With the arrival of the new bishop, Lamennais was able to direct more of his energies to this project. In response to this, the two priests began to recruit men to commit themselves to this life as part of a religious community. The first recruits received their canonical training from the Brothers of the Christian Schools. They then made a spiritual retreat at Auray, at the end of which, on 15 September 1820, they took religious vows, through which the institute became formally established as the Brothers of Christian Instruction.