It is with Joy that the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary announces the ordination of Br. Scottston Brentwood, O. de M. to the Sacred Diaconate. This solemn liturgy will take place on Saturday, December 10th at the Shrine of Our Lady of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. (http://www.bonaria.eu/public/index.php)
Br Scott and his mom at the Solemn Vows.
Br Scott has been in formation with the Order since August 2004. Over the years, Br Scott has gone through the normal formation program of a 9 month postulancy, a canonical year of novitiate, and several years in Simple Vows. He completed a Masters of Divinity and Masters in Moral Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary just outside of Philadelphia, PA. After completion of his seminary program, Br Scott was asked by his superiors to move to Rome and prepare for further studies. During his first year in Rome, brother worked hard to master the Italian language. He took courses and practiced each day with the Italian friars.
In the fall of 2010, Br Scott began his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University pursuing a Licentiate in Canon Law. This program is academically challenging and takes three years to complete. However, Br Scott has done very well in his studies and continues to become more fluent in Italian.
On June 29th 2011, Br Scott and Br. James Chia, O. de M. made their Solemn Vows in the Order at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Philadelphia, PA. This was a joyous event for the brothers as they consecrated themselves to God and the Order through the vows of Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and the 4th Vow of Redemption.
The next step in Br. Scott’s journey is ordination to the Sacred Diaconate. Brother was recently approved by the provincial council to be ordained a Transitional Deacon. The Sacred Diaconate is a ministry of service, and the lowest rank of holy orders, below the priesthood and the episcopate. The deacon is ordained into the service of Christ by the Sacrament of Holy Orders administered by a bishop. He receives an indelible mark on his soul to enable him to function as Christ who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mt 20:28)”. The Second Vatican Council lists the deacon’s liturgical and pastoral functions: “to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services” (LG 29). In all these ways, Br Scott will prepare himself to one day be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Christ.
Join us in praying for Br Scottston as he prepares to receive this beautiful Sacrament. By it he will be more configured to Christ who serves us all.
Fr. Francesco Podda, O. de M., Provincial Secretary, received the vows of Brothers James and Scott. This is the homily he gave during the Mass.
Bros James and Scott in procession.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we celebrate together two men whom the Church has always viewed as her columns: St. Peter and St. Paul. Christ chose both of them, even though in different ways, to follow him and be committed to the duty to continue his mission of preaching the Gospel of salvation and the forgiveness of the sins in his name.
This feast allows us to reflect on the mystery of vocation. Who were these men? Were they special or better than the others? Did Jesus have any human reason for choosing them?
If we read the Gospel we discover that the only reason of their calling is the mysterious and gratuitous will of the Father, who shows his strength through human weakness, as St. Paul will later write of reflecting on his own vocation.
In fact Peter was a simple fisherman, son of a fisherman, generous, impulsive, sometimes overconfident, and at the same time fearful until disowning Christ. But he was also humble, conscious of his sin and capable to weep bitterly for having betrayed his Lord.
Paul was a scribe lover and slave of the law, who was present at the martyrdom of St. Steven, the first martyr of the Church. He was going to Damascus to seek and kill the Christians when Jesus called Paul in a mysterious way, made him an apostle and sent him to announce the Gospel to the gentiles.
Both of them gave their lives for the Gospel and for remained faithful to Jesus. Both of them were martyred in Rome. They were so different and yet united by the same vocation to follow the Lord so closely and worthy to receive the same destiny of their Master Jesus Christ.
This feast is a favorable opportunity to reflect on one’s vocation, most of all because today two other men are going to confirm their wish to follow Christ forever. The profession of solemn vows is the definitive yes that Br. James and Br. Scott give to the divine call they have heard and followed with faith and trust in Jesus.
They are going to proclaim before the Church, represented by this liturgical assembly, their resolute intention to follow Christ as religious and as mercedarians.
What does it mean to be religious and to be mercedarian?
First of all we should remember the source of the vocation. Jesus reminded his disciples that they did not choose him, but He chose them. These brothers are here because they heard the voice of Christ calling them to follow him in this particular way, as religious. Nobody should think that to be a religious or a priest is a simple human project. The vocation to the religious life or to the priesthood is a gift of the Lord, and the one who is called can only accept this gift and answer “yes” as the Virgin Mary did, but nobody can presume to be a religious or a priest if not called by Jesus.
The main purpose of the religious life is to be a sign of the presence of Christ among men and to help them to meet him. In particular the religious life is to make visible the way of life Jesus adopted when he lived as a man in this world.
This is the significance of the vows. They are not the sacrifice of the good things of life, such as getting married, to having and using property or possessions, or realizing personal project.
The religious vows should be a clear sign of the way of life of Christ, who didn’t get married, so to be free to love God and mankind until giving up his life for them. He did not have a place to rest his head, so to remind us of God’s love, who nourishes the birds of the sky and takes care of every creature. He didn’t have any personal project, but his food was to accomplish the will of the Father.
