MEET OUR
PERMANENT BROTHERS
Meet our Permanent Brothers and see their process of formation in the brotherhood.
Br. Nick Coombs, SOLT
Permanent Brother
Hometown: Springfield, MO
Perpetual Promises: July 19th, 2018​
Last Education Received:
Culinary Arts from Ozarks Community College
Where do you serve?
St. Anthony's
Robstown, TX
How did you find out about SOLT: Serving as a youth minister in Dunseith, ND.
How did God call you: God was calling me to be a missionary in areas I haven’t been to. I was content with being a lay missionary. Little by little our Lord called me to be one of His consecrated Brothers.
Favorite part of mission life: Experiencing glory moments with others especially with our youth.
Novitiate (1 Year)
Upon a favorable recommendation in aspirancy, the aspirant moves on to novitiate where he is called a novice. The novitiate is one year in length and typically held in Corpus Christi, Texas. During this novitiate the novice studies the constitutions of SOLT, learns the meaning of the evangelical promises of poverty, chastity and obedience and develops his prayer life. The novitiate is marked by much time for silence, coming to deeper self-knowledge, and growth in the contemplative life as well as sharing in communal life.
First Promises
At the close of novitiate, the novice petitions to make his first promises. With this profession of temporary promises of poverty, chastity and obedience for one year, he formally becomes a religious brother. As a religious brother he is given a habit to wear which signifies his consecration. Temporary promises are renewed for a minimum period of 5 years, at which point perpetual promises are made.
Br. Ryan Avery, SOLT
Permanent Brother
Hometown: Fredericksburg, TX
Perpetual Promises: July 10th, 2017​
Last Education Received:
Catholic Certificate of Catholic Theology
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Where do you serve?
Most Holy Trinity
Phoenix, AZ
How did you find out about SOLT: I am so thankful to have met so many friends who introduced me to SOLT.
How did God call you: God called me through His Word and deepening my desire to think of Him constantly. He worked so many wonders and graces in my life that I wanted to keep giving all of myself in my heart, mind, soul and strength to Him in Holy love. He blessed me with my family that constantly reminded me of His Presence among us and to live completely for Him. God’s inspirations come in so many forms with depth and breadth of meaning that He keeps us close to Him and becomes our way of life, personally in Jesus.
Favorite part of mission life: Meeting people and collaborating as the Mystical Body of Christ united in Jesus, the one heart and soul and mind in whom we live and move and relate.
Aspirancy (1 Year)
Once the application process has been completed, the individual enters formally into formation. The first stage is aspirancy, where the person is called an aspirant. The period of aspirancy is one year, and is spent at one of the apostolic houses of the community, usually either on the Turtle Mountain Reserve in North Dakota or in Benque Viejo, Belize, Central America. The aspirant prays and serves along side the community, participating fully in the communal life and the apostolate. The time is basically an extended time of “testing the waters,” comparable to the period of courtship for a couple, when the questions are asked: “Is this for me? Could I give my life to this? Do I discern something of importance here from which I may draw life and give my life?”
Further Studies (2 years)
After first promises, the permanent brother completes 2-years of further in-house studies at the SOLT House of Studies at Holy Redeemer Church in Detroit. He lives and prays alongside the SOLT seminarians. Studies are given by SOLT priests in-house and also through on-line courses. The curriculum is basic theology, including introduction to the Old and New Testaments, Church History, Morals, Sacraments and Spirituality. The permanent brothers also serve at Holy Redeemer church in various apostolates, including CCD classes.
Br. Uriel López, SOLT
Permanent Brother in Formation
Hometown: Lagunillas De Rayón, Chietla, Puebla, México
Last Education Received:
Catholic Certificate of Catholic Theology
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Detroit, Michigan
First Promises: July 9th, 2017
Where do you serve?
Most Holy Redeemer
Detroit, Michigan.
How did you find out about SOLT: From priests at my home parish Most Holy Trinity in Phoenix, AZ.
How did God call you: God called me when I was invited to a discernment dinner, on January 26, 2015, it was there that I heard a religious brother from the Crosier Fathers & Brothers community sharing his vocation story, and how God had called him to discern his vocation as a religious brother. When the brother was sharing all the things he did in his community, all of a sudden, my heart stared burning and pounding to the point that I felt that it was about to come out. Something deep inside me was telling me to ask the priest who was sitting at my table to ask him if they had religious brothers in his community. I asked him and right away he said yes and he I was a SOLT priest.
Favorite part of mission life: Serving God’s people.
Final Years in Mission (3 years)
The final years of formation are spent in mission: actively living the SOLT communal life and spirituality, serving on an ecclesial team in one of the SOLT apostolates. Yearly evaluations are completed of the brother. At the completion of 5-years in temporary promises, the brother makes his perpetual promises.
Summer Assignments
Each summer brothers in formation are assigned to various SOLT missions in order to deepen their lived experience of the charism, spirituality and communal life of SOLT and to broaden their exposure to the community’s apostolates. These times also increase fraternity as well as giving opportunity for development of various apostolic skills and experiences. Emphasis is put on at least one of the summer assignments in the study of Spanish.
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Each summer brothers in formation are given a home visit that lasts between 2-3 weeks.
HEAR THE CALL?
FILL IN THE FORM BELOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION
OR CONTACT THIS NICE FELLOW:
Fr. Mark Wendling, SOLT
Priests & Brothers Vocations
361.767.9567
vocations@gmail.com
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