Brother Bela Lanyi SVD
Brother Bela Lanyi SVD, is from Budapest, Hungary. Before entering the Divine Word Missionaries in 1987, Bro. Bela earned a graduate degree in architecture. He subsequently earned a Master of Divinity degree in Austria. Bro. Bela applied his architectural skills to missionary work in Belarus, where he supervised construction projects of four Catholic dioceses. He is currently on the faculty of the University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines, where he serves in the department of architecture.
One Body, Many Members:
A General Assembly on the Brother’s Vocation
Bro. Bela Lanyi, SVD
Many young people who are committed to their profession also feel a desire for consecrated life. Pastors and other trusted advisors often advise them to consider the priesthood. They might feel, however, that the time and energy they have put into their professional training might be lost. Perhaps they should consider the vocation of a religious, missionary Brother.
Most Catholics have probably met religious Brothers, but despite this fact, they do not know much about his vocation. Many people do not understand why someone does not seek ordination when he has already chosen a “church job” and he will remain without a wife and children. It happens so often that visitors to a religious house assume they are talking to a “Father.” They are often surprised to discover they were talking with a Brother.
God calls some men to follow the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but without priestly work. Instead of sacramental service, the Lord of Vocations requests that he consecrate his life through other commitments.
Today, the Brothers’ vocation is not well known or is just surviving in the shadow of the priestly vocation. However, it has not always been so. Among the monks of the first Christian centuries, only a few were priests. The religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience have never been required for ordination, the sacramental service. Church law states, “In itself, the state of consecrated life is neither clerical nor lay.” (c. 588.1)
With fewer vocations to the Brotherhood and declining numbers of the older generation of Brothers, Divine Word Missionaries considered it important to discuss the Brothers’ vocation in a general assembly, which was held last summer on the island of Cebu in the Philippines.
Thirty-seven Divine Word Missionaries (twelve priests and twenty-five Brothers) were asked to look for ways to give the Brothers’ vocation a new face. The importance of the assembly was underlined by the presence of our superior general, Father Antonio Pernia SVD, and his closest assistants. I served as secretary of the assembly.
In the beginning, we thought that the dwindling number of missionary Brothers would be the most important topic. Although Divine Word Missionaries continues to grow, the number of Brothers in the community is declining and this is a concern to all of us. Still, we learned to celebrate this vocation as a precious gift from God in an optimistic atmosphere. Much has improved since the previous assembly in 1994. We looked around at the Brothers in Cebu and saw university professors, finance experts, and social workers. All are highly trained and appreciated members of the community.
Our dialogue focused on four main themes: spirituality, community, religious leadership, and formation. The words of the Scriptures, “One body, many members” (1 Cor. 12:12), characterized the spirit of the assembly. We became conscious that our religious communities, homes for both Brothers and priests, are unique signs of both unity and variety in the Church.
When the assembly turned to the religious formation of the Brothers, we acknowledged that just like individuals in secular professions, Brothers must also be well trained. Developing countries particularly need well-trained Brothers in a number of professions: teachers, finance officers, social workers, and craftsmen. We noted that in some developing countries, the Brothers’ training is more rigorous than in Western countries. In my home country of Hungary, a skilled tradesman who enters formation may take religious vows one year after he begins to live in the religious house, whereas, here in Cebu, it takes at least three years. Moreover, the Filipino provinces accept only candidates who are university graduates or are ready to study for a university diploma.
As this second assembly on the Brothers’ vocation came to a close, we called on all Divine Word Missionaries, Brothers and clerics alike, to help carry out its reflections and recommendations so that we may respond with a reinvigorated image of Brotherhood as we fulfill our religious mission.