(ENS - Rome) - "In a religious congregations like ours sometimes a priest or priesthood tend to take priority over consecration, and that is where the Religious Brother has a vital role," said Fr Ivo Coelho, Councillor General for Formation of the Salesians, commenting on the recent publication of the document "Identity and mission of the Religious Brother in the Church". The Document was published on Monday 14 December by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CIVCSVA) on the occasion of Year of Consecrated Life.

by Andrés Felipe Loaiza, SDB

Right from the introduction the document emphasizes the lay character that consecrated life has always had from its very first centuries, and the role that men and women have had in proclaiming the Gospel. In it we see how, for the religious who lives this vocation, being a Brother is something that "is significant in the ecclesial community in which it is the prophetic memorial of Jesus our Brother."

Fr Coelho said that the text of CIVCSVA "will serve to give visibility to the Brother in the Church as an icon of fraternity to the world" adding that it will also allow further reflection on the identity and mission of religious in the Church also as regards priests (whether they are religious or not).

On the other hand, the document highlights the fundamental elements of consecrated life, including the vows of religious consecration, and it clarifies that profession becomes a ''single consecration which is expressed in the different vows." (18).

The third and final part of the CIVCSVA document is entitled "Being Brothers today: a story of Grace", and focuses on issues such as: what it means to be a Brother today? Who is my brother now? And for whom and to whom do we become brothers? These questions highlight the role and character of brotherhood and fraternity, and the importance of being prophets in our time.

Published 16/12/2015