Published on July 20, 2019
In 1994, as well as the foundation in Orléans in France, the Brothers of Saint John were sent (and guided by Cardinal Schönborn in person) to Austria, in order to found a priory in Marchegg, a town on the border with Slovakia, situated between the two capital cities of Vienna and Bratislava.
On the weekend of 31 August – 1 September, 2019, the Brothers of Saint John celebrate 25 years in Austria. Cardinal Schönborn presides at the Sunday Mass on 1 September.
Published on July 12, 2019
The Brothers of Saint John from the priory of Blessed Réginald d’Orléans will celebrate 25 years in Orléans on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December, 2019, with Mgr Jacques Blaquart, Bishop of Orléans, and Br François-Xavier, Prior General of the Brothers of Saint John.
A mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated on the Sunday morning, followed by a festive meal.
The Orléans priory was founded in 1994 on the first Sunday of Advent. It is situated near to the city centre and the Loire River and is easily found, thanks to its elevated position. The building (presbytery) adjoins the church to a rich past, which goes back as far as the 9th Century. What is now Saint Laurent became a Clunisian priory in 1107, was destroyed in 1428 and was rebuilt in 1446 and 1626, then again in the second half of the 17th Century following a fire.
On one side of the priory there is a more modern building called “The Franciscans”, in memory of the Franciscan convent that used to occupy that space. On the other side of the priory there also used to be a convent of nuns.
The brothers’ main mission is the parish of Saint Laurent, but they also give courses, conferences, offer pilgrimages, preach at retreats and accompany different groups. Sometimes they do these in collaboration with the Apostolic Sisters of Saint John, who are based in Saint-Jean-Le-Blanc, only a few kilometres away. The brothers regularly visit the sisters to celebrate mass, hear confessions, undertake intellectual work together and meet fraternally.
In addition to the sisters, the Family of Saint John also includes many lay oblates from the surrounding area who offer support, both on a material level and an apostolic level, such as welcoming people to the parish.
Published on July 3, 2019
Br Francis of the Child Jesus has published a book in English on the theology found in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The book is called Theological Landscape of Middle Earth: On Theology in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fantasy, and is published by Newman House Press.
Fantasy novels can be a good distraction. But they are not limited to that: fantasy novels can be a good way of raising the questions that spring from the depths of man’s heart, including religious and theological questions. They can also express an attempt at answering those questions in a way that could otherwise not be done, most especially through the use of archetypes and mythological symbolism. This book explores these aspects within the creative world of J.R.R. Tolkien, especially his Lord of the Rings.
Francis of the Child Jesus NEKROŠIUS, C.S.J.
Theological Landscape of Middle Earth: On Theology in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fantasy
Newman House Press, 2019.
160 pages
Published on June 30, 2019
“We work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” 2 Cor. 1:24.
This is the theme the brothers chose to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their presence in the Philippines. They invite you to join them in a prayer of thanksgiving to God, especially on the 20-21 July, 2019.
The Brothers of Saint John founded a priory in Cebu in 1994, at the invitation of His Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who wanted the brothers to witness to their religious life and charism, to help in the formation of future priests at the seminary and to work with young people.
The brothers moved to Banawa, Guadalupe, in Cebu city, where they built their convent. They very quickly started up a number of missions: activities for young people, a programme of study scholarships and ministry to families, always with a priority for the poorest people living in the region. They also started to teach philosophy in a number of seminaries and institutions.
In 1995 the priory was blessed and in 1999 the church was consecrated. In 2008, a noviciate house was opened to serve the vocations coming from the Philippines and other Asiatic countries. The Brothers of Saint John now have ten Filipino brothers, the majority of whom are still in formation.
Some major projects have been started, motivated by a vision of the city in which there is a space for communion beyond the barriers that seperate people; a space in which people can encounter God, where hope brings forth joy and help to those who most have need. Inspired by this vision, the Brothers want to establish a new house for the mission of the Brothers of Saint John in Cebu.
Another anniversary was also recently celebrated in Cebu. Two years ago, on 17 June, 2017, the statue of Our Lady of Mercy was blessed. The brothers offer thanks for the presence of Mary, who is always with them.
