“We cannot, in our Institute, priests and lay people, live apart,
the nature of our works makes the action of lay people indispensable everywhere,
it would be to cancel us, to destroy our existence in its bottom
than to undermine this vital condition. »
Letter from Father Le Prevost n°709
The intimate union of the lay Brother and the priest Brother
The same call from the Lord to religious consecration and total gift brings together in our Congregation Brothers and Fathers who together form one and the same family. This is a clerical institute of pontifical right. It is truly God who willed this intimate union of the two elements in order to fuse in works of charity and zeal the action of the consecrated laity and the grace of the priestly ministry. Thus, with us, the Brothers, ministers of charity, and the priests, ordained ministers, in the most cordial cooperation lend each other reciprocal support, some preparing and supporting works, others giving them spiritual strength. and consumption.
The Brothers Ministers of Charity
The Lay Brothers remind everyone that it is worth “losing everything to gain Christ”, the first service to be rendered to the Church is to form Jesus Christ in us, in order to show him to others in our works. It is primarily through this witness to their consecrated life that the Brothers work, with the Fathers, for the sanctification of men, their only end being to bring them to God. By devoting themselves to the human formation of those entrusted to them, they make possible, prepare and facilitate the action of the priest. In addition, messengers of truth and educators of the faith, they announce the Lord Jesus in many ways, especially by word, both to unbelievers to help them journey towards faith, and to the faithful to instruct them, strengthen them. and inspire them to a more fervent life.
The Ordained Minister Fathers
Ministers of the Word and the sacraments, they pursue on earth, with the simplicity so much recommended by Saint Vincent de Paul, the work of Christ, and devote themselves without reserve to teaching, guiding and sanctifying those whom with the Brothers they have strived to bring to God. In the charity and humility of the Lord Jesus, they consecrate themselves to the good of those whom they have accepted as brothers and friends in religious life and of whom they must be the light and support. The Fathers thus help the Brothers to live the riches of their baptismal and religious consecration.
In the same common life
In the same common life, without distinction or privilege for anyone, Brothers and Fathers tend to have only one heart and one soul. The union of hearts is among us the compensation for labors and sacrifices; it brought to the men of our time the first testimony requested by Jesus from his Father in his priestly prayer.
