Many people use the word vocation (from the Latin vocare, meaning “to call”) in reference to the call to be a priest, sister, or brother. However, the Catholic understanding of vocation is much broader: every baptized person has a vocation–a call–to love and serve God.
How you choose to live out that vocation is what each person must discern. Some feel called to live as single or married lay people; others choose consecrated life and join a secular institute or religious community (as sisters, priests, or brothers); still others choose ordination as deacons or priests.
What is a brother?
A brother belongs to a religious community of men. A brother takes religious vows, usually poverty, chastity, and obedience. A brother’s life revolves around prayer, communal living in a religious community or monastery, and a ministry within the Church and society.
A brother is not ordained to the priesthood, and thus does not perform the sacramental duties of a priest (i.e., celebrating Mass, hearing Confessions, etc.). Like many communities we accept men who want to be both brothers and priests, and both have equal respect and status in the community.
Friar comes from Latin and means “brother.” A friar is a male member of only four orders: Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians.
To be a friar is to be mendicant (meaning that we beg) and itinerant (meaning we move around, and not tied to one place for life). It also means that we are semi-monastic, in other words, we pray in common the Liturgy of the Hours.
However, we have an apostolic mission of preaching, so we get out of our convents, and priories (monasteries) and preach, unlike true monks.
So, friars are a bridge between monastic orders, such as the Trappists, Carthusians, and Benedictines, and apostolic institutes and societies, such as the Christian Brothers, and Jesuits, Salesians and Marists.
What are the vows of religious life?
The main vows for men in religious life are chastity, poverty, and obedience. As Dominican friars we publicly take the vow of obedience, but we are bound by our constitutions to a life of poverty and chastity as well.
Am I worthy enough to enter religious life?
This is not the right question. The question is: Are you called?
The old maxim applies, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” At the beginning of the 5th chapter of Luke, Jesus calls Simon Peter to be an apostle. Kneeling in a boat full-to-the-brim with fish, Peter says, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus’ response?
“Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
Simon Peter’s own declaration of sin was met with a vocation. Jesus doesn’t call Peter because of his holiness, self-awareness, or his worthiness. He calls Peter because Christ knows Peter’s heart, and he knows where he will find salvation.
What do I do if my family or friends are not supportive or are against a religious or priestly vocation?
Times have changed. At one time, parents were more likely to recognize what a great privilege and honor it is that God called one of their children to serve as a priest or religious.
Today, however, the values of the world cause some parents to doubt whether the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience will allow their son to live a fulfilled life. However, the very term “vocation” gives us a clue as to how best to respond in the face of opposition.
Vocation comes from the Latin word vocare which means “to call.”
A vocation is a calling from God, the God who loves us, who knows us better than we know ourselves and who died on the Cross for our salvation, so strongly does He desire our eternal happiness.
He is also the God who said things like, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,” and “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” Ultimately, our own happiness in this life and salvation in the next depend upon doing whatever God asks of us. And if a man enters Dominican life and finds that it is not in fact his calling, he has plenty of time to discern and leave.
The Order is not a prison but rather a fraternity to which one commits freely. And while you won’t always have the support of the world, the friars with whom you discern will offer all the support they can muster.
Do I abandon my family or friends if I enter the Order?
Absolutely not! The first few years of training will require a lot of time and work, and you may not see your family and friends as often as you like.
However, we encourage our friars to maintain good relationships with family and friends. After all, many of them supported your discernment this far and should be a source of support throughout your life.
Many friars find that their relationships with friends and family grow more richly as they begin to grow in their love of God and service to the Church.
How long does it take to become a Dominican?
You become a Dominican the moment you put on the habit at the beginning of the Novitiate. That’s when formation begins. “Formation” is the term used for a Dominican’s initial and ongoing (lifelong) training and study. “Initial” formation as a Dominican has a number of stages.
The first year as a Dominican friar is always spent as a novice (see below).
The next two years are spent studying and working towards a graduate degree in Theology while living at the Studium (house of studies).
The fourth year is spent doing full-time ministry work at one of our apostolates and living in a Dominican community outside the Studium.
The fifth, sixth, and seventh year are back in the Studium finishing up graduate studies. This is the typical schedule for student brothers who wish to be ordained priests.
The experience can vary significantly if (a) the brother in question is a cooperator brother and therefore not pursuing ordination to the priesthood or (b) if the brother already has an academic background in the area of either theology or philosophy.
The novitiate is the first year of formation and introduction to Dominican Life. The novices develop their prayer life, both communal and personal, as well as learn to live with others and build a community life together.
St. Augustine’s opening instruction in his rule, by which we live, is a real inspiration to them and speaks to the heart of what the novitiate initiates:
“The chief motivation for your sharing life together is to live harmoniously in the house and to have one heart and one soul seeking God”
(Chapter 1 of the Rule of St. Augustine).
What kind of studies do you have to do?
It depends significantly on a couple of factors. First, if a friar is a clerical student brother who hopes to be ordained a priest then he is bound by the requirements set down by the Dominican Order, the province, and the US Conference of Catholic bishops.
In the end that means he will be getting almost two masters degrees: a Masters in Theology and a Masters in Divinity. The current practice of the province is to encourage all the brothers to do the little extra work required to graduate with both degrees. Cooperator brothers have much more flexibility and their course of studies will be determined by the province on a case by case basis.
What is the admission criteria?
A man applying to the Province of Saint Martin de Porres must be a practicing Roman Catholic for at least three years. He must be committed to living the vows of celibate chastity, poverty, and obedience. He should be between 21 and 40.
He must be physically and mentally healthy. He must be free of large debt (student-loan debt is decided on a case by case basis). And he must have earned a college degree.
Do you accept international applicants?
Yes! However applicants must have a command of the English language.
What if I have more questions?
You are on the right path! The Dominican Friars are happy to answer your questions about vocation, discernment, religious life as a Dominican, priesthood, and brotherhood. Contact us anytime!