Published on June 20, 2019
It has not been the many power cuts that have prevented the brothers in Addis Ababa from keeping up with communications and letting everyone know about all their work and apostolic activity! They coordinate youth ministry, run a School of Life in the Saint John Centre, organise the pastoral care of the francophone community, run a house of formation for professed brothers and are building a church… all of this forms a great deal of mission: the brothers are deeply engaged and very proud of their work.
Watch the presentation below (in French) of their vision for the priory in Addis Ababa.
Published on June 18, 2019
From 8-10 June the Apostolic Sisters and Brothers of Saint John, as well as the Oblates and friends of the Family of Saint John, gathered together at Paray-le-Monial in France to celebrate Pentecost. The theme of the weekend was “The Spirit of truth, who comes from the Father” (Jn 15:26).
Together we shared in the joy of witnessing the many commitments made over the weekend: four sisters and four brothers made their perpetual profession, and three lay people became oblates. Here is the message given by Br François-Xavier, Prior General of the Brothers of Saint John, to the new oblates:
“I would simply like to read an excerpt from Evangelii nuntiandi, the apostolic exhortation given by Pope Paul VI, which you know is a foundational text for the Community. It is an excerpt taken from number 70, which can be found among the many notes that provide a commentary to this beauty phrase taken from our Rule of Life:
“So it is that, whilst seeking a life hidden with Christ in God (27), through Mary (28), they might be, in the world today, witnesses to the love of God for man and witnesses to the truth (29) that surpasses man’s heart, for it is the very Truth of God (30).”
And here is the passage from Evangelii nuntiandi:
“Lay people, whose particular vocation places them in the midst of the world and in charge of the most varied temporal tasks, must for this very reason exercise a very special form of evangelization.
Their primary and immediate task is not to establish and develop the ecclesial community- this is the specific role of the pastors- but to put to use every Christian and evangelical possibility latent but already present and active in the affairs of the world. Their own field of evangelizing activity is the vast and complicated world of politics, society and economics, but also the world of culture, of the sciences and the arts, of international life, of the mass media. It also includes other realities which are open to evangelization, such as human love, the family, the education of children and adolescents, professional work, suffering. The more Gospel-inspired lay people there are engaged in these realities, clearly involved in them, competent to promote them and conscious that they must exercise to the full their Christian powers which are often buried and suffocated, the more these realities will be at the service of the kingdom of God and therefore of salvation in Jesus Christ, without in any way losing or sacrificing their human content but rather pointing to a transcendent dimension which is often disregarded.”
This is the idea I would like you to take to heart: the world awaits your “Christian powers which are often buried and suffocated”. St Paul VI did not live at a time when augmented reality existed, but we could nevertheless say that the first augmented reality is brought about by faith. Faith enables us to discern in the reality that surrounds us “a transcendent dimension which is often disregarded”. But just as one needs a smartphone with an extreme zoom in order to see augmented reality, we too must attend to the most interior aspects of ourselves, the innermost depths of our soul in which resides the hidden presence of God. Before you engage in the world with your “Christian powers which are often buried and suffocated”, you must engage these powers in your own heart. This is the reason you consecrate yourselves to God alongside a religious community. As you engage in this work, we, your brothers and sisters, recognise that we are called to be servants of this work.”
Published on June 6, 2019
Since 2015 the Brothers of Saint John in Kara, Togo, have run a project of formation, of sharing and of seeking the truth in a magnificent setting, with the goal of increasing the trust, communion and profound equilibrium of the person. In cooperation with the Church in Kara and several civil authorities, the project offers a light-filled hope for a creative and profound future, especially to young people. The light they offer is an inner light that guides their formation, whether in their work, their mutual exchanges, their contemplation of nature or their search for truth. Lived in this way, these experiences lead the participants in the project to a renewed trust, to hope and to communion, as well as a deeper cooperation between nature, technology, the human person and God. Concretely speaking, the project involves three main aspects: forming a centre in which entrepreneurs might be nurtured; building a place in which the brothers might live; creating a centre that offers spiritual nourishment in a setting that takes one’s breath away.
