The Changing Role of the Brother Vocation
Bro. Dennis Newton, SVD, originally from Waterloo, Iowa, entered the high school seminary run by the Divine Word Missionaries in East Troy, Wisconsin, in 1966. After high school, and graduation from Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa in 1974, Bro. Dennis worked two years in Japan. He entered the novitiate and professed first vows in 1977. He worked at the Holy Rosary Institute in Lafayette, Louisiana, for six years before professing perpetual vows as a Divine Word Missionary. Bro. Dennis served for five years as Treasurer for St. Augustine Seminary in Mississippi and eleven years at Divine Word College in Iowa as Business Manager and National Vocation Director. He is currently Director of the Mission Office at the SVD Motherhouse in Techny, Illinois.
When our founder, St. Arnold Janssen, died in 1909, Brothers outnumbered priests in the community by nearly two to one. Today, Brothers are a small minority, comprising about fifteen percent of members in perpetual vows.
Those who studied the life of St. Arnold during the process of canonization commended him for establishing a progressive formation program for Brothers. Brothers who worked at the printing press in Steyl and those who worked in the missions overseas were well-trained craftsmen. The founder encouraged Brothers to learn the latest innovations in their trades, especially in the press.
The years after the Second Vatican Council brought many changes to our community and in the lives of Brothers. Everyone would agree that the changes improved the lives of Brothers by creating greater opportunities for education and allowing nearly full participation of Brothers in the life and government of our community.
Just as in the time of St. Arnold, Divine Word Missionary Brothers and priests profess the same vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A Brother takes the gifts that God has given to him, develops them through education or training, and offers those gifts back to God through service wherever he is sent. Brothers are often involved in education, medicine, social work, religious education, or one of the skilled trades.
Despite the progress in the areas of education and integration into the life of the community, the number of candidates choosing Brotherhood has steadily declined. Throughout the world today, there are only ninety-seven young Brothers in temporary vows. One of the few bright spots is Indonesia, where over forty percent of all Brothers in temporary vows reside.
In the Spring 2010 issue of
Divine Word Missionaries Magazine dedicated to the Brothers’ vocation, Brother Bela Lanyi, SVD, reported on last year’s international assembly of Divine Word Missionaries which was held in Cebu City, Philippines. The focus of the assembly was the Brothers’ vocation. There were two articles by young Indonesian Brothers who are working in the Philippines. Brother Hubert Guru, SVD and Brother Yosep Undung, SVD have earned post-graduate degrees and are fine examples for other young Brothers.
The issue also featured the pioneering work of Brother Paul Bongcaras, SVD, in the Philippines. Bro. Paul was engaged in frontier missionary work when that was a rarity for Brothers. Sister Elizabeth Newman, SSND, wrote about Brother Tarcisius de Ruyter, SVD who comes from a long line of shoemakers. He transformed those skills to become an expert in designing and creating prosthetic devices for kids in Ghana, Africa. Finally, Father Phil Gibbs, SVD, describes the work of Brother Martin Tnines, SVD, a grassroots anthropologist in Papua New Guinea.
It was difficult to choose articles for the edition on the Brothers’ vocation. There are so many stories to tell. I would like to have featured some of the Brothers who influenced my own vocation, including Brother Gary (Bruno) Burr or Brother Jim Fisher, but space did not permit it.
It would have been nice to introduce you to many other Brothers who are doing incredible things today, including Brother Damien Lunders, SVD and Brother Ron Fratzke, SVD in Thailand and Brother Bernie Spitzley, SVD in Jamaica. As a graphic artist, Brother Dan Holman, SVD helps to turn black and white text into a colorful magazine (Divine Word Missionaries Magazine). His many gifts and high energy keep him busier than an ant farm. Well, you get the idea, so many Brothers, so little space.