"So, What's a Brother, Father?" by Fr. Philip Merdinger (Founder of the Brotherhood of Hope)
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"...to implant and strengthen the Kingdom of Christ
in souls and to extend that kingdom to every land. This is the life of a brother...a
vocation worthy of everything a man can give." |
| Fr. Philip Merdinger |
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It happens more times than I can count! I'm in the middle of an
enthusiastic description of some part of our Brotherhood's life and mission when someone
asks: "So...what's a brother, Father?" It's understandable enough,
I guess. After all most young Catholics may have never seen a brother, much less
talked to one. Older Catholics may remember seeing brothers offer important services
to Catholic life such as teaching or hospital work, but perhaps have never had the
vocation explained to them. Others may recollect seeing brothers as members of
congregations composed mostly of priests. Now and again a well known brother's name
may come to mind -- Blessed Brother Andre from Montreal for example -- but it's all rather
hazy to many Catholics I know. So, what's a brother, Father?
A brother is a man called by God to live the Consecrated Life, that is, a
lifestate marked by a total self-giving to Christ and the Church according to a particular
gift from the Holy Spirit which produces a distinctive community life. (Cf. Pope
John Paul II: Consecrated Life, #60). It is a permanent way of life expressed
in a commitment to chastity dedicated to God, poverty and obedience, and which is complete
in itself. As the Pope says: "Consequently, both for individual and for
the Church it is a value in itself apart from sacred ministry." Sacred ministry
refers to Holy Orders.
This vocation is rooted in baptism by which all Christians have died to sin and
been consecrated to God. (Cf. Vatican II: The Church #44). Because of
baptism all are called without exception "to the fullness of the Christian life and
the perfection of charity." (#40) But, "in order to derive more abundant
fruit from this baptismal grace," (#44) some men and women are further called to the
Consecrated Life and, according to the particular gift given from the Holy Spirit to each
community, they work "to implant and strengthen the Kingdom of Christ in souls and to
extend that kingdom to every land." (#44) This is the life of a brother.
By his way of life he shares deeply and closely in the ordinary life of God's
people while at the same time calling people forward to the fullness of their dignity as
sons and daughters of God the Father, their Creator.
All this, remember, is true and authentic without reference to "sacred
ministry." It's a life complete in itself. However, it is also possible
to have among the brothers some who would be asked by the community to seek Holy Orders
for the sake of service to their Brothers (cf. Vatican II: On the Renewal of
Religious Life #11), and, in our community, for partnership in our mission work.
And so, as of a few months ago and by the graciousness of His Eminence Cardinal
Law, two of our brothers -- Br. Paul Helfrich and Br. Robert Oliver have begun seminary
preparation for Ordination. But they go as brothers, brothers in perpetual vows,
brothers in our Brotherhood. Their vocation is grounded and tested as brothers.
So, that's a brother, Father! Much, much more can and ought to be said
about this vocation. I hope to do that in subsequent articles. But, even as it
stands in this little article, it's a vocation worthy of everything a man can give.
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