 As communities of lay Brothers, they were under the authority of their local bishops, who acted canonically as the superior general of the community within their diocese.The Brothers, however, came to desire a closer connection with the wider Franciscan Order.Additionally, due to the desire of some of the Brothers for ordination, as well as seeing a need to have the pastoral care of both the Brothers and their students coming from within their community, Brothers Raphael Brehenny, O.S.F., and his successor, Brother Linus Lynch, O.S.F., the superiors of the Brooklyn community, asked the bishop of that diocese for permission to have some of the members of that community ordained as priests.