Fr Etienne, who started the project, tells us: “Young people here never cease to amaze me! Honestly, after all the years I have spent working in Togo, I have to admit that once again I underestimated the capacity young people have for work, not just in terms of their efforts but also the quality of their work. You can judge for yourselves if you take a look at their building work on the chapel, which began at the end of January, 2019. Many entrepreneurs in our ancient Europe can only dream of having workers like this with such team spirit. I could sum up by simply saying, what joy! As Bernanos said, “The fever of youth is what maintains the rest of the world at a normal temperature.” The youth are one of the great treasures of the African continent, which faces so many challenges, challenges that, rather than provoking fear, should instead be met with numerous initiatives!”
Jacques, Patrick, Ginette and Michèle give their testimony on how they came to Lumen Valley: After leaving Senegal in 2014, we came to Togo for formation with the TypHAS association. Discovering this otherworldly haven of peace was magnificent. It was also a period of intense activity, a time of discovery working with a team of outstanding and very promising young Togolese people. Despite the heat and the fatigue, there was so much enthusiasm, fraternal joy and commitment in this new and demanding professional venture. What we have taken away from the two weeks of formation in which we participated are memories of beautiful, warm and authentic exchanges and the satisfaction of successful communication, thanks to the commitment of everyone taking part, most especially the eleven young people on placement. They have our full confidence in continuing the work we started together. It was a great joy to participate in this ambitious project, which is so full of meaning in a world where meaning is often hard to find.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Fr Etienne’s ordination to the priesthood, the young people of Lomé put on a musical called “Lumen Valley”, and with just three weeks preparation. The musical was written and interpreted by students from the university parish. The theme of the musical was the presentation of Lumen Valley. The Agora Seghor hall was full and there was a hymn about Lumen Valley specially composed for the occasion. Those who would like to hear it can listen on the Youtube channel. The highlight of the festivities was, of course, the celebration of the Eucharist.
The leitmotif for Fr Etienne over the last few months can be summed up in these words: “A new youthfulness is on the horizon in Togo, progressively distancing itself from the old dialectics and bringing in a new era that is presenting its own vision”. Fr Jean-Maximilien added: “The young people surprise us and have so many qualities, and yet one can easily pass them by without noticing them. Why is this? Perhaps because they are a little like rough diamonds, which need work in order to reveal all their beauty and the richness of their hidden potential.” The Brothers of Saint John’s mission in Togo consists in enabling the greatest number of young people to seize the moment, their moment, and therefore their history.
Published on May 22, 2019
As part of their permanent formation, all the brothers from the vicariate of central France (around 45 brothers) came together for two days of reflection on integral ecology in May of this year. The formation they received was prepared by Br Benoît-Charbel with the help of someone who works for the French recycling agency, Cèdre.
A number of presentations were given on the history of integral ecology, including its foundations in the spiritual life (a presentation on this subject was given by a Franciscan) and its economic possibilities (Blue Economy, for example), as well as its concrete implications (the propositions given by Cèdre on this subject).
The brothers visited a bio-farm in Pellevoisin, which showed them that changes can be made in agriculture in a common sense way by choosing a simpler and thriftier lifestyle. So that the brothers did not pollute the planet, they all travelled to the farm by foot across the fields, of course!
The session was an occasion for many of the brothers to gain greater awareness of the integral aspect needed for an ecological approach: “We cannot simply try to separate out our waste for recycling; we must also speak of Creation in our teaching and reflect upon our own habits of personal and community consumption.” For some, the idea of a sort of “ecological conversion” emerged.
Published on May 14, 2019
‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’ Luke 7:14
Brother François-Xavier, Prior General, the Brothers of St John in Monterrey and the families of the brothers are delighted to announce the simple profession of brothers
Gabriel Prieto Prieto and José Luis Hernández Hernández.
They invite you to take part in, or to be united in prayer with, the Mass of profession which will be celebrated on the Solemnity of Pentecost, Sunday 9th June at midday at the San José monastery.
After Mass, you are warmly invited to a meal of thanksgiving.
Convento San José
Brasil 100 col. Rincón de la Sierra, Guadalupe, N.L.
