From January 20-27, 2025, the Brothers of Saint John from the Vice-Province of Asia-Oceania gathered in Christchurch, New Zealand, for a momentous regional gathering filled with spiritual, intellectual, and fraternal experiences. The event provided an opportunity for deeper formation, vibrant exchange, and exploration of the Brothers’ mission in the region.

The gathering began with a fraternal outing to Akaroa, a picturesque town nestled on the Banks Peninsula. The Brothers were treated to breathtaking views of towering cliffs, the sparkling ocean, and playful sea lions. The charm of Akaroa, with its French heritage, offered a peaceful setting for the Brothers to bond and enjoy nature’s beauty.

The brothers spent an entire day immersing themselves in the fast-growing apostolate of the Brothers in Christchurch. The Senior Leadership Team, a group of lay friends working in close collaboration with the brothers, presented not only the different projects to accommodate the fast-growing parish but also the many initiatives of Evangelization and the schools the brothers take charge of.
Another special moment came with the visit of Bishop Michael and Bishop John, who shared their insights on the vocation of the Brothers of Saint John in New Zealand, particularly in the context of parish renewal and mission. Their talks highlighted the significant role the Brothers play in the New Zealand Church and emphasized the ongoing need for a deep, committed presence in pastoral renewal and evangelization.

The gathering also featured a two-day intensive session on Henri de Lubac, led by Br. Jean Damien, who recently completed his doctoral thesis on the influential French theologian. Through Br. Jean Damien’s guidance, the Brothers delved into de Lubac’s writings on evangelization and mission, exploring how his insights on atheistic humanism can inspire our mission today.

In addition to the enriching formation sessions, the Brothers enjoyed several outings in Christchurch, including visits to local landmarks and moments of shared fellowship in the city’s vibrant atmosphere. These outings allowed for deeper connection and conversation among the Brothers.

A key moment in the gathering was a day of prayerful reflection on the future of the Vice-Province. The Brothers spent time discerning, praying together, and listening to each other, seeking God’s guidance for the next steps in their missions. This reflective time encouraged each member to look ahead with renewed commitment and trust in their shared vocation. This day of prayer was concluded by the ceremony of oblature of five new oblates. Praise God for their “yes” and for the continued growth of our family!

The gathering culminated with a concluding Mass at the Christchurch Cathedral, marking the end of the event and celebrating the Jubilee Year. This liturgical celebration was a powerful moment of thanksgiving and solidarity, as the Brothers renewed their commitment to their vocation and mission.

Jubilee Year of the Universal Church, Jubilee year of the foundation of the Brothers of Saint John

On 5 January 2025, the feast of the Epiphany, the Brothers of Saint John entered the fiftieth year of their foundation. Resolutely turned towards the future, they give thanks for their community in which the Lord has called them to consecrate their lives to him by placing themselves at the service of the proclamation of the Gospel through their fraternal life and their apostolic mission.

In this Jubilee Year for the universal Church and for the Congregation, the Brothers of Saint John place their trust in the Lord: they give thanks for the good that comes from Him, ask forgiveness for their sins and limitations during these fifty years, and ask God for today the grace of discernment with humility and wisdom.

The 50th Jubilee will be celebrated in each province of the Congregation: Africa, Asia-Oceania, the Americas, France and Europe. The elective General Chapter to be held in April and October 2025 will also be an opportunity to celebrate this anniversary. The jubilee year will close on 27 December 2025, the feast of Saint John.

Confident in the Lord’s call, the brothers of Saint John unite themselves to the hope experienced by the whole Church in 2025. Following the example of the Magi, they place this special year in the joy of the vision of the star that guides everyone towards the Saviour.

 

The first edition of the Cebu Metropolitan Catholic Mass Media Awards took place on 30 September 2024 in Philippines. Among the many categories represented: television, radio, print and digital media, Brother Samuel Mary, alias Father Sam, won the award for Best Social Media Influencer.

Father Sam’s testimony following his victory

“If anyone had told me when I entered the Brothers of Saint John that I would end up being a social media influencer in the Philippines I surely would have laughed in disbelief. Impossible!

One thing I’ve discovered at the heart of my vocation is that God has a way of bringing his disciples out towards the peripheries in ways we would never imagine. For me, this has taken the form of an exciting and surprising adventure into the digital world.

