Woodeaves Brothers Community. A Contribution by Brother Gordon

Consecrated Religious Brotherhood
– Some reflections –

Christian Brothers are identified in the church as lay religious. Many of us are often
confronted with a simple but haunting question: what is a Brother? Some struggle with
formulating a satisfactory response. Being a Brother and doing what Brothers do is at heart
a matter of relationship. It seems to me that the calling or vocation to Brotherhood is too
often misunderstood or poorly identified in the Church today
Clerical State as normative: The church administration emphasizes the clerical state as
normative for ministry and governance within the church, while brotherhood tends to
become less visible or at least peripheral. In some cultures, the term brother is used to
designate seminarians and other candidates for presbyter ordination. From this perspective
brotherhood tends to be interpreted as a transitional stage

Consecrated Life: From the first centuries of Christianity, consecrated life has been
composed predominantly of lay members, an expression of the yearning of men and
women to live the Gospel with the radicalism proposed to all followers of Jesus. Even today
lay members of the consecrated life – (men and women) – form the great majority.
“Brother” is the name traditionally given to the male lay Consecrated Religious in the
Church since the beginning of consecrated life. The title does not belong to him exclusively,
of course, but it represents a significant way of being in the ecclesial community in which he
is the prophetic memory of Jesus-Brother, who told his followers: “And you are all brothers”
(Mt 23:8) This saying of Jesus is passed on to us by the evangelist Matthew in a context in
which Jesus speaks out against the hypocrisy of those who used religion to gain privileges
and glory in the eyes of others. The title of brother/sister underlines the common dignity
and fundamental equality of all believers. Brothers are sons in that Son of the same
heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:45), called upon to form a universal brotherhood in Christ, the
firstborn of many brothers (Rom 8:29). However, we recognise that the vocation of the
Religious Brother and Sister is not always well understood and appreciated within the
Church.

Call to Consecrated Brotherhood: In response to this mysterious call—of which we stand in
awe—we have assumed the title “Brother.” We come together in community as brothers to
live out this call. Our Way of life leads to spiritual freedom and simplicity and humble service
to the poor and marginalised.

Relational Character: Immediately striking about the term brother is its relational character.
One can’t spell Brother without including other. Brother expresses both a specific
relationship and a way of being in relationship. For us, Brothers, it assumes that we are
willing to enter into relationships with others. It assumes we choose to be involved. The
name by which we Brothers identify ourselves in life and in the church reflects a rich
prophetic spirituality.

Brother is not only a title: Brother is what we are. Even more . . . it is what we are called
and committed to be, among ourselves and among the people of God.

Relationship with God: Whatever else Religious Brothers do, whatever our ministry – the
relationship that defines and shapes our Religious life is our relationship with God. We are
called in faith by a loving God to a deep relationship with Jesus and with our Brothers in a
religious community founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. Jesus says to his disciples: “you are
my friends if you do what I command you. I call you friends because I have made known to
you everything I have learned from my Father”.

Brothers with one another: Everything we say about ourselves will not be authentic unless
our common and community life is marked by love, mutual care, concern, courtesy and
hospitality. Jesus tells us that we will be recognised as his followers if we love one another.
To be brothers with one another in religious community is much more than merely getting
along – with each other.

Our very title excludes distinctions among us: Nationality, culture, ethnic heritage,
education and ministry. All these are gifts that unite us – not differences make divisions
among us. There are many unnecessary distinctions in our church today. Our presence and
activity in the church strives to communicate a perspective free of the distinctions that can
easily decline into division. To be Brothers for the church is to live and proclaim in St. Paul’s
terms “there is no longer Jew or Greek, no longer slave or free . . . for all of you are one in
Christ.

Brothers are lay religious in the church and society: We Religious Brothers are often
invisible. The question of visibility is more complex than the reality of ageing and fewer
entering our Congregation today. It seems to me that in the past 40 or so years our church
has become increasingly clerical. In our times, when there are fewer and fewer priests, lay
religious life is not always promoted with any enthusiasm in the church.

“Come closer to me I am your Brother”: In the Book of Genesis, Joseph, one of Jacob’s
sons, was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers and later became Pharaoh’s right-hand
man. A time came when Joseph met again with his brothers and had the delicate task of
revealing his identity to his them “come closer I am your brother”. To convince his brothers
Joseph had to do more than tell them who he is. He must demonstrate it through his
attitude and actions.

(Brother George Gordon cfc)