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Stages of Formation |
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There is a minimum total of five and a half years of basic formation in our Congregation. Pre-Novitiate The Novitiate Temporary Profession The Scholasticate Tertianship Perpetual Profession |
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Our Congregation attaches great importance to this period of basic formation. During the pre-Novitiate, which lasts two years, a candidate/postulate follows an orderly program of instruction and doctrinal formation under the direction of a personnel appointed by the Superior General. Before the next stage of formation, the postulant experiences six months of community-life in one of our communities. |
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A total period of Novitiate in our Congregation is two years. It is during the Novitiate that the novice is given a copy of the Constitutions and the Directory of our Congregation. She wears a simple dress and a veil. The novice is led to learn the character and spirit of our Congregation, its purpose and discipline, its life and history, and its particular mission in the Church. At the end of the two years of formation in the Novitiate, a novice is sent out on a three-month apostolic experience in one of our communities. When the novice is declared ready for first profession, she undertakes a spiritual retreat of eight days. |
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By religious profession, the novice makes a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. It is at the time of temporary profession that a novice receives the distinctive habit of our Congregation. Thus, she becomes a member of our Congregation with rights and duties of membership. |
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As a general rule, the newly-professed sister is not assigned immediately to apostolic work. She will be assured of full spiritual, apostolic, doctrinal and professional maturity by means of a one-year continuation of formation called the period of Scholasticate. |
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Sisters declared ready for the final profession of vows spend three months free of other occupations, in prayers and reflections aimed at deepening the spirit in which they make and live the permanent consecration. The sisters review, in the light of their experiences, the principles and inspirations of the religious and apostolic life, the ideals of the Congregation and their own successes and failures in living according to these ideals and principles. |
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In our Congregation, perpetual profession is made after a sister has spent at least five years in temporary vows. At perpetual profession, a sister is given a ring as a sign of her union with the Divine Spouse. |
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