»The Second Vatican Council in constitutions and decrees has urged the orders to complete a contemporary renewal of life and discipline. This renewal consists primarily of a return to the sources of each Christian life and the affirmation of the spirit and goals of their founders«.

The Rule of St. Augustine as well as the »Form of Living« are not only for us important norms, but also gifts of grace, which God gives us and which we wish to give spiritual and intellectual room in our lives.

»May God grant, that in so doing, we may be strengthened in the following of Christ and the evangelical virtues and in the spirit of our founder, the servant of God Peter Friedhofen, joyously witness to this apostolic ministry of love.«

From the preface of the Order General Br. Justus (1982)

»I ask you, strive with your whole heart to be worthy members of the order. Grow and increase in your inner, spiritual life and become men of the spirit. Thus pray often, when you come and go, and protect your hearts from sinful thoughts; for the time of this life is precious. Pray to God that he open your eyes that you may see the great good that has come your way by becoming members of an order. Undividedly, you can dedicate yourselves to God, suffering humanity, and your own salvation, and that is a great deal.#171;

»We wish to bring our minds, our wills, and our desires as a sacrifice to the holy Will of God. I see with great pleasure when you have laid for yourselves a good and lasting foundation so that you are admitted to the number of the beloved of Jesus. So it is with souls who strive for a pure way of life, in which God himself directly speaks, enlightens, enlivens and warms.«

»Dear Brothers, you are consecrated to God; so remain true to your calling! Thank the Lord every day for the great grace which has come to pass. I admonish you to remain true to the holy Rule and to see in it the way upon which you are walk toward heaven and live joyously in God!«

(citations from »New Fire«)

Directed by the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Peter Friedhofen founded the Congregation of the Brothers of Mercy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1850 in Weitersburg in the diocese of Trier (101)

We call ourselves »brothers«, because Christ has called us to be a community of brothers. »Brothers of Mercy«, because of the works of mercy which we perform for the suffering. »Brothers of Mercy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help« because devotion to Mary was the expressed desire and will our founder. (BF 19 and 36a) (102)

The religious calling as Brother of Mercy is also for us a standing call to keep ourselves on top of things professionally to be able to care for the sick in the best possible way. The same is true for all other assignments we have to fulfil. (105.1)

(From the first chapter, »Ursprung und Sendung der Kongregation«)

Christ gave preference to the poor, weak, and sick. In his name and service we Brothers continue here and now this his ministry. (201)

Our actions thus comprise physical, emotional and pastoral help in all the world. (202)

We minister to the sick and help the needy without distinctions of class, person, or world view. We must not shirk our care even where our full engagement or infectious disease could endanger our lives. (203)

Every human being is a creature and image of God. Thus we perform our service wherever the needs our our fellow humanity requires it. (203.2)

(From the second chapter, »Apostolisch-karitativer Dienst«)

Our human limitations such as disease, weakness of age, and sorrow over our own failure to reach our goals can lead to difficult testing. Yet the love of the suffering Lord enables us to say »Yes« even to such a refining process. So we mature to a great imitation of our Savior. Bound to him in suffering, we can thus invoke God’s blessing on our congregation and on the People of God.

(From the fourth chapter, »Leben mit Christus aus Wort und Sakrament zur Ehre des Vaters«)

When Christ says, »Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them« (Mt 18.20), then this is true is a special way for our community, if we are bound to one another in love. Love awakens in us mutual trust and respect and leads to an affirmation of the worth and personhood of a fellow Brother. This too helps us bear mutually our limitations and weaknesses. (502)

As a brotherly community, with the Lord in our midst, we are a representation of the Church, in which Christ continues his work of salvation and carries to completion.

(From the fifth chapter, »Leben in brüderlicher Gemeinschaft«)

The ideal of our order demands that we strive continuously always to become more human and more Christian. (603)

Yet every Brother requires a sold, human formation, biblical and theological education, leading to manly piety, education to pastoral work and an openness to mission and ecumenicity, in order to fulfil our tasks in the Church and in the community. (604)

If a young man entrusts himself to us who believes he is called to life in the order, then it is to be determined whether his call bears the signs of genuineness. The call is genuine when it is founded in a great love toward god and when the requirements of the Church are met:

• appropriate physical and mental health
  
• strength of reason and will
  
• healthy judgment and discernment
  
• truthfulness
  
• ability and will to be trained and educated
  
• engagement and self-sacrifice
  
• social awareness
  
• ability to live in community
  
• genuine piety and worship (RB 810) (605)
  

(From the sixth chapter, »Ausbildung und Formung unter der Leitung des Heiligen Geistes«)

Abbreviations

Bf: Letter of Peter Friedhofen, see »Neues Feuer«
R: Rule of St. Augustine
GS: Gaudium et spes-Constitution concerning the Church in the World Today
Sa: Ordinances of Peter Friedhofen, see »Neues Feuer«