54770_ALEX 3286 The Alexians Winter v7 QRK8_The Alexians Fall v 2/6/15 12:48 PM Page 1 TheAlexians The Love of Christ Impels Us Alexian Brothers Health System Hungarian mission ‘doing extremely Vision Statement Alexian Brothers Health System well’ as bond with Province grows will engage all our associates and partners in a prophetic, holistic approach to healthcare, he bond between the Immaculate rooted in Gospel values and Conception Province and its Hungarian the 800-year legacy of the T mission grew even stronger recently when Alexian Brothers. We seek Provincial Brother Dan McCormick, C.F.A., trav- to bring healing to a broken eled to the mission for his annual visitation. world through collaboration During his 10-day trip in December, with others. Brother Dan met individually with Brother Mission Statement Alexius Siska, C.F.A., Acting Community Alexian Brothers Health System Superior at the mission, and Brother Leó carries out the healing mission Vendrey, who assists Brother Alexius with of the Catholic Church through administrative matters at the mission. the Alexian Brothers ministries Brother Dan also attended a Mass at which by identifying and developing Brother Alexius and Brother Leó renewed their effective responses to the health Temporary Vows as Alexian Brothers. The Mass and housing needs of those we are called to serve. occurred in the chapel at the mission’s St. Eliza- beth of Hungary Home for the Elderly, and more than 25 residents of the home witnessed Provincial Brother Dan McCormick, C.F.A., watches as Brother the renewals of vows by Brother Alexius and Alexius Siska, C.F.A., signs his Renewal of Temporary Vows at the Alexian Brothers mission in Gyo˝rújbarát, Hungary. Brother Leó. “It was a very moving experience,” Brother Dan says. Czébán, in May 2013. With his death, the day-to- The Provincial’s visit to Hungary, his third day tasks of sustaining and growing the mission since December 2013, was part of his ongoing fell to Brother Alexius and Brother Leó, current- effort to provide support for Brother Alexius ly the only two Alexian Brothers at the mission and Brother Leó and to build his relationships in Gyo˝rújbarát, Hungary. with them following the sudden death of the Under their leadership, the 12-year-old Winter 2014 mission’s founder, Brother Joseph Francis (continued on page 7) 54770_ALEX 3286 The Alexians Winter v7 QRK8_The Alexians Fall v 2/6/15 12:48 PM Page 2 Winter2014 Vocations activity increases as Brothers enhance online presence revamped Alexian Brothers website only on the home page of www.alexianbroth- featuring videos and a home page with ers.org, but also in Alexian Brothers print and Aa photo depicting an Alexian Brothers online ads in Vision Vocation Guide and A version of The Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover Guide to Religious Ministries, two resources is sparking interest in the order among men ex- commonly used by men and women discerning ploring the possibility of religious life. possible vocations. “We’re getting a very positive response to A speaker at the National Religious the videos,” says Brother Paul Magner, C.F.A., Vocation Conference (NRVC) Convocation in Chicago last November cited the ads as examples of innovative vocations advertising, says Brother Paul, who attended the convocation. “They’re very eye-catching and help us stand out from the crowd,” he says. Brother Paul reports “a lot of vocations activity” since the Alexian Brothers rolled out the videos and the Abbey Road-type ads. As of January, he was actively engaged in discussions with seven candidates who were moving toward on-site visits. He was awaiting initial paperwork from five other candidates. Although the overall number of Alexian Brothers remains modest, the order has enjoyed relative vocations success in recent years, adding two new men a year in 2013, 2014 and 2015. (See related item about new postulants on page 7.) (Left to right) Brother Andrew Dinegar, Acting Director of Vocations for the Immaculate With the youngest Alexian Brother in the C.F.A., Brother Tom Klein, C.F.A., Conception Province of the Congregation of United States at 48, the order is making a con- Brother Paul Magner, C.F.A., and Brother Richard Kane, C.F.A., mimic Alexian Brothers. certed effort to attract younger men. Enhancing The Beatles and their famous Abbey The videos, which were introduced last June the Alexian Brothers’ online presence is a key Road album cover in a photograph on www.alexianbrothers.org, feature Alexian part of this effort, and now that the Alexian that appears on the Alexian Brothers’ Brothers talking about the order’s ministry, Brothers have revamped their website, they are revamped website and in their voca- tions advertising. history, community life and formation process. studying the possibility of running ads through They also discuss the nature of an Alexian Google and Facebook, Brother Paul says. Brothers vocation and share their own indi- Recognizing that student-loan debt is a big vidual vocational stories. issue for many younger adults, Brother Paul also The Abbey Road-type photo shows four has identified two resources – The Labouré Alexian Brothers – Brother Andrew Dinegar, Society and the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for C.F.A., Brother Tom Klein, C.F.A., Brother Paul, Vocations – that assist aspirants to religious life and Brother Richard Kane, C.F.A. – walking who have student-loan debt. Brother Paul plans across an intersection, much like The Beatles to refer some Alexian Brothers candidates to The did for the famous photo on the Abbey Road Labouré Society and Mater Ecclesiae, giving men album cover. with student-loan debt a new path that might 2 The Alexian Brothers photo appears not enable them to join the Alexian Brothers. 