My journey started in March 2022 when I posted a video of me giving a simple reflection on the Sunday Gospel in Cebuano* on TikTok. At the time I thought, “TikTok is all about dancing and doing stupid stuff in front of a camera… but why not give it a try, right?” To my surprise, this video went viral and got over 200k views in just two days. I couldn’t believe it! What surprised me even more than the number of views was that people, especially the youth, were drawn to this simple and authentic content about God and the Gospel. No fancy editing, no dancing, no challenges, only a young American priest speaking Cebuano and talking about Jesus.

I had been experimenting with evangelization on social media for a few years already but the potential I saw for evangelization in Cebuano after several viral videos left me and my brothers with a firm conviction that I had to make this one of my principal apostolates.

My current mission is to reach out especially but not only to youth who are far from the Church and who are too afraid to come back before many of their questions about Faith are frankly spoken of. The Philippines is a culturally Catholic country but the youth often find themselves torn between what they perceive as a shallow devotional expression of Faith of their parents and grandparents and the ideologies of the Western world. These youth naturally turn to social media looking for answers to their often deep questions and that’s where I try to be a listening ear and an encouraging voice for them.

After two years of work, I currently have almost 250k followers on TikTok, 224k followers on Facebook, and am beginning to grow a YouTube channel. I also started a podcast called “Bros Unscripted” where Br. Jerome and I are co-hosts. Almost all of the content I post is short-form video content (between 1-3 minutes) where I speak about topics related to the Faith in a relatable and light way. I hope to branch out into long-form content in YouTube, be more organized in the content I make, and reach out to overseas Filipino workers through online recollections and sessions.

Besides the frequent encounters with followers who love to take “selfies” when they see me after Church, in the supermarket, or on the street, I have made many new friends and connections through invitations to preach parish recollections and giving talks at major youth events both inside and outside the Archdiocese of Cebu. Youth have also found their way back to the Church through the apostolates of our priory which they end up visiting after watching my videos. I have made friendships with other content creators around the Philippines and have been blessed with their guidance, ideas, and collaboration.

My apostolate has been very well received and supported not only by my brothers but also the local Church. I was recently given the “Best Social Media Influencer” award at the Cebu Metropolitan Catholic Mass Media Awards. This award was part of a series of awards covering anything from journalism and books to television shows and websites. It covered the territory of ten different dioceses that make up the Cebu Metropolitan region.

A valuable lesson I have learned from being an “influencer” is that this type of work is much more difficult, time-consuming, and frustrating than I imagined. There is such a strong image of famous influencers having lots of money and easy lives but experience has shown me otherwise. Dealing with negative comments, making almost nothing through monetization, and the constant process of trial and error has left me wondering many times if all this work was really worth the effort. Finding a balance between keeping up with trends, knowing what my followers are looking for, and improving the quality of my content while keeping a healthy distance from the digital world isn’t always easy. Despite all the challenges I firmly believe that the mission to evangelize with social media is something that we youth or “digital natives” must take extremely seriously. I hope to encourage and even accompany many more content creators in the future.

I confide this apostolate to your prayers!”

* Cebuano is an Austronesian language spoken in the southern Philippines by around 16 million Filipinos in some of the Visayas islands and certain provinces of Mindanao.

Follow Father Sam

YouTube channel

On Facebook

On TikTok

Thanksgiving

Brother Yakob DESALEGN BISHAMO (Ethiopia) and Brother Elijas BUTKUS (Lithuania) have been ordained deacons with in view of the priesthood for the Province of Europe.

Yakob DESALEGN BISHAMO (Ethiopia)

Brother Yakob’s ordination to the diaconate took place on Saturday 7 September in the parish of Saint Anthony of Padua, London (England), in the presence of the Most Reverend Alan Williams, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood (London).

Elijas BUTKUS (Lithuania)

The ordination to the diaconate of Brother Elijas took place on Saturday 21 September at the priory of the Brothers of Saint John in Vilnius (Lithuania), in the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis (Vilnius).

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa ;
The Brothers of Saint John and the familiy of the brother are pleased to inform you of the temporary profession of brother

Baudouin-Pio MEKOK (Cameroon)

The Mass of Profession will be celebrated on Sunday 22 September 2024, at 11am, at the Noviciat Notre-Dame de la Providence in Lumen Valley (Togo).

Brother Yakob’s ordination to the diaconate took place on Saturday 7 September in the parish of St Antony of Padua, London (England), in the presence of the Most Reverend Alan Williams, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood (London). Brother Leopold tells us.

