Nicolás Brown is the only male child of the marriage between Ronald Bown and María Angélica Domínguez, who have four other daughters. Holding a degree as a Commercial Engineer, he decided to live his religious vocation as Laico Consagrado del Regnum Christi in 2007. He is currently training as a seminarian of the Legionaries of Christ in Rome. He is finishing his first year of theology, and has two more to go. “Here I am walking towards the priesthood,” he comments.
When did you consider having a vocation to a consecrated life?
During high school, I was very involved working in the ECYD. It was there that I felt God’s call to give my life. After finishing school, in February 2006, I went to live in the community with the priests and consecrated persons. In December 2007, I consecrated myself and went to Mexico to begin my year of formation. The truth is that Father Álvaro Corcuera LC invited me to the consecrated life. I went, experienced it, and fell in love with that vocation.
How did you get to know Regnum Christi?
I got to know it through Colegio Cumbres. First, I participated in ECYD where I was responsible, then I became a collaborator, and I joined Regnum Christi in 2004 during a Youth and Family Encounter.
What role did your parents and family play in this?
My family played a very important role. At home, faith was always lived very naturally. We went to Mass as a family on Sundays, prayed the Month of Mary, etc. My mother was Sister Mariana of Schöenstatt, and my father was a convert from Anglicanism. Both have always been a great example for me in faith.
What made you change your mind and become a priest?
The truth is, I didn’t change my “idea.” It was God who came to meet me and asked me for it. It is God who invites, and it is man who responds. I responded, and here I am walking towards the priesthood.
Can you explain what differences there are between these two vocations?
Both vocations share the same essence: they are a call from God to give one’s life for Him. The lay consecrated is called to give testimony in the world by living the earthly realities according to the Gospel. In contrast, the religious-priest is called to be a visible sign of future realities. When someone sees a priest on the street, just by seeing him, they remember God because of the distinctive he carries. Both vocations are important and essential in the Church.
What has Regnum Christi meant to you?
Regnum Christi is a gift to me. It is the place where I learned to know Jesus and to give myself to others. I owe my life and vocation to Regnum Christi. It is a way of living the Christian life within the Church, in community.
What would you say to a young person who is considering a vocation to a consecrated life?
Be generous in “trying.” When a young person is generous, God clearly shows him the way. God is the one who calls. If He is knocking at the door, you must open it, as it fills life with meaning.
