No Brother Provincials by Paul Bredestege

Thanks for the article about the Vatican nixing the possibility of vowed brothers being named superiors of a mixed congregation.

It's a good reminder that we brothers are inferior to the ordained class. Regardless of how educated we are, our life experiences, or leadership abilities, the elevated Princes of the Church enjoy the riches of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit more than we.

Let's face it: we brothers are given just enough understanding, wisdom, counsel, knowledge, etc. to teach, operate schools, take on minor administrative duties, and so on, but not to share in the supreme charisma granted to the ordained and to the Vatican bureaus. How dare we think otherwise?

Even though the ordained in our mixed congregations support, love, and obey brothers as provincials, these priests have obviously been led astray by democratically-infected values or are suffering from some form Modernism.

They and we should be grateful that the chosen Princes of Rome rarely make mistakes, being so close as they are to the very source of Infallibility. But should a mistake be made [note the familiar passive voice], apologies from the H.R.C. Church can wait a few centuries, as in the case of Galileo, etc. Who can be hurt by a little delay?

Let's thank God we are not sisters! The dribble of the Gifts they receive is so low that the Vatican is initiating a secretive, Holy Spirit led investigation as to their usefulness, competence and their obedience to the men of Rome.

But we should not complain. Brothers and Sisters can all take solace in the fact that our lowly status in the Church is based on Gospel truths and Jesus' teachings. How? some may ask. The very fact that we have to ask is strong evidence that we lack the leadership skills to chose our own religious superiors.

Let us pray that enlightenment will come if and when a Vatican authored "official report" on this topic is published and waved under our noses as the Official Church - Holy Spirit-inspired teaching.

Paul B.

Reflections on the Common Bond weekend

Reflections on the 2009 Common Bond meeting

Several hundred former members of the Society of Mary met at the University of Dayton recently for a weekend of remembrance, reflection and ritual. All seemed to agree that it was a great success and there was general concurrence that Common Bonders and members of the Society of Mary have much in common.

What can religious life learn from the fact that hundreds of highly trained, talented and gifted individuals started on the path to perpetual membership and, having determined that it was not the right path for them, were separated from the Great Project, the Society of Mary?

A good education has allowed these men to make outstanding contributions to church and society not only through their own efforts but also through the outstanding families they have produced.

Many members of Common Bond indicate that their initial formation in the postulate, novitiate and as vowed members has had a profound influence on their lives. They consider those years as a strong foundation for what they have been able to achieve in life. Many still pursue our common mission.

Unfortunately the Society of Mary has moved on without their participation even though it invested significant resources in their formation. How can this not be considered a great loss for the mission of the Society? In the past we had sufficient numbers joining which did not require us to reflect on the consequence of the great loss we had experienced.

Speculation about what could have been accomplished had these men continued membership or at least had continued an official relationship may not be a fruitful exercise, but speculation about what could be with a new and creative relationship between the Society and Common Bond members may be appropriate as we continue to strategize how we can continue our mission with ever decreasing numbers of perpetually professed.

The future of religious life, and in particular the Society of Mary in its present form, is in jeopardy. A continuing future may be related to the need to change the idea that making perpetual vows is the basic requirement for membership.