Saint Brendan's Crew

``Seventeen is the heroic age. It's the age of vocation, that is, of God's call and man's response. It is the age when man measures the world, himself takes the measure of man, and makes the most important choices of his entire life.’’ (Father Paul Doncœur, S.J.)

The path is difficult, rough, and steep. But the demands you make of yourself will lead you to true happiness. 

The Road offers you the chance to reach your personal best in the five aims that make up Exploring's goals:

• a strong, healthy body.

• a solid character enlightened by sound judgment.

• an open and generous heart, always ready to serve others.

• the technical skills to translate your generosity into action.

• a radiant faith, a sign of your personal encounter with Jesus, your companion on the Road.

Three things God loves best: ``faith in God with a pure heart, a simple life with a religious spirit, and charity with generosity.’’ Three things God most detests: ``a scowling face, obstinacy in wrongdoing, and too great a confidence in the power of money.’’ (from the story of Saint Brendan's education by Abbess Ita of Kileedy)

Born in AD 484 to a Catholic family in Ireland, Brendan of Clonfort would become the founder of multiple monasteries while being famous for his sea-faring expeditions to unknown lands.

His feast day is the 16th of May.

There is linguistic evidence that Irish had already landed on the North-American continent between 2500 to 4500 years ago, forming part of the indigenous heritage of this country.

A poem about Saint Brendan was composed by Catholic writer and linguist J. R. R. Tolkien. (external link)

We glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, character; and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us: because the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, Who is given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

The purpose of the Crew is not to acquire badges (in fact there are none) but to learn to follow Christ as virtuous Catholic men who do not shrink back from the challenge of real life and real suffering in union with Christ.

Together, each with his own burden, we can move on the Road towards Heaven.

With a simple uniform that is gained only upon making the Explorer Promise, and program costs carried by each man according to his own interests and pursuits, St. Brendan's Crew purposes to be accessible to as many men as will take up the challenge of our method and our focus on individual, life-changing activities, practiced in collaboration with other Wayfarer Explorers throughout the world.

Find a Catholic man who will agree to be your mentor, known as your ``Godfather’’. Together you'll find the right way to set your personal goals. Then it's up to you to meet those goals! Your mentor won't accomplish them for you.

Meet with your Godfather every 2 to 6 weeks, as you find best suits your goals and schedule.

A priest who you trust, who is faithful to Christ and preaches the truth, who will hear your confession and give you good direction, is a necessity in this perilous journey through the battlefield of life on earth.

Although it is possible to have a non-priest as your Spiritual Director, it is highly recommended to find a ``Spiritual Father’’ who provides sure help in the realm of the spiritual combat.

Meet with your Spiritual Father at least once a month.

Our program requires a national-level registration of all members, which provides insurance coverage at a fee of $45 per year. For those just starting out, that's the only cost. [Dues have increased since the FNE first offered insurance and shows the most recent update as of September 2024.]

After about six months, if you want to continue in the program, it's time for a big step forward: making your Promise as a Wayfarer Explorer. By then it's time to have arranged for a uniform, which is rented at the cost of $120 per year ($10 per month). After you've rented the uniform for three years, there's no additional rental fee.

Four times a year we have camping, hiking, BBQ cookouts, and other activities together as a Crew.

Known as ``Roads’’, these activities prove that iron sharpens iron, and a friend makes his friends glad. (see Proverbs 27:17)

Autumn Road: September 27--29. Connected to the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage in Washington, D.C.

Winter Road: November 29--December 1. Hiking between Keys Gap and Harpers Ferry.

Spring Road: March 7--9. Hiking and camping in Pennsylvania.

Summer Road: June 13--15. Sacred Heart Mass and Pilgrimage. Hiking at Sweet Run State Park in Virginia.

Each Road has five activities as part of it; each man participating needs to attend at least one part of each Road. If you're out of town or unavailable, a substitute event will be coordinated by you to fulfil the goals missed.

Every man on the Crew needs to have a way that he helps others in his community, parish, neighborhood, or city. Where-ever you live, there are people in need.

In discussion with the Crew, you'll find a role of service where you will develop your skills and technical abilities through volunteer service that you choose to do as an individual based on your other responsibilities, work, family duties, and interests.

These rules are ten positive statements about who you will be as a Wayfarer Explorer. Strive, by grace, to fulfil them, and you will know you are following Christ!

1. An Explorer’s honor is to be trusted.

2. An Explorer is loyal to his country, parents, leaders and subordinates.

3. An Explorer is made to serve and save his neighbor.

4. An Explorer is a friend to all and a brother to every other Explorer.

5. An Explorer is courteous and chivalrous.

6. An Explorer sees nature as God’s creation; he loves plants and animals.

7. An Explorer obeys proper orders and leaves nothing half finished.

8. An Explorer controls himself: he smiles and sings under all difficulties.

9. An Explorer is thrifty, he takes good care of his own possessions and those of others.

10. An Explorer is pure in thought, word and deed.

Our three principles set the guidelines for our journey, making sure we are always on track.

1. An Explorer’s duty starts at home.

2. An Explorer is true to his country and favors a cooperative and fraternal North America.

3. As a son of Christendom, an Explorer is proud of his faith: he labors to establish the reign of Christ in all his life and in the world around him.

Without a strong purpose and specific goals, we would never reach our intended destination. The Explorer Law is written on the heart and shown in all our actions as Catholic men. We can be certain of this, that Jesus will bless us with the treasures of His Sacred Heart, when we give our hearts to Him through our Promise as Wayfarer Explorers, saying:

On my honor and with God’s grace,

I promise to do my best to serve God, the Church, and my country, to help my neighbor at all times, and to obey the Explorer Law.