Called to Give/Be a Witness
By Friar Douglas J McMillan, OFM Conv.
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 The first Sunday in February has been designated as
Consecrated Life Sunday. It is a Sunday set aside to focus on those men and
women who live a life consecrated to God through the observance of the
Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. In the past, when
people thought about vocations, the priesthood or religious life came to mind.
When people thought about religious life what came to mind were nuns, monks or
priest who belonged to religious orders: Dominican, Jesuits or other male
communities. Seldom did people think about the vocation of the Religious
Brother. If you were taught by Brothers in a Catholic school, you were among the
few who had an understanding of our vocation.
 I have been in congregations where the Prayer of the
Faithful was offered for vocations and have heard petitions for Priest and Nuns,
but seldom have I heard the word Brother mentioned. The vocation of the
Religious Bothers is probably one of the most misunderstood vocations in the
church. I would like to begin by telling you what a Religious Brother is not. A
Brother is not one who could not make it to the priesthood for whatever reason;
not smart enough. We are not the caricatures often portrayed as the simple
little guy who is often confused and easily fooled we sometimes see on TV, the
movies or cartoons. We are not some middle state between the clerical state and
the lay state. It is not something that one settles for. It is a state/vocation
that is misunderstood and misrepresented in the church.
What is a Brother? A brother is a man who responds
to a genuine vocation to live out the values of the Gospel that every Baptized
Christian is called to live out. Religious Brothers are men of prayer, men of
commitment and men of community. These things describe a Religious Brother.
Whether he is in the classroom, emergency room, working with the homeless here
or in a foreign county, the Religious Brothers give witness to the Gospel life
that all Christians are called to live. By living a life of service to others,
we are called to be Christ centered, centered on Christ. We do this within the
context of community; an all brother community or a mixed community; priest and
brothers.
The title brother can be both noun and verb. The
noun is the title which sets us apart from the priest. It is that designation of
an authentic role/position/ state within the structure of the church. Brother as
verb is to show compassion, to teach, to nurse, to care, to comfort those in
need. It is to relate to people on an intimate level. Those who are brothers or
who have a brother older/younger know the full impact of the saying "he is my
brother" or "I am his brother."
My experience as a Franciscan Brother is one that I
have enjoyed. It has enabled me to touch and be apart of the lives of many
people as a classroom teacher, Director a diocesan Office for Black Catholics,
youth minister in a parish or doing hospital ministry during the summers. As a
follower of St. Francis, I am called to make the Gospel real, to live it out
within the context of a community of brothers some of whom are Brothers and some
priest.
The question that a person might have is how do I
know if I have a vocation to be a Religious Brother? My suggestion would be to
pray over it; ask God to guide you in this process. Also, get in contact with
someone who is a Religious Brother whether they belong to an all Brothers
community like the Christian Brothers or a mixed community like the Franciscans,
Society of the Divine Word or Josephites and talk to them about the life of a
Religious Brother. What helped me to decide on becoming a Religious Brother were
the men who I met and talked to. Prayer was also a big part of the process. I
have never regretted the decision I made to become a Religious Brother.
Friar Douglas J McMillan, OFM Conv. was born and
raised in New York City. He is a member of the Conventual Franciscan Province of
the Immaculate Conception. He is presently a member of the faculty of Archbishop
Curley High school in Baltimore, Maryland where he teaches English.
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