Men called by God do not always become priests: some, like St. Francis of Assisi, become religious brothers.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his 2009 message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations:

The vocation to the priesthood and to the consecrated life constitutes a special gift of God which becomes part of the great plan of love and salvation that God has for every man and woman and for the whole of humanity.
—Pope Benedict XVI

The Diocese of Knoxville is blessed to have a number of members of the Alexian Brothers serving in the Chattanooga area. The brothers operate the most comprehensive network of residential, retirement, and community resources for seniors and older adults of Chattanooga and Hamilton County.