TheAlexian s The Love of Christ Compels Us Immaculate Conception Province of the Congregation of Alexian Brothers Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A., marks Mission Statement 60th anniversary as Alexian Brother Strengthened by community, prayer, commitment to the poor and the legacy of our ore than 200 people joined founders, and in partnership Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A., with others, we Alexian Brothers witness the Healing as he celebrated his 60th anni- Christ by a holistic approach Mversary as an Alexian Brother during to promoting health and a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Pius V caring for the sick, dying, Catholic Church in St. Louis. aged and unwanted of all socioeconomic levels. Father Michael Garcia, a Domin- ican priest and close friend of Brother Values Compassion Warren, served as the principal cele - Dignity of the Person brant, and Brother Lawrence Krueger, Care of the Poor C.F.A., superior general of the Con- Holism gregation of Alexian Brothers, received Partnership Brother Warren’s renewal of Life Vows. Father Binu Edathumparam-bil, a Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales Superior General Brother Lawrence Krueger (left) receives Brother Warren priest and associate pastor of St. Longo’s renewal of Life Vows during a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrating Joseph’s Church in Manchester, Brother Warren’s 60th anniversary as an Alexian Brother. Missouri, delivered the sermon. Holy Communion, Brother Warren said he Attendees at the Diamond Jubilee celebra - selected the theme because he believed his 60th tion included Brother Warren’s relatives from anniversary was not so much about him, but Wisconsin, friends, and representatives of the about God’s love and generosity. three Alexian Brothers communities (Elk Grove Brother Warren recalled his life as a teenager Village, Illinois, St. Louis, and Signal Mountain, in Racine, Wisconsin, and how God’s goodness Tennessee) in the United States. led him to the Alexian Brothers. In those years, The theme for the celebration was “Jubilee – he worked in the kitchen of a Catholic hospital A Time to Give Thanks to God.” In remarks after (continued on page 6) Summer 2017 Summer 2017 Alexian Brothers announce plans to expand home for elderly in Hungary eeking to address a growing need for high-quality, holistic care. “It is as contempo - assisted-living and skilled nursing care rary, clean and professional as any upscale for low-income older adults, the Alexian nursing home you would find in the United SBrothers have unveiled plans to expand St. Stated,” Brother Dan said. “It always has had Elizabeth of Hungary Home for the Elderly a waiting list.” at their mission in Gy o˝rújbarát, Hungary. The home is licensed for 85 beds, and its The plans call for connecting the home residents live in apartments with two or three to the next-door St. Alexius Monastery, the beds apiece. The expansion project will enable Brothers’ residence at the mission, and convert - the home to address growing demand for private ing the monastery’s 12 bedrooms into private rooms by offering current residents and other apartments for senior residents. applicants the opportunity to move into a To make way for the expansion, Brother private room. Plans call for converting 12 exist- Alexius Siska, ing rooms at the home into private rooms C.F.A., and during the next five years, giving the facility Brother Leó a total of 24 private rooms – more than half Vendrey, C.F.A., of its projected 47 total rooms. the mission’s two Because Hungarian law allows nursing Brothers, plan homes to charge a fee for a certain number of to move into a beds, including those in private rooms, the addi - nearby house tional private rooms at the home will generate owned by the additional revenue that will enable the facility to Brothers. It will become financially self-sustaining, Brother Dan be renovated as said. The Immaculate Conception Province now part of the expan - underwrites more than 25 percent of the home’s sion project. operating expenses. “Because we The fees will be “very reasonable by (Top photo) Brother Leó Vendrey, don’t have to build a new foundation, walls and Hungarian standards, and we will not at any C.F.A., (left), and Brother Alexius exterior or add utilities, we can have 12 new point compromise the number of residents we Siska, C.F.A., (right), will move out of the monastery at the Alexian Brothers rooms in about a year,” said Brother Dan Mc- accept without a fee,” Brother Dan said. “Those mission in Gy o˝rújbarát, Hungary, so Cormick, C.F.A., provincial of the Immaculate who truly cannot afford care will be cared for the monastery can be used for an Conception Province of the Congregation of just as they are now.” expansion of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Alexian