Inspired by faith and social justice

By Kerry Lester
Contributor

Viatorian Father Corey Brost has always liked “Standing Outside the Fire” by Garth Brooks. Brost has played the tune many times in his different positions as a priest and a brother: lawyer, vocation director, campus minister, retreat leader and teacher.

While he always intended the words to elicit inspiration for faith and social justice, its lyrics also reflect Brost’s lifetime of responding to spiritual calls: “You’ve got to be tough when consumed by desire/Because it’s not enough just to stand outside the fire.”

After graduating from the University of Illinois Law School in 1985, Brost took a reporting position for the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky. “A lot of my motivation as both a reporter and a lawyer was the fact I wanted to make a difference,” he said.

“However, this was a time in my life I wasn’t going to church or practicing my faith. I really felt something missing in my life.”

Brought up as a Catholic, Brost “went back to church and started praying. I thought I’d give faith, and God, another shot.”

Pretty soon, he started thinking about the Viatorians, the order that ran his alma mater, Griffin High School in Springfield.
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“I tracked down a former teacher of mine, Father Tom von Behren. After he counseled me about the possibility of spiritual life, it kind of hit me—the Viatorians are for you.”

Brost, who initially decided to try life as a brother for a year, embraced his new challenges and opportunities, taking permanent vows in 1992.

As a Viatorian, he used his background to heighten public awareness of the needs of the marginalized and to directly advocate for them. He served as a lawyer at Association House for young people living in poverty and as a caseworker at REST Shelter for the homeless. As a vocation director for the Arlington Heights-based order, he frequently brought St. Viator High School students together with discerning Viatorians, during soup kitchen trips, conferences and retreats.

In 2003, when Brost was working as a teacher at St. Viator, “I felt an inner call again, saying: ‘Come and follow me, take this step to the priesthood, not because its better or higher, but time for you to use these gifts.’”

Ordained last spring, he is now a priest at St. Viator Parish on Chicago’s North Side. With a sizeable Hispanic population, Masses at St. Viator are conducted in both Spanish and English.

“The most challenging part is for me being a priest and providing in Spanish—a lot of times I feel like I can’t get my thoughts across right.” However, this challenge is “also the most enriching part. The [Spanish-speaking] parishioners have truly supported me and made me feel at home.”





By far not fluent

A lot of times I feel like I can’t get what I’m saying across

But also the most enriching part, they’ve been

Using





Started thinking about the Viatorians, tracked down a former teacher of mine tom von behern, about spiritual life, and that conversation got me thinking about

It kind of hit me, this is for you

Although really a shock to me, I spent a year really thinking about it

He was vocation director

Give it a try for a year

1987,

I took permanent vows 1992,



Brost entered the Viatorian community in 1988. A graduate of Griffin High School, one of his former teachers, Father Thomas von Behren, inspired him to consider a religious life.

Father Corey Brost is an outspoke

has spent his life telling people what he thinks. A vowed viatorian since 1988, Viatorian priest is a trained journalist and



Corey Brost, CSV



Tell me about life before you were a brother.

I was a reporter for the Courier Journal in Louisvilel Kentucky

All types of things

Law School, 85, county

Govt. education, everything



What attracted you to religious life?



Didn’t start thinking about it till I was a reporter and I just a couple of things

It was both—it was right and a struggle to adjust

Taught at Viator for half a year

Wasn’t going to church and practicing my faith—something missing in my life, and so I was’nt sure what it was, was concerned

I thought I’d give faith another shot, give God another shot

Went back to church, started praying



It was the call, all of a sudden someone says to you

Campus ministry

Social justice—really comes from the sense that someone ho loves me and wants whats best for me

Worked as a lawyer, vocation director, and involved in a lot of peace and justice activities, non profit agencies, homeless families in Las Vegas,



Martin de Porres, represented the Viatorians on the Board of Trustees for Martin de Porres, done some retreats, etc.



To the Viatorians?

You attended a viatorian high school, correct?



Did you have a sort of wake up moment when you realized this was what you wanted to do?



While a campus minister at St. Viator High School, Viatorian Father (then Brother) Corey Brost



Newly ordained Viatorian Father Corey Brost isn’t a quiet guy. He’ll tell you what he thinks,



“In the spring of 2003, while I was teaching at Viator,

As a former lawyer and journalist, he’ll tell you what he thinks and push you out of your safety zone, willing or not.



As a former Campus minister at St. Viator High School, Father (then Brother) Corey Brost was known for his soup kitchen trips.

They

Well first of all, I don’t see it as a next step,

Really a brother at heart, tahts my call

First interested in joining viatorians, that call just kind of went

Finding girlfriends

The most challenging part is for me being a priest and providing in Spanish

Preside and priest in

By far not fluent

A lot of times I feel like I can’t get what I’m saying across

But also the most enriching part, they’ve been

Almost half,





What year was that?



Now, in high school, I always remember I would slip and call you father corey—and I would get a lecture about the benefits of being a brother…



Did you have a spiritual mentor?



What convinced you to take the next step?



What is the most difficult part of religious life for you?



Whats the most rewarding part of all of this?