Tel. (81) 8361-2153
info@sanjuanmty.org.mx
www.sanjuanmty.org.mx
Brother Gabriel
Brother José Luis
Published on May 12, 2019
On Friday 10 May, 2019, the first session of the General Chapter of the Brothers of St John drew to a close. Over the course of the Chapter, the brothers elected a new Prior General, in addition to the Master of Studies and the counsel to the Prior General.
Given how important this particular time is for the Community, the Chapter had an especially solemn character. It was marked by deep fraternity, which facilitated constructive and authentic dialogue.
Strong unity emerged regarding the desire to carry out reforms, which will allow the Community to express more fully its charism in the Church, at the service of all.
We recall that the painful realisation of the need for rectification and reform took place in stages, supported and approved by the authorities of the Church. In 2013, the work of reform reached a crucial moment, when the Prior General revealed details of sexual abuse committed by Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe. Among the multiple actions taken following this revelation, an internal Commission was established in 2015 to listen to all testimonies regarding the misconduct of brothers and to determine subsequent courses of action. This Commission has, since 2016, included two lay members: a psychologist and a lawyer.
As a member of the Commission until this year’s Chapter, the newly-elected Prior General, Brother François-Xavier, was profoundly marked by the accounts of the victims he heard, and has taken to heart the observations and recommendations given in the Commission’s report on its proceedings.
The report, completed upon the request of the outgoing Prior General, Brother Thomas, was presented during the General Chapter. It outlines and quantifies the instances of abuse dealt with by the Commission since its creation. As a result of its precision and analysis, the report gives deep insight into the causes of abuse, the impact had on victims and details of steps needed in order to fully implement the planned reforms.
The new Prior-General stated1: ‘This report, prepared for the General Chapter, demonstrates both the devastating evil which has impacted our Community and the sign of our determination to work tirelessly for purification. As newly-elected Prior General, and therefore representative of the Community, I would like to ask forgiveness from all those hurt by our founder or by a brother.’ He went on to affirm: ‘we must clearly acknowledge our founder’s errors. We must acknowledge that the grave confusion in which he lived, conveyed through certain areas of his teaching, led to and/or permitted the abuses which have punctuated his history and that of the Community. I am determined to carry out the work already begun to rectify and purify what is necessary. We must notably continue the efforts of recent years in initial formation for spiritual accompaniment and to make ongoing formation in this area a priority.
During the General Chapter, I remarked that despite the gravity of our exchanges, there remained a deep joy amongst the brothers which was rooted in Christ and in our unity in St John, the model of our charism. This was made evident during the final exchanges of the Chapter. I witnessed the brothers giving of themselves in prayer and in fraternal life. I am therefore aware of the work ahead of us, confident for the future and filled with thanksgiving for the work of the Holy Spirit in our Community.’
The Commission’s report will be sent to every brother and in its final message the General Chapter requested ‘that the government of the Community provides special support to the brothers’ in their reception of this document, to facilitate a greater collective awareness of the situation and Community reform.’ The second session of the General Chapter, to be held from 22 October – 1 November, 2019, is expected to revisit the content of the report in light of several key questions.
Since the Prior General made information about sexual abuse committed by Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe public in 2013, several courses of action have been taken. These have centred around discernment, the brothers’ initial and ongoing formation on issues surrounding affectivity and sexuality, the prevention of pedophilia, spiritual accompaniment, procedures following accusations made against a brother and most notably the creation of a Commission on these matters.
On 18 February, 2019, the Vatican addressed a letter2 to the Prior General, which stated: ‘acknowledging the work undertaken, [the Dicastery] wants to encourage the Brothers and Sisters of St John to continue along this path, humbly and with courage, confidence and determination.’
The Community of the Brothers of St John comprises around 500 brothers (of which 270 are priests) from 34 countries, spread across 50 priories on 5 continents.
1 Available from: Message from the general chapter
2 Download the Letter from Dicastery
Press contact:
Brother Jean-Yves
contact.presse@stjean.com
Frères de Saint-Jean
Notre Dame de Rimont, 3 rue de l’ancien séminaire, 71390 Fley, FRANCE
03 85 98 18 98