The General Chapter in Bologna of 1998
In 1998, the General Chapter of Dominican convened in Bologna, Italy. One of the topics on the agenda was the cooperator brotherhood. It’s worth taking a look at what the chapter said to get a sense of the Order’s attitude toward this unique vocation.
Like in my own essay, the Chapter highlighted the outstanding achievements that some of the brothers have wrought for the Order. They list, Bl. James of Ulm, St. Juan Macias (depicted in the picture to the left), and, of course, the great St. Martin de Porres. If we only had these three names, we would have a good foundation for the different models of cooperator brotherhood (but more on this later).
The chapter goes on to say, "In the priories themselves, the brothers have been at the heart of the community, manifesting a spirit of deep prayer and fidelity to their religious life as well as offering countless services to all the brethren. Because it is the whole community which preaches, we cannot neglect this vocation within our Order without weakening our mission and community life." This statement gives a clear indication that despite what some may think, the cooperator brotherhood is a vital part of the Dominican family, enriching the community of friars, and advancing the mission of the Order.
The chapter is practical in its hopes about the cooperator brotherhood, as well, saying: "Because the Order, by reason of its mission, will always have a greater number of priests, the brother is a witness that we are first of all religious and that what binds us together is not our ordination, but our religious profession. Thus the brother is at the very core of our fraternity and is a constant reminder that even the ordained members of the Order exercise their ministry as Dominican religious brothers." This statement is important for a few reasons. One, it would be a very different model, if we had, as some other religious orders have, separate provinces and houses for the priests and brothers. This alternative model has intrigued me in the past, and I wondered if such an arrangement would help the brothers achieve a sense of independent purpose. But in those thoughts lie the problem. For Dominicans, the priests are supposed to be brothers first, to seperate the friars would not make sense–and, the cooperator brother identity is linked necessarily to the preaching mission of the Order, so a sense of independent purpose perhaps would not be helpful.
The chapter does look at this question of cooperator brother identity, saying: "One model of the role of cooperator brothers is that they do the manual and domestic labour in our houses, sharing directly in the common life while participating only indirectly in the preaching mission of the Order." This model was an important one for many of the holy lay brothers who joined the Order in years past. It was extremely helpful, during the early years of foundation (as when Brother Oderic of Normandy joined Bl. Father Mannes de Guzman in founding the priory in Paris), and in the founding of the first American Dominican province in Kentucky (my home state.) However, this isn’t the only model of cooperator brotherhood. "
Another model, is that some brothers, through their particular skills and talents, including academic and professional credentials and expertise, contribute directly to the preaching mission of the Order." This model is found throughout the history of the Order in the lives of the artists, architects, painters, and other skilled workers who found their vocation in the cooperator brotherhood. The final line of this paragraph reads, "We believe there is room for both models in the Order." I highlight this, because I think there is a temptation to emphasis the professional brother over the domestic brother. True, we just do not have the large communities that we used to that would require in-house workers, but that does not mean that there aren't new ways that this particular model could be lived today. Wanting the priories to be home only to theologians does not guarantee an atmosphere of holiness. In such cases, a few sage words from the stereotypical "humble" brother could do much to call the friars back to right observance.
Knowing that there are two models, friars who are concerned about vocations should be mindful of the various men who could find their place in the Order as cooperator brothers. Men who know that they are not called to be priests, may not know that the cooperator brotherhood offers them a chance to be religious, faithfully serving the Church they love, living in community with their cleric brothers. It is the work of every friar to present both options for the good of the Order.
After all, "Today, the brothers can engage in the direct and explicit preaching mission of the Order which at one time was reserved for the ordained friars. The entire range of apostolic work available to the ordained friars is also available to the non-ordained except that which directly and explicitly requires the Sacrament of Orders."
This statement is important for me, personally, because I, even as a cooperator brother, feel passionately called to preach the Gospel. How I will do so is not so clear, but that I will do so is without question. Our Lord himself preached in the synagogue and at the Temple in Jerusalem, but he also preached wherever the people were who needed his message: at the sea, on the hill side, along the road. This model of preaching is one for all of us to embrace.
Please pray for me for vocations to every branch of our Holy Dominican Order: priests, cooperator brothers, nuns, sisters, laity, and associates.
