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Priesthood and the New Evangelization
One of the marks of the Church’s response to the massive change in human living is the call to a “new evangelization.” This call was first articulated by Pope Paul VI, and has been repeatedly insisted upon by Pope John Paul II. The distinctive nature of the call to a new evangelization is that it is a call to re-evangelization. Read how the Companions of Christ are answering this call.
The Foundations of Priestly Fraternity
As Companions of Christ we are diocesan priests living in priestly fraternity. There are certain obvious reasons for such fraternity: the Christian call to live in love, the need for support, the advantages for pursuing a common mission. But the priestly fraternity we are pursuing goes deeper than this. It is rooted in the very nature of priesthood. Read more about the foundations of priestly fraternity.
 Member Profiles: Father Andrew Cozzens
Father Andrew Cozzens is one of the founding six members of the Companions of Christ. He grew up in Denver, Colorado, with an older sister and a younger brother. Following his ordination to the priesthood in 1997, Father Cozzens served in two parishes in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis with the Companions. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Sacramental Theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy.
Why did you choose the Companions of Christ?
"I experienced during my college years the power that living with a group of men committed to the Gospel can have in my own Christian life, and in my ongoing conversion. When I began considering life as a priest I knew that I also wanted to live with a group of men who were related to a common cause and had the same vision of priesthood I had. I was drawn to the fraternal life of the Companions knowing I would not have to live my priesthood alone. I was impressed with the radical way the Companions desired to lead lives of holiness through the Evangelical Counsels."
How does being a member of the Companions of Christ help you in your Ministry?
"Being a Companion of Christ changes the way that I live my life as a priest in very practical ways. For example, if I decided to sleep in and skip my morning Holy Hour my brothers would notice and ask where I was. That kind of fraternal support just wouldn't exist if I were living on my own. Another example of how life for me is different is the intensity of the relationships that occurs within the Companions. Because we live daily in community, there exists a greater intensity in our relationships that provides an opportunity and a challenge to grow to be more Christ-like. It's difficult to lead lives of Charity with a group of men. But it is in those difficult situations that we grow to truly love one another as Christ loves us and the Church. | 