The commitment is to be brothers for each other in a way that our responsibility to each other will lead us individually and as a group, to grow in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, recognizing Him at the heart of our life and ministry. The purpose of the group, therefore, moves beyond only recreation, socializing, or theological and ministerial discussions to that deep level where the members seek that union with Jesus and His Father s Will in their personal lives. Each person comes to his brothers where he happens to be in his life. The members see themselves committed to Jesus and to one another and not primarily to a set structure that they need to follow. Each fraternity develops according to the needs, hopes and personalities of its members. Growth within the fraternity will look like any human growth with its plateaus and crisis points. Any fraternity will need to be very realistic about and watchful for the dynamics of the group. Two important rules should be kept in mind. The group should give itself an initial period of time commitment, six months to a year, to offer themselves trustingly and faithfully to each other. This is vital for creating the climate needed to lessen our normal tendencies to be guarded or defensive. Secondly. it is not advisable for a fraternity to shift its members constantly, adding or subtracting, because growth in trust can easily be jeopardized. A small steady group can safeguard the intimacy needed for candor, care and confidence. Because time is needed for this gradual growth, joining a fraternity usually cannot provide the help needed by a priest who is at a point of serious crisis, whether he is trying to decide about remaining in active ministry or is under great emotional or psychological stress. While recognizing that each of us has his particular difficulties over which he struggles, a priest should usually consider joining a fraternity when he is committed to priesthood and desires to grow in that ministry.

Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests -- An Overview of Spirituality and Method, (Fifth Edition, April 1987), sometimes called the 'American Experience'