Participants of the 47th annual Assembly of the Religious Brothers Conference released a statement in which they promise to be agents of solidarity, reconciliation and peace, and continue to serve the marginalized. Courtesy Martha Novelly, Conference of Major Superiors of Men
The 47th annual Assembly of the Religious Brothers Conference (RBC) took place July 20-23, 2018, at the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland. More than 50 Brothers from various religious communities gathered for reflection, prayer and celebration. Brother John Mark Falkenhain, OSB, was the keynote speaker and addressed the assembly’s theme of “The Zealous Brother.”
This annual assembly is a unique opportunity for religious Brothers to gather and share their experiences. As Brother Larry Lussier, CSC, wrote, “As each Brother introduced himself and identified his ministry, I recognized a blessing of grace that flowed throughout the room. Here were zealous Brothers in the flesh even though most were now in their 50s, 60s, 70s. They were on the cutting edge of ministry…”
The assembly included a Washington, D.C., tour outing with a celebratory Mass and banquet that honored the contributions of various board members. Fr. John Pavlik, OFM Cap., executive director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, was honored with the Pillar of the RBC award.
Representatives from the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, Religious Formation Conference, Conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Conference of Major Superiors of Men, and the National Religious Vocation Conference were also present throughout the assembly.
Moved by the Spirit, on the final day of the assembly, a statement encouraging religious Brothers to continue serving those on the margins was endorsed by the participants. Read the statement >
Two De La Salle Christian Brothers participated in the assembly: Brother Chris Patiño, FSC, and Brother Peter Tripp, FSC, both from the District of San Francisco New Orleans. Additionally, Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Conference both served as major sponsors of the 2018 Assembly. Brother Chris currently serves on the board of the Religious Brothers Conference. Brother Ernest Miller, FSC, from the District of Eastern North America, had most recently served on the board until his term expired in 2017.
Story contributed by Brother Chris Patiño, FSC.