By Eileen Connelly, OSU and David Eck

ARCHDIOCESE — Though the vocation of a religious Brother may appear to be lesser known, the men called to this way of life truly stand out as they live and work among us and accompany us on the journey of faith.

Franciscan Brother of the Poor of St. Francis Joel Stern, regional administrator for his order, feels the description of the meaning of a Brother’s vocation is well described on his community’s website: "Being a Brother is not a role we assume but rather a lifestyle we live in all of our activities. To be a Brother is to encourage, enable and support our marginated and powerless sisters and brothers. To be a Brother is to proclaim, in work and deed, the God who calls us all to hope and love."

COURTESY PHOTO

Glenmarians Craig Digmann, left, Crispine Adongo and Aaron Wessman in 2007 at the conclusion of their novice year.

Contributing to Brother Joel’s own vocation was "the attraction to do something and be part of something beyond myself. It’s given me a special relationship with the people I serve," he said. "I’ve always believed Brothers walk beside people, not above them. It’s a true brotherly relationship and, to me, that’s very important. I think this is where God wants me to be."

Although his order has no members currently in formation, Brother Joel says "we’d would certainly be happy to receive vocations. As long as we’re able we’ll try our best to serve with the special gift of our charism — finding Christ in the poor, especially among the youth."

"I feel like it’s kind of forgotten," says Jesuit Brother Pat Douglas of the vocation. "I think there are many people who don’t feel a call to the priesthood, but feel a strong religious vocation. It’s another way to serve the Lord."

Most men who enter the Society of Jesus choose to follow Jesus through the priesthood, according to Father Pat Fairbanks, vocation director for the Chicago Province. Of the men currently in formation in the province, one is on the path to being a Brother.

"Most Jesuits discern their vocations as novices having been attracted by our community and spirituality. Through spiritual direction and learning about the society, it becomes more clear to them which way they would like to go," he said.

Brother Pat, who was taught by the Jesuits and took vows in 2006, said it was the Jesuit spirituality that "clicked" with him — the "finding God in all things," yet he didn’t feel called to the priesthood. As a novice, his training was the same as those preparing for the priesthood and, while he will study some theology and philosophy, his primary focus will be preparing for ministry and continuing his education. Brother Pat hopes to earn a pastoral counseling degree and master’s in social work and envisions himself involved in high school ministry and counseling.

He has found there is a certain freedom that accompanies his vocation. "Brothers can go wherever and serve wherever they’re needed. We can fly under the radar and just go serve God. I can focus on bringing people to God in my works. There’s a definitely a freedom and an availability there."

It’s that availability and the relational aspect of his vocation that has given Franciscan Brother Scott Obrecht’s such meaning in the past 42 years. Brother Scott, who currently serves as Mission Director for friars of the St. John the Baptist Province said he "never felt inclined to ordained ministry."

Through the years, his ministry as a Brother has been diverse and has included working with young people on a Navajo Indian reservation in Arizona, building small Christian communities in the Philippine Islands and serving as vocation director for his order. In his present position, his ministry involves olved caring for the Franciscan missionaries, fundraising and mission awareness.

"It’s been a wonderful experience for me," Brother Scott said of his vocation. "I wanted people to see me as a friar, not as church person, but as one of them. I like to think the friars are pretty grassroots people and my vocation helped me be one of the folks. I wasn’t put on a pedestal as priests often are. I reach out to people and they feel comfortable reaching back to me. It’s been a relational thing, not a deep theological thing."

Of the nine men currently in formation in the St. John the Baptist Province, a number are considering the path of brotherhood, said Franciscan Father Don Miller, vocation director. "It’s being seen as a life in itself," he said. "It’s not a substitute for those who can’t be ordained. Brothers have a freedom that clerics don’t have. As far as ministry — you name it and they get involved it, whether it’s social work or pastoral administration. As friars, we don’t have a specific ministry. It’s mainly the needs of the church and what the personality and gifts of the person lend themselves towards."

The Glenmary Home Missioners, whose national headquarters are based in Archdiocese of Cincinnati, has seen an increase in the number of men pursuing the brotherhood. Of six men who will begin formation for Glenmary in August, four are seeking that path.

"I think a good example is this year’s class," said Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk, vocation director. "That’s a real shift."

The order ministers to the unchurched and marginalized in the rural areas of Appliachia, and the southern and southwestern United States.

Part of the appeal of brotherhood is the ability to share a person’s gifts in a specific manner, Father Steve said. While a Glenmary priest knows he will be doing priestly ministry in a small, rural mission church, a Brother can undertake varied ministries.

He told of one Glenmary Brother who went to work on the production line in an Arksansas poultry factory in order to minister to the working poor. He is now the plant’s chaplain.

Brotherhood provides “a great deal more room for individual talents," Father Pawelk said. "There is a desire for the mission charism. People are seeing brotherhood for direct service and to express their individual talents in a unique way."

The types of ministries Glenmary brothers choose is wide open, Father Pawelk said, including homebuilding, factory work, health care, ministering to the elderly and parish work.

Glenmary Brother Craig Digmann, who made his first oaths last month, likes the service life the brotherhood provides.

"To become a Brother is a special call," he said. "A brother can go with some specifict or with many different things."

A former farmer who has also done construction work, Brother Craig, 50, is now in West Virginia helping the poor with home repair and other needs. His ministry also includes prison ministry and working with elderly and the youth.

"Service is huge for me personally, and for brothers in general. We take vows very similar to women religious," he said. "I felt the call to bring people to church…just not in a priestly way of doing it."

The Society of Mary (Marianists) is made up of about two-thirds brothers and one-third priests. Two men last month professed first vows with the order and are now brothers.

Every Marianist professes first vows as a Brother and can request to study for the priesthood when the make final vows, typically three years later.

"It is a process of discearnment with the person and the order," said Marianist Brother Charles Johnson, vocations director for the Marianist Province for the United States. "They have some say, too, in terms of where they see their gifts, what they want to do. There’s a dialogue."