Brothers. The decision to turn over the monastery Home for the Elderly (bottom photo). Brother Alexius, director of the Alexian reflects the Brothers’ commitment to pro- Brothers Community in Gy o˝rújbarát, and actively perpetuating their 800-year-old healing Brother Leó developed the plan with Henriett ministry, despite a long-term decline in religious Ziegler, administrator of the home for the vocations. The decision is similar to the one that elderly. Brother Alexius and Brother Leó the Brothers made to sell their residence in Elk presented the plan to Brother Dan during his Grove Village, Illinois, to AMITA Health for use annual visitation at the mission this past spring . as a residential treatment center for people with He recommended that the Provincial Council obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and approve the plan, and it quickly gave its blessing . addictions. The Foglia Family Foundation Since the home for the elderly opened in Residential Treatment Center opened its doors 2 2009, it has earned a reputation for delivering at the site this past April. The Alexians Provincial’s Letter Dear Alexian Friends: laundry. The center also would perpetuate the As the Alexian Brothers have transitioned Brothers’ tradition of serving the poor and away from hospital-based ministries in recent homeless in and around Davao City – a tradi - years, we have been called to think entrepre - tion I have witnessed firsthand many times neurially about how we can perpetuate our 800- during my visits to our mission there. year-old healing mission. This edition of The To say I’m proud of our Brothers in Alexians spotlights two examples of how our Hungary and the Philippines would be a massive Brothers are responding to this challenge. understatement. Instead of sitting back and wait - In Hungary, Brother Alexius Siska, C.F.A., ing for ideas and direction from leadership, they and Brother Leó Vendrey, C.F.A., have volun - are taking the initiative to move their ministries teered to move out of their monastery so it can forward. They are identifying and responding to be used for a much-needed expansion of St. Eliz- community needs as only they can – because abeth of Hungary Home for the Elderly at our they see those needs every day. mission in Gy o˝rújbarát. (See article on page 2.) In doing so, they inspire all of us and exem - Working with the home’s administrator, plify the compassionate, selfless spirit that has Henriett Ziegler, Brother Alexius and Brother driven the Brothers for centuries. They also are Leó developed the expansion plan and presented following in the footsteps of Brothers such as it to me during my annual visitation at the mis- Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A., our longtime Did you know? sion this past spring. Their plan was so well director of postulants who recently celebrated Editor’s Note: “Did you know?” provides thought out, so thorough and so true to our his 60th anniversary as a Brother. (See article brief glimpses into the rich , 800-year histo - ry of the Congregation of Alexian Brothers. mission that I quickly emailed it to Superior on page 1.) Through his years of forming young General Brother Lawrence Krueger, C.F.A., and Brothers and ministering to the elderly, hospital A unique fact about the Alexian the Provincial Council, and they promptly patients and prisoners, Brother Warren has Brothers is that they did not name green-lighted it. shown the far-reaching impact an individual themselves. Rather, they were named by the people through the centuries. Brother Alexius’ and Brother Leó’s decision Brother can have when he accepts God’s invita - In a document dated 1259, there to turn over their monastery to a mission-related tion to serve and faithfully follows God’s path, is a reference to the “Beghards,” who cause is similar to the one that the Brothers in no matter where it leads. are considered the forebears of the Elk Grove Village, Illinois, made to turn over Brother Warren and our Brothers in Alexian Brothers. The Beghards were laymen who chose a life of apostolic their residence to AMITA Health so it could be Hungary and the Philippines understand that poverty and service to the impover - used as a residential treatment center for people the secret to Christian religious life is accepting ished in Europe’s Low Countries and with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and that we are neither captains nor masters of our Rhineland. After the Alexian Brothers received Church recognition as a reli - addictions. The Foglia Family Foundation Resi- lives. Rather, we are servants of the Lord, who gious order in 1472, they named dential Treatment Center opened its doors at calls us to see the presence of Jesus in the face their chapel after St. Alexius because the site this past April. of every person for whom we care.