me. They were excellent teachers and so present,” he says. “I liked that each brother was unique and very approachable. When I ministered as a teacher, I felt it was important to not only be a good teacher, but to be approachable as well. For many students, I was one of the few brothers they knew.” Gosch has been a classroom teacher, a school counselor, and a social worker, all the while mindful of people who society might try to suggest are unimportant. In 2017, he and fellow Viatorian Father Corey Brost, C.S.V.—who lived as a brother for more than 16 years before ordination—cofounded Viator House of Hospitality, a residential program for young men seeking asylum in the United States. Gosch serves as its director of Programs and Housing. “There is no average day or week for me, especially in today’s polarized time regarding immigration,” says Gosch. “I could be found meeting with participants and staff to problem-solve, writing letters to Immigration and Customs Enforcement requesting the release of youth from shelter or detention, attending advocacy meetings, giving presentations to various groups, or accompanying young participants to medical appointments, legal appointments, and therapy appointments.” As someone who thrives in this varied and demanding ministry of accompaniment and advocacy, Gosch feels at home in religious brotherhood. “While it sounds cliché, I believe we are all brothers and sisters to one another, regardless of one’s background,” says Gosch. “I have not been drawn to sacramental ministry. I find a certain freedom in that. I aim to walk this journey with others, being brother to and with them. Once home, I enjoy sharing life with
the two priests with whom I live in a small local community. Our life together is flexible and not dictated by an horarium.” He is known in the community for a sharp sense of humor and what you might call a “brotherly” love of poking fun and playing pranks. Those bonds and his supportive home community help sustain him to do hard but important work. “Sometimes, we serve as host. Sometimes, we serve as guest,” he says. “And there’s a fine line that often times get blurred, because true accompaniment involves letting the young person sometimes be the host in their own lives. Then, when they allow us in their lives, we become their guests.”
A presence to give witness to God’s presence Brother Carlos Flórez, C.S.V., Catholic school administrator “When I introduce myself, I usually say, ‘I’m Brother Carlos, a Viatorian Brother,’ and explain that means dedicating my life to God through community, mission, and service—not as a priest, but as a brother among the people,” Brother Carlos Flórez, C.S.V., says. “For me, brotherhood means presence. It’s walking with others, listening, accompanying, and helping create spaces where faith can be lived and shared. A brother is someone who stands beside them.” Much like his brothers in religious life, there isn’t much daily routine as director of Catholic and Viatorian Identity at Cristo Rey St. Viator College Prep in North Las Vegas. “There is rarely an average day, and that is one of the joys of this vocation,” Flórez says. “I try to create an atmosphere where faith feels natural and alive. My days are filled Code #100 @VocationNetwork.org Community Search
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