminary.

[Starets]

With the Subiaco Congregation of Benedictines, the possibility of discerning the priesthood is not even considered until two years after Solemn Profession

[Libcath2000]

By the way . . . there is an organization called the Religious Brothers Conference, found at, http://www.todaysbrother.com/ which serves to promote awareness of the calling to the brotherhoods. 

 

Their membership seems to be ecumenical in nature, although I may be mistaken.

 

 

[savvy]

 

The monastic community of Jerusalem, the community, I am discerning with has brothers or monks too. 

 

 

[chasmi]

The Redemptorists have Brothers also.  In my reading, I've noticed that the Brotherhood seems to be calling the delayed/older vocations.  The Holy Cross Brothers are still active as well.   Their brother house is in South Bend Indiana, Notre Dame University.  Check out You Tube and watch some of the beautiful ordination and vow taking videos that are available there.

[Libcath2000]

Well hopefully this resurgence of interest in the brotherhoods continues unabated. 

 

After all there are even integrated monastic communities now, composed of entire families.

 

The field of vocations seems wide enough to appeal to almost everyone. 

 

[Sister Marie]

I know a few brothers who are just wonderful witnesses and workers for the Kingdom of God.  I hope that more men decide to try to follow this vocation to religious life.  Religious life is not just for women and priests in congregations, it is also for those men called to profess vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience outside the context of ordination.  Their witness is definitely needed... thanks for highlighting this vocation!

[littlesister]

We can add to the list the Brothers of St. John of God (O.H.), who were an immense help to the Little Sisters of the Poor when St. Jeanne Jugan was starting out, to the extent that we share their vow of Hospitality. 

 

The Brotherhhod of Hope in Massachusetts does campus ministry.

 

The Franciscan Brothers of Peace are growing in St. Paul. Twork directly with the poor and with refugee victims of torture.

 

The Vincentians and Passionists also have brothers, but their numbers have diminished and it would be a great thing to see them start to rise again. 

[MarieLynn]

We can add to the list the Brothers of St. John of God (O.H.), who were an immense help to the Little Sisters of the Poor when St. Jeanne Jugan was starting out, to the extent that we share their vow of Hospitality. 

 

The Brotherhhod of Hope in Massachusetts does campus ministry.

 

The Franciscan Brothers of Peace are growing in St. Paul. Twork directly with the poor and with refugee victims of torture.

 

The Vincentians and Passionists also have brothers, but their numbers have diminished and it would be a great thing to see them start to rise again. 

 

 

 

The Brothers of St John of God bought the Holy Family Home (Aged Care)  in Hastings NZ,  from the  Little Sisters of the Poor, when they closed that particular foundation quite a few years ago.   Unfortunately, the Brothers have now left NZ, and have on -sold the Holy Family Home to a secular Healthcare Provider, who have changed the Homes' name to Grace House.