D-day has arrived!  

It’s Saturday September 7th, 2024, and Saint Antony’s parish is in celebration. Because today is the diaconal Ordination of brother Yakob. The library of the brothers has been transformed into sacristy. Brother Yakob himself is attending to the needs of the visiting brothers and priests, anticipating his ministry of service. From Ethiopia have travelled the deacon-to-be’s sibling, Abba Tesfaye Bishamo, who paved the way in the family – having been a priest for the last 22 years! – together with some friends and also brother Philippe-François, the superior in Addis-Abbeba. The Netherlands aren’t badly represented either: apart from brother Ignaz-Maria, our Provincial, and brother Richard-Maria from Utrecht, Abba Petros Berga, Apostolic Visitor for the Ethiopian Catholics in Europe, has come from his parish close to Amsterdam. And from all around London had come a fair number of Ethiopian friends, priests and laity alike.  

I testify that he has been found worthy!  

Picking up on br Ignatius’s presentation of the candidate, which suggested that brother Yakob had been a trailblazer and pioneer of the Ethiopian brothers in the Congregation, Bishop Alan Williams turned our eyes towards Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith [Hebrew 12], reminding us how Saint John himself was progressively perfected throughout the years. Bishop Alan also witnessed how, during his own life and ministry, he had constantly experienced the action of Jesus Good Shepherd bringing back the lost sheep. He reminded us also that Saint Antony’s charism was to be the patron of the lost, and exhorted our brother to do the same. 

Rejoice O Mary Heavenly Queen 

After communion, Abba Petros led a venerable Marian chant and dance, sung in Ge’ez, the liturgical language in Ethiopia, which he was kind enough to translate for the uninitiated. After Mass, the gardens behind the priory hosted a pleasant party full of Ethiopian flavours and rhythms, under an unusually clear and sunny London sky. The day ended – how else, on such a joyful day? – with more dancing.

Brother Leopold

Thanksgiving

Brother Antoine de Padoue TOURÉ (Ivory Coast) and Brother Paul-Clément DJON BISSES (Cameroon) were ordained deacons with a view to the priesthood on Saturday 29 June 2024, by Monsignor Benoît Rivière, Bishop of Autun, Chalon and Mâcon, in the presence of Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa.

Upcoming events

The priestly ordinations of the Africa Province will take place on Saturday 13 July at Abidjan Cathedral, by Monsignor Jean-Salomon LEZOUTIE, Bishop of the Diocese of Yopougon (Côte d’Ivoire).

Ordinations to the diaconate

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa ;
The Brothers of Saint John and the families of the Brothers are pleased to inform you of the diaconal ordinations of Brothers

Antoine de Padoue TOURÉ (Ivory Coast)
Paul-Clément DJON BISSES (Cameroon)

At Notre-Dame de Rimont, on Saturday 29 June, by Monsignor Benoît Rivière, Bishop of Autun, Chalon and Mâcon.

Priestly ordinations

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Côme-Emmanuel CODJIA, Prior of the Province of Africa;
The Brothers of Saint-Jean and their families are pleased to inform you of the priestly ordinations of the following brothers

Elisée DJOGBA (Ivory Coast)
François-Emmanuel-Marie ZIGGAR (Togo)

On Saturday 13 July at Abidjan Cathedral, by Monsignor Jean-Salomon LEZOUTIE, Bishop of the diocese of Yopougon (Ivory Coast).

Brother François-Xavier CAZALI, Prior General ;
Brother Ignaz-Maria, Prior of the Province of Europe ;
the Brothers of Saint John and the families of the Brothers are pleased to inform you of the diaconal ordinations of the following Brothers

Yakob DESALEGN BISHAMO (Ethiopia)

On Saturday 7 September in the parish of Saint Antony of Padua, London (England), by the Most Reverend Alan Williams, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood (London).

Elijas BUTKUS (Lithuania)

On Saturday 21 September at 10 AM at the priory of the Brothers of Saint John, Vilnius (Lithuania), by His Eminence Cardinal Audrys Juozas Bačkis (Vilnius).

On 19 May 2024, two receptions of habit took place at the novitiate of the Brothers of St John in Guadalupe (Mexico), for the Province of the Americas.

Brother Emanuel do Menino Jesús CUNHA (Brazil)
Brother Tadeo de Jesús LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ (Mexico)