Profession of Final Vows – August 15, 2026

The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius joyfully announce that Brother Marko Culjak, SJC and Brother Joshua Smerker, SJC have been approved by the Superior General and his Council to make their Profession of Final Vows.

This solemn milestone marks the definitive gift of their lives to God through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Rule of St. Augustine and the Constitutions of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. Their perpetual profession is a joyful witness to Christ's faithful love and a sign of hope for the Church.

The faithful are warmly invited to join us for this sacred celebration:

Vespers & the Profession of Final Vows

Saturday, August 15

3:45 p.m.

St. John Cantius Church

825 N. Carpenter Street

Chicago, Illinois

We ask all our friends, benefactors, parishioners, and supporters to keep Brother Marko and Brother Joshua in your prayers as they make this lifelong commitment to Christ and His Church. May Our Lady of the Assumption obtain for them the grace of joyful perseverance and faithful service throughout their lives.

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Brother Marko Culjak, SJC

Brother Marko Culjak grew up in Skokie, Illinois, where he attended Northridge Preparatory School. He earned both a bachelor's and master's degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and worked at Ernst & Young before discerning a call to religious life and the priesthood. He enjoys playing sports, reading, and watching movies.

As he prepares to profess Final Vows, Brother Marko reflects on Christ's complete gift of self on the Cross and his own desire to respond in kind. "I've often reflected about how Jesus completely gave Himself for us and how I've always wanted to do the same for Him, and now I get to do that with His grace." He is especially grateful that God is calling him in a twofold way through solemn profession as a religious and, God willing, the priesthood.

Looking back on his years of formation, Brother Marko is particularly thankful for the liturgical formation he has received. "Each and every year we get to unpack the mysteries of Christ's life in a deeper way, participating in His life and allowing Him to live His life in us."

Brother Marko also encourages the faithful to pray for priests and those preparing for Holy Orders. Recalling a saying attributed to St. Teresa of Ávila, he notes, "If we have enough language to criticize priests, we should have twice as much to pray for them." As he approaches this important milestone, he asks for prayers that he may remain faithful to Christ and the vocation to which he has been called.

Brother Joshua Smerker, SJC

Brother Joshua Smerker grew up in Helena, Montana, and attended Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana. After high school, he entered the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, having discerned a call to religious life and the priesthood. Prior to entering the community, he worked in a nursing home. He enjoys fishing, antiquing, and skiing.

As he prepares to profess Final Vows, Brother Joshua reflects on the profound significance of this moment. He describes Final Vows as his lifelong "yes" to Christ and the day he gives himself completely to Him through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Looking toward this lifelong commitment, Brother Joshua says his heart is filled with gratitude and peace. He is deeply aware of God's faithfulness throughout his years of formation and trusts that the Lord will continue to provide the grace needed for the years ahead. His prayer is simple: to love Christ more each day and to remain faithful until the end.

Among the spiritual influences that have shaped his vocation most profoundly are devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus, which continually reminds him of Christ's infinite love and mercy, as well as the example of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. John Cantius, and meditation on the suffering Christ.

Reflecting on his formation, Brother Joshua is especially grateful for the people God has placed in his life, those who have encouraged him, challenged him, and helped him grow in holiness. He speaks with particular gratitude for the friendships that have sustained him throughout these years and for the gift of community life, through which he has experienced God's faithfulness in countless ways.

Brother Joshua hopes the faithful understand that Final Vows are one of the most significant moments in the life of a religious, establishing a permanent covenant with Christ through the evangelical counsels. While priestly ordination is a sacred calling for those whom God chooses, he notes that religious profession is itself a complete vocation. Through perpetual profession, a religious fully embraces his consecrated life, whether called to Holy Orders or to remain a brother.

"My Final Vows are the moment when I bind myself to Christ and to this community for the rest of my life," he says. "Everything that follows in my ministry will flow from that gift of self." He asks the faithful to pray that he may remain faithful to his vocation, grow in humility and charity, and never lose sight of the joy that comes from belonging completely to Christ. He also hopes that his profession will serve as a reminder that true joy is found not in keeping our lives for ourselves, but in giving them entirely to God.