The Alexian Brothers of Elk Grove Village,Illinois, have moved into a newlyconstructed residence custom-designed

to facilitate prayer, reflection and meditation. The 7,400-square-foot residence sits on

a 2.5-acre site on Martha Street in Elk GroveVillage, across the street from the AlexianBrothers Hospice Residence and a short distanceto the west of AMITA Health Alexian BrothersMedical Center Elk Grove Village.

The Brothers’ new home features aJapanese-style Zen garden/courtyard highlightedby a fountain with three 6-foot-tall stone slabs,as well as an interior cloister walk with windowsfacing the garden/courtyard. The curved cloisterwalk, which recalls the cloister walk at theAlexian Brothers’ 15th century monastery inAachen, Germany, is adorned with artifacts from the Brothers’ former residence in ElkGrove Village and the Alexian Brothers Archives.

A chapel located at one end of the cloisterwalk reflects the residence’s warm character andcontemplative atmosphere. The chapel featuresfour wooden benches, two three-person choirstalls, a wood-beam ceiling that rises more than25 feet, and stained-glass windows from the

TheAlexiansThe Love of Christ Compels Us

(continued on page 6)Summer 2018

Immaculate ConceptionProvince of the Congregation of Alexian Brothers

Mission StatementStrengthened by community,prayer, commitment to thepoor and the legacy of ourfounders, and in partnershipwith others, we AlexianBrothers witness the HealingChrist by a holistic approach to promoting health and caring for the sick, dying, aged and unwanted of allsocioeconomic levels.

ValuesCompassionDignity of the PersonCare of the PoorHolismPartnership

chapel in the Brothers’ former residence. “The residence is a beautiful facility that

presents many opportunities for prayer, reflec-tion and meditation,” said Brother Dan

The cloister walk at the new Alexian Brothers residence in ElkGrove Village recalls the cloister walk at the Alexian Brothers’15th century monastery in Aachen, Germany.

New residence facilitatesprayer, reflection, meditation

AMITA Health Alexian BrothersBehavioral Health Hospital in HoffmanEstates, Illinois, and Alexian Village in

Milwaukee marked the 152nd anniversary of theAlexian Brothers’ U.S. ministry with Founder’sDay events focusing on the Brothers’ history,mission and values.

The events spotlighted the work of BrotherBonaventure Thelen, C.F.A., who founded the

U.S. ministry onJune 12, 1866,when he openedthe Brothers’ firstAmerican hospi-tal in a smallframe house atDearborn andSchiller streets in Chicago.

TheFounder’s Dayevents at thebehavioral healthhospital and

Alexian Village “allowed employees and others to learn more about how we started here in the United States, our mission and values, and Brother Bonaventure,” said Brother TorchAcosta, C.F.A. He attended both events, handingout information about Brother Bonaventureand talking with guests about the Brothers’history, mission and values.

Brother John Howard, C.F.A., director ofthe Alexian Brothers Community in Milwaukee,and Brother Patrick McCabe, C.F.A., who wasassigned to the Milwaukee community earlierthis year, joined Brother Torch at the Milwaukeeevent, which was open to Alexian Village associ-ates and residents. Alexian Village is an inde-pendent-living and long-term-care communityoperated by Ascension Living, a division ofAscension, the nation’s largest nonprofit healthsystem and parent organization of Alexian2

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Brothers Health System. The June 12 eventoccurred at the Brothers’ residence on theAlexian Village campus, and Brother John andBrother Patrick led guests on tours of the resi-dence and its chapel.

Dozens of people attended the open-house-style events, which featured food and refresh-ments. “I was glad to see many of the employeestake time in their busy day to learn aboutBrother Bonaventure from Brother Torch,” saidKim Dombrowski, regulatory administrator atthe behavioral health hospital, who attended theJune 11 event there. “Overall, I thought it was afun, successful event.”

Susan Skalon, a data assistant at the hospi-tal, said: “I am highly drawn to the AlexianBrothers’ mission and core values and enjoyseeing how they are applied here at the hospital.It’s important to recognize who started andcontinued such values.”

Added Katie Torres, clinical director of the hospital’s Center for Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: “The Alexian Brothersestablished a great legacy here. Their legacycontinues, and it is befitting that all of us learnabout Brother Bonaventure and get a betterunderstanding of how that legacy began.”

The employee spirit committees at thehospital and Alexian Village organized theFounder’s Day events. “All the guests enjoyedFounder’s Day Open House as this event gavethem a chance to learn not only about theAlexian Brothers’ history in the United States,but also how they originated in 13th centuryEurope,” said Katy Griffin, social and volunteercoordinator and a Spirit Committee member at Alexian Village.

