Bright colors and bold silhouettes filled the halls of the 2026 Assembly of the Religious Brothers Conference (RBC), held July 13–16 at the Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. Every year, brothers from congregations across the country gather to strengthen bonds of friendship, share their ministries, and renew their sense of mission.
Representing the Claretian Missionaries was Brother Larry Moen, CMF, who joined 32 brothers from religious congregations across the country for three days of prayer, presentations, and conversation.
“Our work is very important. As brothers, our challenge is to make sure that we stand close to the wounds of the people that we work with in the classroom, in the hospitals, in the shelters, retreat centers, refugee camps, prisons, neighborhoods, and places that people feel abandoned,” explained Brother Larry. “We’re there to educate them and to help them, and often we do that without recognition, yet always with God’s fidelity.”
“Our challenge is to make sure we stand close to the wounds of the people that we work with.” – Brother Larry
This year’s presenter was Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS, an artist whose paintings lined the halls of the retreat center. Framed around Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, Brother Mickey’s presentations gathered the brothers to reflect on their shared call to care for our common home.
Brother Mickey also shared how his art gives visual expression to the lived experience of being a religious brother.
Beyond the formal sessions, the evenings brought their own kind of grace.
“I brought back a sense of hope and a sense of encouragement. I was very affirmed at the meeting to continue on and to keep going, and to bring people hope,” Brother Larry said.
Learn more about the Religious Brothers Conference and how to join a future assembly at todaysbrother.com.
