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| "Preach the Gospel at All Times, If Necessary Use Words." - St. Francis of Assisi | ||||||||||||||
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Black Catholic Lifestyle Article ~ { Print Version }
The National Black Catholic Congress
www.nbccongress.org
Called to Give/Be a Witness
By Friar Douglas J McMillan, OFM Conv.
The first Sunday in February has been designated as
Consecrated Life Sunday. It is a Sunday set aside to focus on those men and
women who live a life consecrated to God through the observance of the
Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. In the past, when
people thought about vocations, the priesthood or religious life came to mind.
When people thought about religious life what came to mind were nuns, monks or
priest who belonged to religious orders: Dominican, Jesuits or other male
communities. Seldom did people think about the vocation of the Religious
Brother. If you were taught by Brothers in a Catholic school, you were among the
few who had an understanding of our vocation.
I have been in congregations where the Prayer of the Faithful was offered for vocations and have heard petitions for Priest and Nuns, but seldom have I heard the word Brother mentioned. The vocation of the Religious Bothers is probably one of the most misunderstood vocations in the church. I would like to begin by telling you what a Religious Brother is not. A Brother is not one who could not make it to the priesthood for whatever reason; not smart enough. We are not the caricatures often portrayed as the simple little guy who is often confused and easily fooled we sometimes see on TV, the movies or cartoons. We are not some middle state between the clerical state and the lay state. It is not something that one settles for. It is a state/vocation that is misunderstood and misrepresented in the church.
What is a Brother? A brother is a man who responds to a genuine vocation to live out the values of the Gospel that every Baptized Christian is called to live out. Religious Brothers are men of prayer, men of commitment and men of community. These things describe a Religious Brother. Whether he is in the classroom, emergency room, working with the homeless here or in a foreign county, the Religious Brothers give witness to the Gospel life that all Christians are called to live. By living a life of service to others, we are called to be Christ centered, centered on Christ. We do this within the context of community; an all brother community or a mixed community; priest and brothers.
The title brother can be both noun and verb. The noun is the title which sets us apart from the priest. It is that designation of an authentic role/position/ state within the structure of the church. Brother as verb is to show compassion, to teach, to nurse, to care, to comfort those in need. It is to relate to people on an intimate level. Those who are brothers or who have a brother older/younger know the full impact of the saying "he is my brother" or "I am his brother."
My experience as a Franciscan Brother is one that I have enjoyed. It has enabled me to touch and be apart of the lives of many people as a classroom teacher, Director a diocesan Office for Black Catholics, youth minister in a parish or doing hospital ministry during the summers. As a follower of St. Francis, I am called to make the Gospel real, to live it out within the context of a community of brothers some of whom are Brothers and some priest.
The question that a person might have is how do I know if I have a vocation to be a Religious Brother? My suggestion would be to pray over it; ask God to guide you in this process. Also, get in contact with someone who is a Religious Brother whether they belong to an all Brothers community like the Christian Brothers or a mixed community like the Franciscans, Society of the Divine Word or Josephites and talk to them about the life of a Religious Brother. What helped me to decide on becoming a Religious Brother were the men who I met and talked to. Prayer was also a big part of the process. I have never regretted the decision I made to become a Religious Brother.
Friar Douglas J McMillan, OFM Conv. was born and raised in New York City. He is a member of the Conventual Franciscan Province of the Immaculate Conception. He is presently a member of the faculty of Archbishop Curley High school in Baltimore, Maryland where he teaches English.
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