Originally published on lasallian.info
October 21, 2025
This is the first in a series of profiles of Christian Brothers leading up to National Vocations Awareness Week, Nov. 2-8, 2025.
By Bob Carrejo
For Brother Joel McGraw, FSC, the work of being part of the Lasallian mission is, as he puts it, “Not very complicated!” A De La Salle Brother for 61 years, Brother Joel has served in a variety of ministries of the Midwest District, including over 40 years spent at his alma mater, Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where he is currently retired and lives in community.
Recently, Brother Joel was asked to reflect on his many professional and personal experiences living and exploring his vocation as Brother.
What is your definition of vocation?
It’s not a job. It’s a way of living. For me, it has been living in community with the Brothers of the Christian Schools. It forms my whole life. I can’t see myself in any other way of living.
The Founder described his vocation journey in terms of God leading him “in an imperceptible way and over a long period of time so that one commitment led to another in a way that I did not foresee in the beginning.” Does that resonate with your story of how you arrived where you are today?
It does! It started in the third grade. I was taught by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. I was so impressed by them, but they were women, so I thought, “Well, I can’t do that.” Later, I wanted to attend the diocesan high school run by priests, but my parents said, “No, you’re going to the Brothers.” So, I went and immediately thought, “I can do this!” Then, when the Brothers asked if I would consider becoming a Brother, my father’s advice was to take some time before deciding. I went to the public college for a year, and then my parents put me on the train to go to the Brothers. My father said, “You can always come back. The door’s always open.” That was 61 years ago.
What do you see as the importance of community both to the Lasallian mission and to you personally? And what, for you, have been its biggest gifts and challenges?
Fraternal love in community – that’s it! For the past 61 years I have lived and thrived in community. I learn from the Brothers and I teach them. It has made for a very fulfilling life and the one envisioned by De La Salle: “I promise and vow to live in community with the Brothers of the Christian Schools.” And the community life is a witness to all those around us. They know we operate as a team.
How would you describe what it means to have a prayer life?
My daily prayer life has five aspects: rosary, Mass, interior prayer, spiritual reading, community prayer. These form my prayer life. I did not invent them; they were passed on to me by the Brothers over these past 61 years. They are all in the Rule. They work for me.
What have been your goals as an educator and your ways of accompanying your students in their faith formation?
As the Founder taught us: Touch their hearts! I enjoyed that effort in the classroom and as an assistant principal. Today, that influence continues as many of my former students reach out to me to visit, speak to their groups, etc. I hope to be an encouragement to their faith. At the parish Mass at St. Louis Catholic Church, no fewer than five of my former students are daily communicants, servers, lectors, and two are priests. God has been good to allow me to occupy a small corner of their religious lives.
Some social observers question whether or not the vowed religious life is still relevant to contemporary culture and point to the decline in vocations to the religious life as evidence that it may not be. What does your experience as a De La Salle Brother tell you?
From the decline of family life to and perseverance in marriage to the decline of Catholic religious practice, there are many “forces” that make persons question the relevance of religious life. Yet, we had at CBHS a temporary vowed Brother who taught freshman religion and was active everywhere. At his final vows profession Mass at the parish, no fewer than 100 of his former students attended. I thought to myself, “The power of one man in a short time!”
If the Institute were to vanish tomorrow from our national landscape, what do you think would be lost? In other words, what do you see as the Institute’s unique and essential gift to our society?
Our students would miss the presence and positive influence and faith and love they have found in the Brothers. I see it here year in the huge number of alumni who love their Brothers who taught them; I know that I continue to have a positive influence in their lives. Take all that away and they would feel a vacuum. It is not rocket science. It is just paying attention to them, being interested in them, loving them, praying for them. Not very complicated!
Photo Credit: Dave Genders