JOIN THE COMMUNITY
VOCATIONS
Could God be calling you to walk in the footsteps of Saint John with our community?
If you are a man discerning your vocation and wish to learn more about the Community of Saint John, and perhaps to arrange a visit, we encourage you to contact our Vocational Director:
Br Johannes Pio
- 309-213-1233
- frjohannespio@stjean.com
FORMATION
The Brothers of Saint John live their time of formation as an integral element of their consecration.
In her prudence, the Church asks that religious formation be made in stages. This journey begins when a young man comes ‘knocking at the door’ of a priory. After this first encounter, a person may ask to continue his discernment with a visit of a few days to a week. This gives him the time to observe the life of the Community.
Stages of Discernment and Formation
- Visit/Observation The Community of Saint John invites you to “come and see” Visit one of our priories and learn about the Community to get a first- hand experience of the Brothers’ life.
- Postulancy (3-12 months), usually done in an Apostolic Priory of the Community.
- Novitiate (18-24 months), made in one of the five Novitiates of the Community according to the brother’s culture and native language (in the USA, France, Cameroon, the Philippines and Mexico).
- Temporary Profession (for at least 4 years). Temporary Profession is the first profession of religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
- Perpetual Vows: A brother consecrates his entire person through the profession of religious vows to Jesus until death.
- Priesthood: Among the final professed Brothers, many but not all are called to receive the Holy Orders.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The heart of our vocation is our consecration to the Lord through religious profession in the footsteps of St John. The priesthood, which the majority of brothers receive, is therefore received within that consecration. A brother who is also a priest seeks, like St John, to be a friend and apostle of the Lord at the service of the Church.
If a brother in formation discerns a call to the priesthood, and if he meets the required conditions, then he will be ordained a priest for the service of God and his Church. A brother who is not a priest is nevertheless fully a brother through his religious profession. He has a ‘voice in chapter’ just like the others and participates in the apostolic mission of the community.
Read more on: https://brothers-saint-john.org/becoming-brother/brothers-priests/
We are an apostolic community of monastic inspiration, which means that we are not a hermit community, as we develop our activities in fraternity.
We have elements of monastic life such as
- wearing the habit at all times
- reception of a religious name
- recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours with monastic chanting
- appreciation of contemplative silence
- keeping our bond with God in a unique way by living in cells (personal rooms), etc.
as well as fraternal activities:
- prayer, study and apostolate in community.
Following the example of St. John and asking him to be our father, we seek intimacy with Jesus. We want to discover the secrets of his heart.
They are the means given to us by the Church to consecrate ourselves to the Holy Trinity through Mary. The vows are to offer ourselves to God and to serve his people.
As brothers we proclaim Christ to people. This apostolate arises from the moments of prayer that sustain the apostolic life: we are sent, but we are always with Him. The apostolates are very varied according to the needs of the local churches, always with an emphasis on faith formation: campus ministry, youth and family groups, summer camps, philosophy and theology courses, etc.
We have a personal and intimate bond with the heart of Jesus that is lived in silent prayer, adoration, the Eucharist, liturgical offices close to the Virgin Mary.
Fraternity gives us strength to face challenges together. John in his 1st Letter assures us that whoever loves God, must also love his brother (1Jn 4:21).
Today’s world, secularised and disorientated, poses complicated challenges. We need to deepen our study of philosophy and theology in order to propose optimal and clear answers that will help people in their search for truth and their relationship with God.
Minimum 18 years and preferably before the age of 35.
It would be necessary for us to ask your formator for a letter of recommendation. Contact a brother and discuss your concerns with him.
No. But within our religious family, there are two women’s congregations: the Contemplative Sisters of Saint John and the Apostolic Sisters of Saint John who live a life very similar to ours.
CONTACT US
If you have any vocational concerns or any other questions about the Vocational Process or the Community, please write to the Vocation Director:
Br Johannes Pio
- 309-213-1233
- frjohannespio@stjean.com
