Today’s feast is, in a special way, dedicated to those men and women in the Church who have professed the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.
I would like to honor on this day a community of men who, in nomenclature and in truth, give hope to our world: The Brotherhood of Hope.
If you know nothing of them, you must change that at once: www.brotherhoodofhope.org
If you know them, you can now relax that smile that is exhausting the 43 muscles in your face.
I will not attempt to do any justice to their life and charism, their mission and history. I simply wish to say that this — never in my life have I encountered a religious community that contained men of such high caliber. They are thoroughly real flesh and blood men, overflowing with gifts and talents, who love Jesus in a most manly way; who love others in a most remarkably Jesus way; who pray like the ancients but are savvy to all things contemporary; who live their fraternity in a way that raises up the dignity of family life; who honor women in a way few men bother to any more; who manifest the truth that true diversity deepens unity and that true unity is the most effective means of evangelization.
And the litany goes on.
I have known them since 1994, lived with them part time while I was completing my graduate studies, and can say what I know is not easy to affirm about many of the people I have known in my life: the more I come to know them the greater my admiration has grown.
Pray for them, support them, and if you happen to see one today, thank him for being what he is all about: God first, God alone.
Thank you for this beautiful post about a remarkable group of men who have given all of themselves to God in order to bring in and strengthen the next generation of the Church. I will live with the exhaustion – I simply cannot relax that smile yet. Thank you!
Heather Jordan
Bring the exhaustion on!!
Thanks for the tribute. We have every one of their CDs. If you don’t own a CD of Advent songs, get theirs.
Yes – thank you for mentioning that. See here and here for their 2 fabulous Albums.
[...] high caliber. They are thoroughly real flesh and blood men, overflowing with gifts and talents… If you know nothing about the Brotherhood of Hope, you must change that at once… __________________ Your socks stink. To view links or images in signatures your post count [...]
These are indeed some of the finest men I know, I have known them since I was a child and have the greatest respect for them
Thanks, Tim, for echoing my words!
I too have had the blessing of knowing the Brothers since my early teens. Truly they are a gift to the Church. May God continue to bless their ministry and may he send them many more great young men.
Amen, JCE!
Tom – You are absolutely right! These guys are magnificent! I thank God for what they have done for my family.
They have indeed!
Hey Dr. Neal…you are so correct…the Brotherhood of Hope is aptly named. These men took up the challenge laid down by Blessed John Paul ll to be a vanguard and a great example of the “New Evangelization”. By all accounts, they are doing a stellar job. God bless you for highlighting their great community in your blog!!!
Fr Moretti — I agree totally — these men are fruits of the Bl John Paul II pontificate and harbingers of the New Evangelization. Thanks for your comments!!
Multiply them O Lord our God!
Amen!
I wouldn’t be the woman I am today if it hadn’t been for the radical gift of self these men have made in service to Jesus and His Church. Thank you Jesus and thanks Tom for posting this beautiful tribute to them! It is well deserved!
Thanks for being a woman’s voice to echo my praise!