Space is Limited ~ Discernment Program for those interested in Religious Life.

RELIGIOUS BROTHERS AND PRIESTS

Throughout our diocese and our Church, throughout history, men have answered the call to live in community, to gather for prayer, and to love God’s people in a special way. Some are ordained priests; some are brothers. They belong to any one of dozens of religious congregations of men, where they are drawn by the charisma or spirit of the community.

If you are wondering whether you might be called to a religious community of men, you will find a great array of ways to live out that call. Some religious priests (or “order” priests, as they are sometimes called) are pastors in parishes; other priests and brothers minister in parishes in any way helpful. Some are found on college or university campuses; some are teachers in secondary schools. Some brothers and priests wear a recognizable religious habit; others dress as the people they serve.

There are religious communities composed totally of priests and communities of brothers. There are also communities whose members may be either priests or brothers.

If you are wondering about the life of a brother or a religious priest, you will want to talk with various communities, visit some residences and ministries, enter into dialogue with a vocation minister, and certainly join other searchers and discerners. The search can be long but God will tug at your heart as you continue to explore options.

The next pages will help you. Welcome!

BECOMING A RELIGIOUS BROTHER OR PRIEST
FINDING A COMMUNITY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

BECOMING A RELIGIOUS BROTHER OR A PRIEST

What happens? How long does it take? Most religious communities have several stages by which one becomes a member:

INQUIRER A man contacts a community vocation director, asks lots of questions, eventually finds that God is calling him to this particular community. He then moves through the application process, involving interviews, an autobiographical essay, physical and psychological screening, letters of recommendation, transcripts of stud, and other steps.

PRE-NOVITIATE OR POSTULANCY The man begins his formal journey by spending a specified period of time “as though” he were a member. He experiences community life “from the inside,” meets regularly with a director, and takes advantage of special opportunities to grow in the spirituality of the community.

NOVICE The heart of the journey. Here the man spends one or two years in intense prayer, reflection, study of the spirit and history of the community, and becoming grounded in his vocation. Central to the novitiate is the study of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as the novice prepares for first profession. Frequently novices are given the opportunity to experience some of the ministry of the community.

PROFESSION OF VOWS After his novitiate and an extended retreat, a novice professes first vows and becomes a member of the community. These vows are ordinarily for three to five years, allowing the new member to continue his formation, study, and reflection. At the end of this period the man makes final profession in the congregation.

FORMATION FOR ORDINATION If the man and the community discern that his call is to the ordained priesthood, the man also pursues the lengthy course of study prescribed by the Church. You may want to go to the “Preparation” section of this web site to read those steps.

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FINDING A COMMUNITY

How do I know which community God is calling me to? One step would be to look at a number of websites to read about the spirit or charism of different communities. Be attentive to the inner attraction that you may have while reading. Email the vocation director or contact person from that community to find out more. You may want to even visit a community that interests you to meet them first-hand. Finding a community can be as simple as being attracted to those brothers who taught you or worked with you. It may take a bit longer if you have not had that kind of an experience. The RCDA Vocation Office is available to help you in your search. (rosemary.cuneo@rcda.org (518) -674-3818 

RELIGIOUS LIFE SURVEY

Here are some of the communities who minister in the Diocese of Albany and who welcome you to their web sites: 

 

Brothers of the Christian Schools Contact:  Brother Daniel Brenner, FSC (518) 452-9809, Ext. 119 brennerd@cbaalbany.org Christian Brothers Academy 12 Airline Drive Albany, N.Y. 12205-1004  Vocation Director:  Brother Peter Killeen, FSC  bropete38@hotmail.com (732) 522-2058 St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute 845 Kenmore Avenue  Buffalo, NY 14223  Website: www.brothersvocation.org

Brothers of the Christian Schools

 

Conventual Franciscan Friars (OFM, Conv.) Upstate NY 

Contact:  Stephen J. Merrigan, OFM, Conv.  steveofmc@aol.com (518) 461-2951  Vocation Director:  Michael Lorentsen, OFM, Conv. friarmichaellor@aol.com (315) 558-8185  Vocation Office  C/O Alibrandi Catholic Center  110 Walnut Place Syracuse, NY 13210  Website: www.franciscans.org

Brother Stephen J. Merrigan, OFM, Conv.

 

Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province (OFM) 

Regional Vocation Director:  Br. Brian Belanger, OFM  Siena College Friary  515 Loudon Road  Loudonville, NY 12211-1462 bbelanger@siena.edu  (518) 786-5047  Vocation Director:  Fr. Greg Jakubowicz, OFM  Franciscan Vocation Ministry  135 W 31st Street  New York, NY 10001  vocation@hnp.org 800-677-7788  Website: www.vocation.org

Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province

 

Brothers of the Holy Cross 

Contact:  Brother Edward Boyer, CSC  St. Joseph Center  495 Maple Lane  Valatia, NY 12184 bebcsc@hotmail.com (518) 784-9481  Vocation Director:  Brother Lawrence Atkinson, CSC  Holy Cross Center  400 Washington Street  Easton, MA 02356  latkinson@stonehill.edu (508) 565-1746  Website: www.HolyCrossBrothers.org

Brother Edward Boyer, CSC

 

Jesuit Community (Society of Jesus)

Upstate Representative:  Fr. Peter J. Murray, S.J. c/o Jesuit Residence 136 Shrine Road Auriesville, N.Y. 12016  Albany , N.Y. 12204-1499   pjmsj42@yahoo.com (518) 853-3033 (Ex. 222)  Vocation Director:  Brother Chris Derby, S.J. 39 E. 83rd Street   N.Y., N.Y. 10028 vocations@nysj.org (518) 462-6850  Website: www.jesuitvocation.org

Typing in the name of a community that interests you and following the prompts will also help you. 

These sites are also helpful: 
www.religiousministries.com 

National Religious Vocation Conference www.nrvc.net 

Vision Magazine www.visionguide.info 

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How old must I be in order to enter a religious community? Is there an upper age limit?
Communities differ in their entrance requirements. In general applicants are encouraged to finish high school and often to have a year or two of work or study experience. The upper age limit differs as well; men who are over 40 would do well to ask this question early in the discernment.

If I enter a religious community will I be able to choose the work which interests me?
Much depends on the community. Some communities have a single ministry, for instance the education of youth. Other communities reflect great variety. In almost all instances ministry assignments are made in dialogue and take into consideration the needs of God’s people, the gifts and talents of the community member, and sometimes the wider picture in Church or community.

What do the vows mean?
Through the vow of poverty, a man promises to depend totally on God’s goodness, to live a life of simplicity, and to work to help alleviate the poverty in which so many of God’s people live all over the world.

Through the vow of chastity, a man promises to love widely and inclusively, foregoing the joys of marriage and physical intimacy as a sign of his single focus on God’s love.

Through the vow of obedience a man promises to listen to God’s voice as it is expressed through the Church, through his community leadership, and though all the circumstances of his life and to respond as fully as he is able.

Can’t I serve God just as well as a single person without joining a religious community?
Absolutely, and many men do. The call to a community is not “better.” It is, however, better for some men to respond in this manner. Their witness, joined with the witness of others, is communal and corporate; they support one another and take part in the history and traditions of the community.

More Questions

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