The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-03-23
Men Like 81. Joseph

March is vocation month We are reminded
vvidly of the Importance and the need of relig-
ious vocations in every form of the Churchs
apostolate; We are asked to foster and to encour-
age vocstions to every type of religious life There
are many vocations, but the number is far short
of the demand. Thousands needed for the
work of the Church. even in our own land. Thou
sands more are needed in every part of the
world even in the Eternal City of Rome.
There is one group of religious in the Church
who should receive special recognition during
the month of March Little is said about them;
less is written about them; but they are the un'
sung heroes Of the Church They number less
than 1000 in the United States as compared
with $4,000 priests and 10000 Sisters. They do
not preach or teach or direct sodalities. They
seldom make the headlines or receive awards.
But they 90 day after day quietly and calmly and
consistently in their work Of prayer and sacri-
flee for the glory Of God and the good Of souls.
They resemble St Joseph in very special way.
They are our lay Brothers
Nearly every religious community of men in
the Church has brothers who contribute their
talents their work, and their life for God and
souls from the Benedctines of ancient origin
down to the Maryknoll Fathers and the Sales
ians Of Don Bosco of the present day,
These Brothers cook the food and sweep the
floors and drive the trucks; they run the print
Ing presses and manage the offices; they take
charge OF the saerSty and the switchboards.
They render inestimabIe service to the Church
and to the community of which they are mem
bers.
The lay Brother is special imitator of st.
Joseph Almost literally he follows the pattern of
the fosterfather of Jesus. Like the Saint who
pIaned the wood and repaired the neighbors
plow the Brothers chief work is with his hands.
Like the Saint he serves Our Lord and His
interests-for his vocation is to serve. Like the
Saint. he has special love for Our Lady Like
s-4 ,,.I-s -
only to the world but in many cases even to the
Catholic faithful
Like St Joseph the lay Brothers. vocation is
humble and obscure; but it is not lowly. II is
glorious because OF the opportunities of grace
and virtue that are given, that cannot be given
outside the closter of the mission. Like st.
Joseph his role is TO be a companion of Christ
In the members of the priesthood.
II is sometimes thought and said, unfortun-
ately that young men should not be lay Brothers.
Their life is too hard, too dull. 1t would be
from purely human standards, but that is not
the yardstick of the Catholic A Brothers Yoea-
tion must be judged from spiritual viewpoint
Gods point of view. Parents ought to thank
God from the depths of their hearts for any son
who seeks tofollow Christ as a religious Brother.
Indeed Pope Plus XII made the General Intention
for the Aposlleship of Prayer for the month of
April "That the Clergy and Faithful Rightly
Esteem the Priestly and Religious Vacations"
He realizes the need of Brothers as we'll as
priests for the good of the Church
The lives of Brothers are hidden from the
world, but not from God Their cooking their
scrubbng, their office work, their driving trac-
tor or truck, their running printing press OF a
laundry machine does not make the headlines,
They may spend 50 years in community and
never be known beyond its limited circle But
their lives are rich in the love of God They
serve the Church and serve mankind by making
the world better place in which to live because
of their sacrifices, their prayers and their work.