ONE MISSION a variety

Brothers to all

Religious Brothers find their natural habitat in [the] context of communion, by way of belonging to the People of God.

. . . The vocation of the Brother is part of the answer that God gives to the absence of brotherhood which is wounding the world today. At the root of a Brother’s vocation lies a profound experience of solidarity that essentially matches that of Moses before the burning bush: he discovers himself as the eyes, ears, and heart of God, the God who sees the oppression of his people, who hears their cry, feels their anguish and comes down to liberate them.

Of Ministries

. . . Therefore, the dimension of communion is closely linked in the Brother to a fine sensitivity for everything that affects the least privileged of people; those oppressed by various forms of injustice, abandoned on the margins of history and progress, those who, ultimately, are less likely to experience the good news of God’s love in their lives.

tency of meals and prayer with one’s housemates adds a steadiness for processing the day, sharing spiritually, and hearing about the similar yet different ministries others do. Often, too, it’s the social time after a meal and prayer that brings deep joy and great consolation. The sense of brotherhood, of knowing this group of men will be there for you in good times and bad is the essence of life as a religious brother. Is God inviting you to be a religious brother? = related artiCle: VocationNetwork.org, “What does it mean to be a brother?”

. . . The fraternity of Religious Brothers is an encouragement for the whole Church, because it makes present the Gospel value of fraternal relationships of equality in the face of the temptation to dominate, to search for the best place, or to exercise authority as power.

—Excerpted from “Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church” (2015, Vatican’s Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life)

How did you meet your community?

The Augustinians did a mission in my parish when I was in seventh grade, and I remembered them from that. Also, my mother was educated by the Augustinians in California in high school and has a great love for them. Additionally, some of my extended family members were involved in different Augustinian parishes and schools in the Midwest.

Did

you grow up involved in the church and in service?

My two brothers and I attended Catholic grammar school and went to Sunday Masses. My mother was very formative in our faith life, teaching us to share our gifts with others. I remember as a child volunteering at the local homeless shelter and also visiting retired Holy Cross Sisters in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Do you have a favorite way to pray?

Having scheduled, communal times for prayer at the beginning and end of each day serves as bookends for my daily ministry. Setting aside time for personal reflection and contemplation is a catalyst to notice the continual work of the Holy Spirit.

Your best experiences so far as a brother?

Being present to people during the height of the pandemic was meaningful. Our community sought to include everyone in its pandemic outreach. This showed me the beauty of how the Augustinians bring everyone together for the common good.