By Amelia Kibbe
Features Editor
Two of St. Bonaventure’s friars professed their solemn vows as Franciscan Friars just before this academic year began. Brother Ross Chamberland, O.F.M. and Brother Jeffery Jordan, O.F.M. who were both active in the Bonaventure community last year, made a life-long commitment to the Holy Order.
Brother Ross, a native of North Carolina, has participated in many parish ministries. He has been a liturgical coordinator and group facilitator for AIDS/HIV patients. While at Bonaventure, he was also a faculty member and taught religious classes.
Brother Ross said that while being a Franciscan Friar wasn’t always one of his goals, he knows he could not have made a better choice.
“If you had asked me when I was in college if I would be a Franciscan…. actually, if you knew me then you never would have even thought to ask me,” Brother Ross said. “I did grow up as a Catholic but I didn’t consider a life with the friars until much later. It was in a meeting with Friars that I began to think about being a friar. They were ‘regular guys’ who didn’t pretend to be anything other than that. For me, that was the initial hook.”
The ceremony took place in Manhattan and different religious groups participated.
“The ceremony for Solemn Vows was amazing,” Brother Ross said. “Three of us [Brothers Ross and Jeffery and a third friar not from Bonaventure] professed that day at Saint Francis of Assisi Church on West 31 Street in Manhattan. There were over 100 Friars in attendance as well as a few hundred others including religious sisters, Franciscan Nuns, family, and friends.”
Brother Ross has been preparing to take his solemn vows for almost a decade. He explained a progression of vows that must be taken to live a Franciscan lifestyle.
“I have been a Franciscan for nine years,” Brother Ross explained. For the last several years I have been in a stage of formation called temporary, or simple, vows meaning that I renew the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience each year. Professing “Solemn Vows” means that I have made a life-long commitment to the Franciscan Order and to life with my brothers.”
Brother Ross began his journey in the first stage, Postulacy. During this stage he lived with friars and taught at a Catholic school, but he did not wear a habit. The second year, Brother Ross was a Novitiate. He began to practice customs and wore the traditional dress. At least three years after novitiate, he entered into the simple vows stage. This stage can last anywhere from 3 to 9 years, and the friars typically spend their time studying.
Brother Ross is excited to be back on campus and plans to continue his teaching and ministry involvement.
“I am staying on at Bonaventure to teach and as the Executive Director of our new “Lateran Center” for Catholic Identity and Formation in the Franciscan” Brother Ross said. “This is a new project that we are launching this year. I also am enrolled in a Doctoral program at Saint John Fisher College in Education and Executive Leadership.”
On January 3, 2015 in Boston, M.A. Brother Ross will officially be ordained a priest.
Brother Jeffery Jordan also celebrated his final vows two weeks ago. Brother Jeffery was raised in South Carolina as a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. In 2004, he converted to Catholicism. While at Bonaventure last year, Brother Jeffery was a member of the church choir and taught several religious classes. Currently, he is studying in Rome, Italy and was unable to comment for this article.
Brother Ross ended by saying that the day he took his final vows is a day he will remember forever.
“It was a wonderful day,” Brother Ross said. “The best [day] of my life.”