We are religious not to pursue a personal perfection, but to be a sign of the heavenly kingdom for all of God’s people as the Second Vatican Council reminds us: “The profession of the evangelical counsels … appears as a sign which can and ought to attract all the members of the Church to an effective and prompt fulfillment of the duties of their Christian vocation. The people of God have no lasting city here below, but look forward to one that is to come”.
All the religious make the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, but we as mercedarian have also another vow that we call the fourth vow, and I believe it is the first and the most important, because it affects also the particular way by which we live the other vows.
This fourth vow is the vow of redemption that expresses our specific charism. Our father and founder St. Peter Nolasco, inspired by the Virgin Mary of Mercy founded our Order for visiting and freeing those Christians who were in captivity and in the power of the enemies of Jesus Christ, and as in the first Consitutions of the Order, St. Peter Nolasco established that all the brothers of the Order, as sons of true obedience, must always be gladly disposed to give up their lives, if it necessary, as Jesus gave up his life for us.
We the mercedarians still consecrate ourselves to God by this special vow, by virtue of which we promise to give up our lives, as Christ gave his life for us, in order to save those Christians who find themselves in extreme danger of losing their faith by new forms of captivity.
Only if we are free, we may be ready to free our brothers and sisters, at the cost of our life, and the other three vows we profess help us to be always free and ready to give up our life.
This is what Br. James and Br. Scott are doing with the profession of solemn vows. We can imagine how difficult the mission could be, because, like Peter and Paul, and like each of us who have made this profession before them, they are simple men whom the mysterious and gratuitous will of the Father called to surrender their lives into his hands, so to become instruments of salvation, to bring freedom to those who are enslaved by the evil one.
Today we accompany them with our prayer, asking for them the same generosity that brought St. Peter and St. Paul to give up their lives for Christ.
Dear James and Scott, may God who began this good work in you, by the intercession of St. Peter Nolasco, and with the maternal protection of our Most Holy Mother of Mercy bring it to fulfillment.
On Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 the Provincial Council approved Br. James Chia and Br Scott Brentwood for Solemn Vows. It has been a long journey for these two men from vastly different worlds.
Br James grew up in Malaysia, an independent country in Southeast Asia. This country, still close to Br James’ heart, is very diverse. Besides the native Malays there are many other ethnic groups including Chinese and even some Europeans. The religious beliefs are even more diverse. According to the Population and Housing Census 2000 figures, approximately 60.4% of the population practiced Islam of which only the Sunni branch is allowed; 19.2% Buddhism; 9.1% Christianity; 6.3% Hinduism; and 2.6% practice Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. The remainder was accounted for by other faiths, including animism, folk religion, and Sikhism while 0.8% either reported having no religion or did not provide any information. Despite all these differences of belief, Br James grew up in a devote Catholic family that emphasized hard work, honesty, and especially devotion to their Catholic faith. Br James will often be seen at work or helping others.
Br Scott and Br James as Novices with the late Fr Marino.
Br Scott, on the other hand, grew up in the United States. He and his family are from Southwest Virginia. He attended Carroll County High School in rural Hillsville, VA. Much of that area of the state is Protestant, yet Br Scott found the fullness of truth in the Catholic faith. After graduating High School in 2000, Br Scott went on to obtain bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Philosophy from Old Dominion University. Br. Scott is known for his intelligence and wit. He is always interested in having a good conversation about political science or religion or any number of topics. Br Scott is, also, always open to using his knowledge and talents to aide those in need.
As providence would have it, these two vastly different men were inspired to join the Order as postulants in August 2004. Living at the Monastery of Our Lady of Mercy, they learned the basic tenants of our Catholic faith and how to live in community. Now after 7 years of formation, Br James and Br Scott are preparing to make their definitive consecration to God in the Order. Sometime this summer, they will together prostrate before the altar as a sign of their total submission to God. Then, they will kneel before the Major Superior and make vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and the fourth vow of redemption.
We congratulate Br James and Br Scott on being approved for Solemn vows. May the Lord who has begun this good work in you bring it to completion.
Gaudete Sunday was made even more joyful as Br. Gerard Snell made his solemn profession. In this ceremony, Br. Gerard committed himself to a life-long following of the evangelical counsels of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience, as well as th Fourth Vow according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy.
The Mass was celebrated in Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Philadelphia, PA. Fr. Richard Rasch, O. de M., Vicar Provincial received his vows while Fr. Eugene Costa, O. de M. gave the homily.
Br. Gerard was joined in this joyous event by his mother and stepfather, as well as other relatives, friends and confreres. A reception followed at the Merion Tribute House, in Merion, PA.
Professing his final vows on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Br. Justin Freeman made the life-long commitment to a life of chastity, poverty, obedience and the fourth vow according to the Rule of St. Augustine and the Constitutions of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy.
Br. Justin Freeman, O. de M.
The Profession took place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Philadelphia, PA. His vows were received by Fr. Richard Rasch, O. de M., Vicar Provincial. He was joined in this blessed event by his family, local community and fellow classmates at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Fr. Anthony Fortunato O. de M. gave the homily.
