How do I become a brother?

A Religious Brother is a man who dedicates his life to God in a special way. As a Brother he belongs to a particular Religious Community. He takes the three evangelical vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; performs a special ministry in the church; and lives a community (common) life.

There are several different types of Religious Communities in which Brothers live. The first is a community composed of just Brothers. These communities have a particular charism which has been handed down by the Founder of the Community. Some communities are dedicated to education, some to hospital ministry, some to mission work, some to working with the poor, as well as other special works in the Church. Some of these communities are the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Christian Brothers), the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Freres de la Charite, Hospitaliers de Sain-Jean-de-Dieu, the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd and the Marists Brothers. The second type of community is composed of Brothers and Priests. They live the same lifestyle and perform special ministries in the Church similar to the communities of Brothers but the membership of the community includes both Priests and Brothers. Some of these communities are the Augustinians, Dominicans, the many Franciscan Communities, Greymore Friars, Jesuits, Marianistes, Passionists, and the Salesians of Don Bosco. There is a third type of community which is composed of both Brothers and Priests and that is the Contemplative or Monastic orders. They live in a Monastery and their day is divided between prayer and work for the Monastery. Some of these communities are the Benedictines, and the Cistercians (Trappists).

Brothers in all of the different religious communities share their lives together with their confreres in community. The pray together, minister together, and share their daily lives together. All of them live in community that has a member as Superior who is responsible for the life of the community. The Brothers share in the Consecrated Life of the Church by publicly taking vows of Poverty (to live poorly and not to own anything as an individual), Chastity, (not to marry and to live a chaste life), and Obedience (to obey the rules of the Order and the legitimate authority within the Order).

Brothers minister in the Church as educators, medical personnel, social workers, counsellors, workers with the poor and needy, missionaries, maintenance men, communication experts, and many other ministries that serve the Church and the People of God.