Brother Torch said: “I greatly appreciate thespirit committees for planning and organizingthe events. On behalf of the Alexian Brothers, I truly recognize their collaborative efforts, andI’m delighted to have met and spoken with allthe wonderful people who participated.”

Founder’s Day events spotlight workof Brother Bonaventure Thelen, C.F.A.

Brother John Howard, C.F.A., (secondfrom left), and Brother Patrick McCabe,C.F.A., (third from right), welcomeguests to the Brothers' residencechapel during the Founder's Day eventat Alexian Village in Milwaukee.

TheAlexians

entering that space is a new experience. Forothers, it’s like summer vacation to grand-mother’s house: We go once a year and are familiar only enough to be comfortable, like wemight be on a yearly retreat. Still others — wiserand humbler than I — live continually in thatspace of peace and surrender to the Spirit.

I believe with all my heart that we do,indeed, stand on the verge of a brave new world.God has blessed the Brothers with the awarenessthat allows us to see and to acknowledge theneeds of the world around us. A close friendreminded me recently that it is good to be aware,but what do we do then? Do we possess the graceand the courage to step into that space of riskand chance? I have a trusted friend and mentorwho is famous for challenging everyone he meetswith this statement: “Do you trust the HolySpirit? I do!”

The message I share with my fellow Brothersis that there are thousands of opportunities inthe world for us to serve. Each opportunity hasbenefits and risks. If we truly want to attract newmen, we must be willing to trust God, Jesus, ourMother Mary and the Holy Spirit, and tocontinue to take leaps of faith to perpetuate our centuries-old tradition of caring for thepoor, the sick, the elderly, the mentally ill andothers on the margins of society.

Provincial’s LetterDear Alexian Friends:A great deal is happening throughout theImmaculate Conception Province of the AlexianBrothers.

AMITA Health, including its legacy AlexianBrothers Health System, has expanded to includePresence Health, making AMITA the largestCatholic health provider in Illinois. We havecome a long way from the small frame house atDearborn and Schiller streets in Chicago, whereBrother Bonaventure Thelen, C.F.A., foundedthe Alexian Brothers’ first U.S. hospital in 1866.What was a single Brother at the bedside givingdirect patient care has morphed into a health-care conglomerate helping thousands of theneedy and poor. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, theBrothers’ newest ministry, St. Alexius OutreachMinistries, is developing innovative ways toreach out to fragile at-risk seniors. We also haverededicated the Brothers’ residence at AlexianVillage of Milwaukee and have a viable com-munity there. Many of the Village’s residentswere tearful when they were told that theBrothers were back.

In the U.S., Hungary, the Philippines andEast Timor, Brothers are finding ways to providenew methods of direct care. More important, weare discovering ways to empower others to carefor themselves. We have joined with Ascension,the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofithealth system and co-parent of AMITA Health,to participate in community organizing inremote Guatemalan villages to provide clean,potable water. Brothers are examining ways to participate with other ministries in Bolivia.Throughout the Province, the Holy Spirit isfinding access to the hearts of the Brothers. Inresponse, the Brothers are saying, “Come HolySpirit, renew the hearts of your faithful!”

We are invited not only to renew, but also togo deeper. We are called to open the door to thatspace in our hearts where only the Spirit and ourtrue self ever have ventured. For some of us,

May God Bless You and Yours,

Brother Daniel McCormick, C.F.A.ProvincialImmaculate Conception Province of the Alexian Brothers

Did you know?Editor’s Note: “Did you know?” providesbrief glimpses into the rich, 800-year histo-ry of the Congregation of Alexian Brothers.

In 1634, Father Etienne Binet, aJesuit author, wrote about hisimpressions of the Alexian Brothers.

“The Alexian Brothers are sosecluded and surrounded by death,by coffins and the pest-stricken thatthe remembrance of their meritsalso seems to be buried and forgot-ten with the dead,” he wrote. “Butthe day will come that will bring tolight the value of these noble-mind-ed warriors of Christ, who havewaged battle against death, theplague and the most incurable diseases.”

The Brothers trace their origins tothe 13th century, when small groupsof men and women banded togetherin the Low Countries of Europe tocarry out Christ’s commands bytending the sick, feeding the hungryand burying the dead. During theBlack Death, a pandemic that struckEurope in the 1340s and lingered forcenturies, the Brothers risked theirlives to care for plague victims andto bury them when they died.

chastity is liberating because it lets him commithimself to working totally for the Kingdom ofGod; and the vow of obedience to Church teach-ings and the directives of the Alexian Brothersgives him certainty that he is “following the pathof truth” and assurance that “God’s providenceis at work.”

