Because of You, our Mission and our Life are Possible!

MAKING ENDS MEET IN THE EARLY YEARS 

It’s probably safe to say most Christians know the occupation of Jesus’ first apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John. They were fishermen who would accept Jesus’ invitation to become “fishers of men.”
 
But did you know several of the first Brothers ran their own businesses and maintained day jobs to help fund our early community’s mission and life even after professing their vows?

Fr. Paul, then Br. Paul, was a first-year law student in 1980 when he became one of the founding members of the Brotherhood. Br. Stephen, another founding member, worked as a civil engineer at that time. 

They were later joined by Br. Rahl (below) who ran Bunsa Painters and Br. Jude (right) who operated a landscaping company, both in New Jersey.

Much like what happened in the early Christian community, these and other working Brothers pooled their earnings to help pay expenses to start and maintain our newfound mission and life.

One such expense for us was buying a house.

“In 1980, we were renting a single-family home in Newark,” said Fr. Paul. “We wanted to put down roots and buy a house. A benefactor gave us a $25,000 interest￾free loan. The Brothers had saved $5,000. We bought the house in 1981 for $60,000, with a mortgage of $30,000 at an interest rate of 17 ½ percent!”

The home purchase proved to be a stepping stone for things to come. The Brothers lived in the house for 14 years, which was located across the street from Seton Hall University. It was during this time that Br. Joe established a campus ministry at Seton Hall, our first campus outreach.

While the Brothers’ income from secular occupations was beneficial, it was clear how instrumental donor support was to us in those early years.

Once, the Brothers were $50,000 short of income because of an accounting error. During Lord’s Day, Br. Sam had a Prophetic Word that a $50,000 check “is in the mail.” The Brothers soon received a $50,000 donation check in the mail that covered the shortfall in our income.

Meanwhile, Fr. Paul had begun his career as an attorney after being admitted to the bar in New Jersey in 1982.

“I worked for a civil defense firm in 1983, before moving to a small general practice firm run by two Catholic men, one of whom is now a deacon,” said Fr. Paul. “Around this time, the Brothers invited Fr. Bob and I to discern becoming priests, which we decided to do.”

The two Brothers went to Rome and studied Theology from 1989 to 1992. When Fr. Paul returned to the U.S., the small law firm rehired him. The two men were ordained in 2000 after the Brothers had become officially recognized as a religious community by the Archdiocese of Boston following our move from Newark in 1998.

Gradually, Brothers left their secular jobs to dedicate themselves full-time to our mission and life as we received more and more generous support from donors.

The last Brother to stop working his “day job” was Fr. Paul.

“After returning from Rome I was rehired by the small law firm and worked as a lawyer until 1995,” said Fr. Paul. “I shifted from working full-time to part-time before stopping altogether. The generosity of our many friends over the years made it possible for me and all the Brothers to dedicate our lives full-time to our mission, and for this we are eternally grateful.” 

MY LIFE AS A BROTHER WOULDN’T EXIST WITHOUT OUR SUPPORTERS 

Br. Joseph is unequivocal about the role our supporters have in our mission and life.

“I’m convinced and convicted that our supporters are a real and integral part of our mission and way of life,” said Br. Joseph. “I wouldn’t be a Brother without our supporters. My life as a Brother wouldn’t exist without them.”

Br. Joseph remembers feeling lost and distant from the Lord during his freshman year at Ohio State University. God finally broke into his life because someone invited him to deepen his faith. 

Now he’s the one offering invitations to students searching for meaning in their life. 

“Every day, I walk by thousands of students who are just like I was as a freshman,” said Br. Joseph, who is a campus minister at Northeastern University and neighboring campuses in Boston, Massachusetts. “They are lost, lonely, longing for a place to belong and for something more. God broke into my life in a profoundly life-altering way because someone invited me. How could I not invite these students to that same life-changing encounter with His Love?”

Br. Joseph met the Brothers at Ohio State University and became an Associate. After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering, he worked as an engineer for a year before joining Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO) and serving at Rutgers. It was here that he continued and deepened his connection with the Brothers. 

After professing his first temporary vows in September 2021, Br. Joseph joined our campus ministry in Boston. 

“We have deep, long-term relationships with many supporters,” said Br. Joseph. “I enjoy sharing the work we’re able to do with students because of their support.”

And even when Brothers aren’t in touch with our supporters, Br. Joseph notes you are on our minds.

“During Evening Prayer the Brothers pray for our supporters by name, including for their personal intentions,” he said. “The grace God pours out on the Brothers for our evangelization is also available to our supporters because they make our mission possible.

“God was fighting for me, and He is fighting for the students I walk by every day,” said Br. Joseph. “It’s the Lord who brings the conversion. He simply asks us to be faithful.”

Continue the mission