54770_ALEX 3286 The Alexians Winter v7 QRK8_The Alexians Fall v 2/6/15 12:48 PM Page 3 TheAlexians Provincial’s Letter Dear Alexian Friends: mizing the opportunity for prayer to become As the Alexian Brothers have worked to rede- a mechanical exercise done by rote. fine ourselves as religious brothers in the 21st Borrowing a practice from our colleagues in century, our prayer life has emerged as a key the Philippines, the Brothers in Elk Grove Village focus area. also have begun sitting throughout their prayers, Years ago, when our numbers were greater instead of standing and sitting. Reducing the and many Brothers worked defined shifts hand- need for physical movement has enabled the ling nursing jobs or other responsibilities at our Brothers to move outside the physical sphere hospitals, our opportunities for deep, extended more easily and to wrap themselves in God’s prayer were limited. But today, with our ranks silence and warmth as they pray. thinned by the passing of older Brothers and an The Brothers in Elk Grove Village report overall decline in religious vocations, and with that these changes have enhanced the opportu- Alexian Brothers Health System backed by nity to develop an intimate relationship with Ascension and staffed by very capable lay leaders, God through prayer. By fostering a calm and physicians and associates, the Brothers no longer sacred atmosphere, they are helping the Brothers are working hospital shifts, focusing instead on to present themselves openly and honestly to serving the poor, homeless and disenfranchised God through prayer, and to better discern where through street-level ministries. He is calling them – and our ministries – to go. This transition has presented a grace- The Brothers in Elk Grove Village intend filled invitation from God for the Brothers to to continue their new prayer practices in the approach prayer on the basis of developing a months ahead and will report on their experi- more intimate relationship with Him, and we ences at our Provincial Assembly this fall. If the have responded to this invitation by allocating Brothers find that these practices continue to more time and energy to this pursuit. enhance the prayer experience, the Elk Grove Taking a page from the prayer life of the Village community will invite our other U.S. Brothers at our Hungarian mission, the Alexian communities to consider adopting a similar Brothers Community in Elk Grove Village, Ill., approach to prayer. recently adopted the longer-form morning and The early results indicate there is something evening prayers that the Hungarian Brothers to this idea of slowing down and allotting more recite every day. In the distant past, all Alexian time to developing your relationship with God Brothers used the longer-form prayers, but the and contemplating your spiritual direction. It’s Brothers in the United States for quite some something the late Brother Eugene “Gene” Gizzi, time have used the short form of the prayers, C.F.A., probably was hinting at with his favorite which are known as the Liturgy of the Hours. saying, “Let go, and let God.” In these hectic The short form of the prayers takes about 15 times, when we all spend so much time and minutes, and the long form takes 30 to 40 energy trying to impose order in our lives, relin- minutes. quishing control for a while each day might be The Brothers in Elk Grove Village are find- the best way to discover our true calling. ing that the longer-form prayers, although chal- May God Bless You and Yours, lenging to learn, provide a greater opportunity for contemplation and meditation. Their chal- Brother Daniel McCormick, C.F.A. lenging nature demands Brothers’ full attention, Provincial requiring them to participate actively and mini- Immaculate Conception Province of the Alexian Brothers 3 54770_ALEX 3286 The Alexians Winter v7 QRK8_The Alexians Fall v 2/6/15 12:48 PM Page 4 Winter2014 With native Alexian Brothers at helm, Philippine mission steams into future he Alexian Brothers mission in the Philip- 50s, and by how well the different generations of pines continues to grow and evolve, driven Filipino Brothers work together, blending their Tforward by an expanding group of Filipino differing life experiences to develop new ideas Brothers ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s.