Brother Torch leads the Alexian Brothers’Chicago-area presence ministry, which providescomfort, support and spiritual guidance topatients, residents and family members at severalof the Alexian Brothers’ namesake facilities inthe city’s northwest suburbs. Renewing his vowsserves as an important reminder of the dailycommitment an Alexian Brother must make to serve God and the Congregation successfully,Brother Torch said. “Renewal of vows is annual,”he said. “But my promises to serve God and theAlexian Brothers through a continued relation-ship with and learning from Christ are to bedone daily.”

Brother Patrick and Brother John lead theAlexian Brothers presence ministry at AlexianVillage. Brother Patrick also serves as associatevocations minister for the ImmaculateConception Province. His renewal of vows was“very meaningful,” especially because it occurredduring a weeklong celebration of St. Alexius atAlexian Village, he said. Inspired by his devotionto the Blessed Mother, his favorite prayer hasbecome a simple “yes” to serving God and thepeople of Alexian Village. “Each year of tempo-rary profession brings with it a deeper under-standing that God and Jesus are much closer to me than I can ever imagine,” Brother Patricksaid. “A simple ‘yes’ is all it takes to allow theblessings to flow and awareness to begin. I amforever grateful to my Alexian Brothers and thepeople whom I serve in my vocations and pres-ence ministries, as they give me unendingopportunities to see God in each and everymoment. Another year means more chances to say ‘yes’ over and over again.”

Summer2018

4

Brother Torch Acosta, C.F.A., Brother SteveFogt, C.F.A., and Brother Patrick McCabe,C.F.A., renewed their Temporary Vows this

summer, reaffirming their commitment to theCongregation of Alexian Brothers.

Brother Steve renewed his vows July 16during a Mass in the chapel at St. AlexiusHospital, formerly known as Alexian BrothersHospital, in St. Louis. Father DamianDougherty, O.F.M., officiated at the Mass, andBrother Warren Longo, C.F.A., director of theAlexian Brothers Community in St. Louis,accepted Brother Steve’s renewal of vows.

Brother Torch and Brother Patrick renewedtheir vows July 17, the Feast of St. Alexius,during ceremonies, respectively, in the chapel at the Alexian Brothers residence in Elk GroveVillage, Illinois, and in the chapel of the AlexianBrothers residence on the campus of AlexianVillage, an independent-living and long-term-care community in Milwaukee. Brother DanMcCormick, C.F.A., provincial of theImmaculate Conception Province of theCongregation of Alexian Brothers, accepted

Brother Torch’s renewal of vows, andBrother John Howard, C.F.A., director of the Alexian Brothers Community inMilwaukee, presided at Brother Patrick’sceremony.

Brother Steve serves as comptroller of Alexian Brothers Community &Ministries, the nonprofit organization of the Immaculate Conception Province.He also is assistant director of the AlexianBrothers Community in St. Louis. Last

April, he ministered to the poor in Sucre,Bolivia, during an outreach mission authorizedby Brother Dan and the Provincial Council.

Reflecting on and renewing his vows ofpoverty, chastity and obedience help him staycommitted to religious life, Brother Steve said.He added that the vow of poverty enables him to empathize more with the poor; the vow of

Brothers reflect on religiouscommitment as they renew vows

Brother Steve Fogt, C.F.A., (left),renews his Temporary Vows asBrother Warren Longo, C.F.A., (right),watches.

For Brother Patrick McCabe, C.F.A.,(left), and Brother Torch Acosta,C.F.A., (right), renewing theirTemporary Vows each year carriesspecial meaning.

a convent near Liège. In 1264, PopeUrban IV established the feast as auniversal feast of the Catholic Church.In other Hungarian mission news:

• Brother Leó represented theAlexian Brothers at a beatification cere-mony for János Brenner, a Hungarianpriest martyred in 1957 during the retali-ation that followed the failed anti-Sovietuprising in Hungary in 1956. More than15,000 people attended the May 1 cere-mony in Father János’ hometown ofSzombathely. During the ceremony,Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of theVatican’s Congregation for Saints Causes,read a message from Pope Francis inwhich he approved Father János’ beatifi-cation. The pope last November acknowl-edged the priest’s martyrdom. BrotherLeó traveled to the ceremony with his brother,Father Gábor Vendrey, S.D.B., a Salesian priest.

• Vida Jánosné, a resident at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Home for the Elderly at the AlexianBrothers mission in Gyorújbarát, donated astatue of the Virgin Mary to the Alexian Brothers.“It is a very popular portrayal of the Virgin Maryas the patron saint of Hungary,” Brother Alexiussaid. The statue will be displayed in the DivineMercy Chapel at the home for the elderly.

