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.