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Frères de Saint-Jean Province de France
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The Family of Saint John

Famille saint-Jean

The Brothers of Saint John

In the early 1970s, a group of young French men who were following classes taught by Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P. at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland felt called to give themselves to God and were seeking a way in which they could respond to His call. They began to live together in community in Fribourg. In 1978, the Vatican (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life) authorized the Community of Saint John to be attached to the Abbey of Lérins. In 1982, when Fr Philippe had reached retirement age and completed his term as Professor at the University of Fribourg, the Brothers (around fifteen in number) left Switzerland and moved to Rimont in France, in the diocese of Autun. The mother house of the community is still located there today.

The First Oblates of Saint John

Laypeople and diocesan priests began to express a desire to be able to live by the spirituality of the Community whilst remaining in their current state of life. In September 1981, the first of these became ‘Oblates of Saint John’.

Beginnings of the Contemplative Sisters

Once the community of brothers had emerged and started to take shape, some female students asked Fr M.-D. Philippe whether a branch for women could be founded. After some initial hesitation, he gave his consent in 1982 for several young women to live together in Rimont, under the guidance of Alix Parmentier (+ 2016). These sisters later moved to Saint-Jodard (in the diocese of Lyon) where a noviciate had recently been opened for the brothers.

In September 1983, the fledgling community of sisters decided to follow a life that was purely contemplative.

Beginnings of the branch of Apostolic Sisters

Some time later, several sisters expressed the desire to consecrate themselves to the Lord through an apostolic life. The branch of the Apostolic Sisters of Saint John was founded on 8 September 1984, at Rimont, next to the brothers’ house of theological formation. In 1992, the Apostolic Sisters established their mother house in Semur-en-Brionnais, in the diocese of Autun.

Both communities of sisters experienced significant growth and began to found other priories in France and abroad.

On 25 January 1987, the Community of Contemplative Sisters was recognised by Cardinal Albert Decourtray, Archbishop of Lyon, as a Public Association of the Faithful, with a view to becoming a Religious Institute. On 25 March 1994, the community of sisters was established as an Institute of Diocesan Right.

The Apostolic Sisters were first recognised by Monsignor Armand le Bourgeois, Bishop of Autun, on 11 February 1987, then established as an Institute of Diocesan Right by Monsignor Raymond Séguy on 7 October 1993.

A split in the Contemplative Sisters

In 2009, the ecclesial authority for the Contemplative Sisters, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, decided upon a change of authorities in the Community following his observation of dysfunction in their government. The Community of Contemplative Sisters subsequently split into two groups: those who accepted the decisions and those who rejected them. The latter group left the Community of Contemplative Sisters of Saint John and the Family of Saint John in 2014 to found a new community in Spain called Maria Stella Matutina.

Delve a little deeper

How are the different religious communities in the Family of Saint John linked?

Even though all three religious communities are united in one family – the Family of Saint John – each community has its own government, history and way of life. They are distinct from one another both juridically and financially.

The brothers and sisters work together on some of their missions: youth camps, parish work and family weeks, among others. Together they run some of the bigger events such as youth festivals and festivals for families. Although they usually have distinct offices, they have the same breviary. Three times a year the Council of the Family of St John brings together the three Priors General and those responsible for studies in each of the congregations.

The Contemplative Sisters today

The 62 sisters that currently make up the community of the Contemplative Sisters of Saint John have made the choice to cooperate with the Church authorities and to put in place the reforms asked of them during the crisis their community went through from 2009-2014.

Since this difficult time, the sisters have engaged in a process of reconstruction (cf. history of the Family of Saint John). To support this important and necessary process, they have for a number of years sought the help of people from outside the community, in particular female and male religious from other congregations.

What is an oblate?

Oblates are laypeople who desire to live their baptismal vocation in the footsteps of Saint John and who feel called to live the same charism of the Brothers and Sisters in the world by committing to secular oblature.

Oblates make a commitment to pray, to listen to the Word of God and to engage in fraternal charity. They offer an apostolic witness in the context of their respective families, parishes, and social and political responsibilities.

How do I become an oblate?

Whether married or single, young or old, anyone who wants to live by the spirituality of the Family of Saint John is able to become an oblate.

Oblates live out and bear witness to their baptism in the manner of St John, whilst living in the world. Before becoming an oblate, a candidate undergoes a period of preparation lasting from one to three years. This allows them to discern their aspirations and to deepen their understanding of the charism of the Family of Saint John. In order to achieve this, the candidate lives according to the rule of the oblates, participates in oblate meetings in their respective priory and follows at least two retreats preached by the Brothers or Sisters. Preparation for oblature is carried out under the supervision of the prior of the candidate’s nearest priory. At the end of the period of preparation, the decision belongs to the prior, following consultation with the members of the priory, as to whether the person can become an oblate. If you would like more information, please contact your nearest priory. If you are interested in becoming an oblate, please contact the prior or prioress of your nearest priory. You can then get more information and discern whether this path is for you.