TheAlexians

Hungarian Brothers help parishcelebrate Feast of Corpus Christi

5

The Alexian Brothers of Hungary played keyroles in a procession through the streets of Gyorújbarát, Hungary, in celebration

of the Feast of Corpus Christi.People prayed and sang during the June 3

procession, which began after a Mass at theDivine Mercy Church next to the AlexianBrothers mission in Gyorújbarát.

Father Andrew Bausz of Divine MercyParish held aloft a monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament as he walked along the

procession route. The route featured a series ofsix small altars, each representing Jesus Christ’sbody and blood. Father Andrew stopped at eachof the altars and delivered a gospel reading andrecited prayers, and he and procession partici-pants sang hymns specific to each altar.

Brother Leó Vendrey, C.F.A., helped to leadthe procession, and Brother Alexius Siska, C.F.A.,prepared the altars. “My duty was to put the‘pallium corporale’ (an altar linen) on the littlealtars before the procession reached each one, andthen to light the candles and to give the prayerbook to Father Andrew,” Brother Alexius said.

The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known asthe Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Bloodof Christ, honors the presence of the body ofJesus Christ in the Eucharist. Bishop Robert deThorete established the feast in 1246 in theBelgian diocese of Liège at the suggestion of St.Juliana, an Augustinian nun who was prioress of

Brother Leó Vendrey, C.F.A., helps to leadthe Feast of Corpus Christi procession.

Girls sprinkle flower petals during the Feast of Corpus Christiprocession in Gyorújbarát, Hungary.

Father Andrew Bausz of Divine MercyParish holds aloft a monstrance con-taining the Blessed Sacrament duringthe Feast of Corpus Christi procession.

New residence facilitatesprayer, reflection, meditation

Summer2018

McCormick, C.F.A., provincial of the ImmaculateConception Province of the Congregation ofAlexian Brothers. The chapel, he added, “invitesyou to prayer” with its quiet atmosphere andlack of ornamentation. “You sit and allow theHoly Spirit to flow into you, over you andaround you,” he said.

The outside of the residence also isconducive to spiritual pursuits. In addition

to the Zengarden/courtyard, a substantial portionof the property hasbeen dedicated to walking pathssurrounded byprairie grass andwildflowers. Planscall for installingStations of theCross along thepaths in time forLent next year.

“We have Stations of the Cross in thechapel for bad weather,” Brother Dan said. “But we also can walk the Stations outside if the weather allows, and we can invite employeesof the medical center and our Alexian BrothersAssociates to join us.” (The Alexian BrothersAssociates are non-vowed Christian laypeoplewho assist the Brothers with a variety of activities.)

Alexian Brothers who live elsewhere andneed some time away from their duties arewelcome to visit the new residence, stay a fewdays and take advantage of its serene environ-ment, Brother Dan said. “It wouldn’t necessarilybe a formal retreat,” he said. “They could join usfor meals or could eat privately. They couldspend time reading, praying in the chapel ormeditating in the garden.”

The residence includes eight bedrooms,

and every two bedrooms share a private patiofeaturing a traditional Japanese fountain. Thefacility also has a living room, dining room,kitchen, exercise room, laundry area and anadministrative office. A large plaque of St.Camillus, patron saint of the sick, hospitals,nurses and physicians, hangs on a wall in theliving room. The plaque previously was displayedat the Brothers’ former residence, and they had itrestored to fix some minor damage before bring-ing it to their new home.

Brother Dan, Brother Torch Acosta, C.F.A.,Brother Patrick McCabe, C.F.A., and PostulantZeke Mapa moved into the new residence duringthe first week of April. Brother Patrick later wasassigned to join Brother John Howard, C.F.A., atthe Alexian Brothers Community in Milwaukee,and Postulant Zeke entered the Alexian BrothersNovitiate in the Philippines in July. (See related

6

(continued from page 1)

The Alexian Brothers’ new residencein Elk Grove Village, Illinois, featuresa Japanese-style Zen garden/court-yard highlighted by a fountain withthree 6-foot-tall stone slabs.

The chapel at the new Alexian Brothers residence reflects its warm character and contemplative atmosphere.

TheAlexians

7

article on page 8.)Unlike many other religious orders, the

Brothers have enjoyed modest success in addingnew members in recent years, and Brother Danis confident that new Brothers will be movinginto the residence in the years ahead. “We alwaysplan for success in the Immaculate ConceptionProvince, and we were planning for increaseswhen we designed this residence,” he said.

