Religious Brothers Day

Religious Brothers Day is held annually on May 1, the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.  All religious brothers are recognized during this international event. Prayer services and reflections for celebrating this day are available at ReligiousBrothers.org 

Mark your calendars for a virtual celebration from 12:30 - 1:30 pm on May 1 hosted by the Brothers Think Tank composed of NRVC, RBC, CMSM, and RFC members. Register for the Zoom link here.

Some other ways to celebrate Religious Brothers Day are:

1. Choose a community from the list below to learn more about the vocation of Brother. 
2. Write a note of gratitude for Brothers to post on your social media and/or mail to a Brother.
3. Ask to pray with the Brothers at one of their many ministries.
4. Watch several videos about Brothers and share them with friends.
5. Learn more about the contributions Brothers have made over the years.
6. Invite someone to consider learning more about Brothers and to consider discerning their vocation as a Brother.
7. Reach out to a vocation director who is a Brother and ask for some promotional materials to include in your own table of resources.

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Quotes from the NRVC Focus groups of newer entrants
who entered religious life from 2003-2018

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"The laughter, the prayer, age was never an issue for me. The one thing that was consistent was the relationships and the mentorships. And that real sense of just being Brother. Centered in Christ, first and foremost, and then with the community life, being able to take it to the apostolate and to give witness, as a community, was probably the best thing" (about being a Brother).

 "To see these men, priests and brothers, working together on a project that seemed worth doing. They were very, very much individuals, unique, bringing very different things to the work, bringing different gifts to a work that seemed desperately in need of being well done."

"I did not know religious life where I was growing up because there was no  religious around the area. It wasn't until later in life that I found out that there was religious, and there were also religious Brothers. That's really what attracted me to the community was more of the sense of family, the sense of prayer, and a sense of equality."

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Additional Resources

• Religious Brothers Day 2022 video
• Identity and Mission of Religious Brothers in the Church
• Statement from Religious Brothers Conference
• Guidelines for Formation of Religious Brothers
• Resources for the first U.S. Beatified Religious Brother, James Miller, FSC 
• Talking about and inviting to brotherhood, HORIZON article
• How we talk about brotherhood, HORIZON article 
• Brother Peter Tabichi, OFM, from Kenya, 2019 Global Teacher Prize
• Podcast with Viatorian Brothers Peter Lamick and Rob Robertson
• Podcast with Brother Larry Schatz, FSC and Brother Logan Murray, BH
• Religious Brothers Conference
• VISION Vocation Network articles on Brothers

The NRVC has published a series of Abundant Hope videos which includes Brothers. The following videos are publicly available to share for Religious Brothers Day and at other events to promote the vocation of Brother:

1. Brother Joseph Bach, O.S.F.
2. Brother Alfred George, fms
3. Brother Peter Lamick, C.S.V.
4. Brother Paschal Listi, fbp
5. Brother Antony Julius Milton, O.F.M. Cap.
6. Brother Blair Paulus Nuyda, A.A.
7. Brother Allen Agpaoa Pacquing, S.M.
8. Brother Rafael Vargas, S.D.B.
9. Brother Martin Zewe, F.S.C.

Links to Religious Institutes of Brothers

Alexian Brothers

Brothers of the Christian Schools

Brothers of the Christian Schools, Eastern North America

Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Province of the United States

Congregation of Christian Brothers (Edmund Rice Christian Brothers)

De La Salle Christian Brothers, Midwest 

De La Salle Christian Brothers, San Francisco, New Orleans

Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn

Franciscan Brothers of Peace

Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God

Marist Brothers

Xaverian Brothers

 

Links to Religious Institutes of Brothers and Priests 

Augustinian Friars

Augustinian Friars, Western Province

Augustinians of the Assumption

Barnabite Fathers and Brothers

Benedictine Monks, Assumption Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Christ the King Priory

Benedictine Monks, Mount Michael Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Newark Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Saint Andrew Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Saint Procopius Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Saint John Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Saint Joseph Abbey

Benedictine Monks, Saint Meinrad Archabbey

Benedictine Monks, Subiaco Abbey

Capuchin Franciscans, Province of St. Joseph

Carmelite Fathers and Brothers, Province of St. Elias

Claretian Missionaries

Congregation of Holy Cross

Congregation of Saint Basil

Congregation of the Holy Spirit

Congregation of the Resurrection, CA

Crosier Fathers and Brothers

Dominican Friars, Saint Martin de Porres

Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

Franciscan Friars, Conventual, Our Lady of Consolation

Franciscan Friars, Holy Name Province

Franciscan Friars, Saint John the Baptist Province

Franciscan OFM Friars - U.S. 6

Glenmary Home Missioners

Jesuit Fathers and Brothers, Central and Southern Province

Jesuit Fathers and Brothers, East Province

Jesuit Fathers and Brothers, Midwest Province

Jesuit Fathers and Brothers, Western Province

Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada

Josephite Fathers and Brothers

Marianists

Marianists, Province of Meribah

Marist Fathers and Brothers

Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers

Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Ireland

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Canada

Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity

Missionhurst Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Nortbertines of St. Norbert Abbey

Oratorians, Rock Hill Oratory

Order of Carmelites

Order of Friar Servants of Mary

Order of the Most Holy Trinity

Pallotines, Immaculate Conception Province

Pallotines, Mother of God Province

Passionists

Passionists, Paul of the Cross Province

Redemptorists

Redemptorists, Edmonton-Toronto Province

Salesians of Don Bosco, East

Salesians of Don Bosco, West

Society of Saint Edmund

Society of Saint Sulpice

Society of the Divine Word

Somascan Fathers and Brothers

Sons of Our Mother of Peace

Third Order Regular of St. Francis, Immaculate Conception Province

Trappist Cistercian Monks, New Clairvaux

Trappist Cistercian Monks, New Mellerary Abbey

Viatorians

Vincentians, Eastern Province

Vincentians, Western Province

Xaverian Missionaries