A vocation is an invitation from God to live one’s life in a certain manner. Through the sacrament of Confirmation, we receive Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of Counsel. This gift helps you find the best way you can serve God, given your particular gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses.
The vocation of Marist Brotherhood is to “Make Jesus known and loved". It involves adopting a practical community lifestyle that that looks to Mary as a model. The Marist mission centers around the Christian education of youth with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of those that are least favored.
There are a variety of ways to discover your vocation. In general, discerning a vocation involves prayer and reflection on how God has spoken to you through your experiences and the people in your life. If you are interested in exploring whether you might have the vocation to be a Marist Brother, we encourage you to take the time to get to know us and consider what God is asking of you.
Our current Vocation Minister, Br. Brian Poulin, is here to help you become better acquainted with the Marist Brothers and discover whether you too may have this call!
If you are interested in an initial conversation or a ‘Come & See’ experience, please fill out this form and he will be in touch with you soon!
Although there are many laypeople as well as Marist Brothers who share in the Marist spirit, life, and mission, our Constitutions express with particular beauty what being Marist means for us Brothers:
One does not simply decide to become a Marist Brother. Determining whether this may indeed be a life-giving option for you requires taking opportunities to get to know us and for us to get to know you. Whether you’re ready for serious discernment or simply curious to learn more, these are some of the learning opportunities that may be suitable for you.
E-mail [email protected] or fill out this form to get started with your inquiry.
Eligibility
You are welcome to discern with the Marist Brothers if you wish to know and serve God through heartfelt service to others and desire to deepen your prayer life. You must also possess the necessary social skills as well as sufficient mental, physical, and emotional health to both contribute to and benefit from our life of service and community. Those wishing to discern with us should also be practicing Catholics or be preparing to enter the Catholic faith, already possess or be open to earning a Catholic degree, and be between the ages of 18 and 45.
Discernment & Application
Normally it takes at least several months and several in-person encounters before we can determine whether to offer somebody application to initial formation. Throughout this time, discerners should be meeting with a certified spiritual director other than the Marist vocation minister. The application process itself has many components, including criminal background checks and a psychological evaluation.
Aspirancy and Postulancy
Most of those who enter initial formation with the Marist Brothers begin their community life with us as postulants. Postulants deepen their prayer life and their community living skills, while also engaging in part-time ministry. This stage normally lasts for a period of six months. Some men may be invited to live with us as aspirants prior to becoming postulants. A typical aspirant is somebody who requires closer contact with the Marist Brothers as part of his discernment—while living with us, he continues to work or study instead of engaging full-time in our formation program. Nonetheless, his experience helps him determine whether he feels called to proceed to postulancy. Both aspirants and postulants are free to leave at any point in time if they discover this is not the life meant for them.
Novitiate
The novice continues to discern his vocation to the Marist Brothers through studying the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as well as the life of our founder, St. Marcellin Champagnat. The novitiate also includes programs with novices from other local religious orders, as well as at least one international experience with Marist novices from other parts of the world. At the end of 18-month novitiate, the novice may apply to take temporary vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience for a period of one year. Marist novices are presently receiving formation in ten different Marist novitiates around the world.
Temporary Profession
The time of temporary profession is 4-6 years. Temporarily professed Brothers live in a Marist Brothers’ community while serving in full-time ministry. As they only commit to one year at a time, they take advantage of this opportunity to determine -- along with the other brothers -- whether or not they are called to make a lifelong commitment to life as a Marist Brother.
Whether or not you yourself are considering a vocation to the Marist Brothers, we ask you to join us as we pray for vocations.
Lord, you have called us in your love. You have told us I will never forget you, my people because I have carved you on the palms of my hands. While we ask you to call new Marist Brothers into your service with us, we also ask you to preserve us whom you have already called so that we may faithfully live out our Marist call today. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ and with Mary, our Mother. Amen.
