“The Lord gave me brothers.”
- The Testament of St. Francis
An Order of Brothers
When St. Francis heard Our Lord speak to him from the image of the San Damiano Cross, he never could have imagined that over 800 years later, there would be tens of thousands of brothers today still striving to live the Gospel Life. Every religious order has a distinct charism, or inspiration and mission from the Holy Spirit.
For Franciscans, but particularly for the Capuchin Franciscans, it is evident in how our fraternities prioritize contemplative prayer and a life of self-gift to God, to the poor, and to all those we encounter, serving as witnesses to the Kingdom.
- Lay Brother -
As men called to religious life, every man in the Franciscan order is called “brother”. It is both a unifying term and a title of equality among men of various backgrounds. It is the foundational state on which Francis organized his community. Infact, most of our Capuchin saints were lay brothers.
In the Order, no one is seen as greater, but all are meant to be seen as “lesser” because it was Christ who humbled Himself for our sake. You are called brother once you are received into the Order through the profession of religious vows.
- Priest Brother -
When St. Francis established the Order, he was not imagining Priests would be a part of the equation. After all, Francis himself was not a Priest. In that same spirit, Francis allowed great sacramental ministers of the Church such as St. Anthony of Padua to teach and instruct the brothers in theology. This opening for Priests to join the Brotherhood in a way of mutual love gave Francsicans the grace to become both brother and priest.
Priest brothers are not above the non-ordained, but their ministries generally differ sacramentally from lay brothers. All are co-workers in the Church to bring people to The Lord Jesus Christ.