At the same time, the Brothers recognizethat an overall decline in religious vocationshas made large residences a thing of the past.“We’re not building houses of 25 or 30 roomsanymore,” Brother Dan said. “We’re buildingmore practically, but we’re building with an eye toward the future.”

The Brothers’ previous residence in ElkGrove Village had 25 bedrooms, and by 2016,only three Brothers were living there. Recogniz-ing it had become financially impractical tocontinue to own the building, the Brothers soldit to AMITA Health, which converted it into aresidential treatment center for people withobsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety andaddictions – a purpose that has furthered the

Brothers’ centuries-oldcommitment to serving the marginalized. “AMITAHealth’s behavioral healthpeople have turned it intoan absolute miracle with the way they can changelives through residentialcare,” Brother Dan said.

He praised Mary AnnMagnifico, AMITA Healthvice president, constructionand facilities, WalterEckenhoff and HannahDavenport of EckenhoffSaunders Architects inChicago, and Brian Barry of Intrinsic Landscaping

in Glenview, Illinois, for their efforts in helping the Brothers customize their new residence tosuit their needs.

Brother Dan also expressed his gratitude to AMITA Health for transferring ownership of the Martha Street site to the ImmaculateConception Province, and to the ProvincialCouncil and the Brothers who moved with himinto the new residence for their input into itsdesign. “It has been a group project, and every-one made suggestions and had a role to play,” hesaid. “The end result is a home that is a real gift.”

The new Alexian Brothers residence (above) includes eight bedrooms, and every two bedroomsshare a private patio (below right) featuring a traditional Japanese fountain.

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Alexian BrothersCommunity & Ministries600 Alexian WayElk Grove Village, IL 60007

TheAlexiansThe Love of Christ Compels Us

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. PostagePAIDPermit # 307Carol Stream, IL

Brother Lawrence Krueger, C.F.A.Superior General, Congregation of Alexian Brothers

Brother Dermot O’Leary, C.F.A.Vicar General, Congregationof Alexian Brothers

Brother Daniel McCormick, C.F.A.Provincial, Immaculate ConceptionProvince of the Alexian Brothers,Director of the Alexian BrothersCommunity, Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Brother John Howard, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian Brothers Community, Milwaukee

Brother Richard Lowe, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian BrothersCommunity, Signal Mountain,Tennessee

Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian BrothersCommunity, St. Louis

Brother Alexius Siska, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian BrothersCommunity, Gyorújbarát, Hungary

Brother Raphael Fallado, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian BrothersBajada Community, Davao City,Philippines

Brother John of God Oblina, C.F.A.Director of the Alexian BrothersMatina Community, Davao City,Philippines

In ThisIssue

CoverNew residencefacilitatesprayer, reflection

Page 2Founder’s Dayevents spotlightBrothers’ history

Page 4Three Brothersrenew TemporaryVows

Page 5Hungarian Brotherscelebrate Feastof Corpus Christi

Volume 44, Number 2Summer 2018

Three postulants were initiated into theAlexian Brothers Novitiate during a Masson July 17, the Feast of St. Alexius.

Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A., postulantdirector, presented a copy of the Alexian Brothers’“Way of Life,” the rules and constitution of theCongregation of Alexian Brothers, to postulantsJoe Pense, Robert Podjarsky and Marc Rizzo, andBrother Jeffrey Callander, C.F.A., read an excerptfrom the book. Brother Warren also conferredupon the postulants the title of “Brother.”

Father Damian Dougherty, O.F.M., offici-ated at the Mass, which occurred in the chapel atSt. Alexius Hospital, formerly known as AlexianBrothers Hospital, in St. Louis. Superior GeneralEdward Walsh, C.F.A., and Brother ThomasKeusenkothen, C.F.A., also attended the Mass.

The new novices will spend the first year of the two-year novitiate program at the AlexianBrothers mission in the Philippines beforereturning to the United States for their secondyear of formation. They will be joined by ZekeMapa, who previously completed his postulancy

Three postulants become novices

and has returned to the Alexian Brothers.During their year in the Philippines,

the novices will develop their prayer life whileparticipating in ministries that harken back tothe work of the earliest Alexian Brothers, whocared for the poor and sick in the Middle Ages.

(Front row, left to right) Novice Brothers Robert Podjarsky, Joe Pense and Marc Rizzo join (back row, left to right) BrotherEdward Walsh, C.F.A., Brother Warren Longo, C.F.A., BrotherJeffrey Callander, C.F.A., and Brother Thomas Keusenkothen,C.F.A., for a photo after the three novices were initiated into theAlexian Brothers Novitiate.