Formation Sisters

The following is a general overview of the formation process for Sisters. Individual communities will vary.

Application Process

After a young woman has spent time in prayer and discernment and has grown in her knowledge of the community by visiting and working alongside the Sisters, she may wish to make an application for entrance into the community.

The Admissions Process is a time of deeper discernment which is carried out in stages, beginning with the writing of a brief autobiographical sketch.

After this autobiography has been submitted and the young woman has been advised to continue with her application, she fills out a questionnaire about her life and her health, submits school transcripts and speaks with the Sisters personally of her desire and aptitude for religious life.

In discernment, we seek to:

• Help a young woman accept her own life and the lives of others as gifts of God.
• Encourage her to open herself to the plan of God and to see if she may be called to share in the community's ideal and charism.
• Challenge her to follow Christ the Master and fan into flame a passion for announcing the Gospel.
• Accompany her in discernment in order that she might discover the signs of her own call to a particular manner of consecration and mission and readily and joyfully embrace it.
• Provide retreat weekends and "Come and See" live-in opportunities.
• Help individuals in both prayer and vocational growth through discernment programs offered either via phone or in person.

Candidacy

Although not required for entrance, the Candidacy Program may be advised for those who have completed the admissions process but for various reasons (for example: payment of debts, completion of education, etc.) are not ready for entrance into the Postulancy program. Candidacy may be lived at home, or in one of the local communities. It seeks to put the young woman in closer contact with the congregation through: personal understanding of her call from God, readings and reflections on various aspects of the charism, and experiencing the apostolic work of the community as much as possible. The candidate is accompanied spiritually by a Sister. There is no established length for this stage of formation. Each person is considered with her own personal and unique gifts, situation and circumstances and advised accordingly.

Postulancy

Generally Postulancy lasts two years, although this may vary. The first year of Postulancy is a time of greater focus on human formation and adult education in the Faith.

The second year of Postulancy is a more intense preparation for the Novitiate. During this time, the young woman will further develop her human and Christian maturity, and come to understand more deeply what it means to completely dedicate herself.

During the Postulancy, a young woman is initiated into prayer life: the reading of Scripture, meditation, participation at Mass, daily Hour of Adoration, retreats, and other means of spiritual growth.

Novitiate

The Novitiate is a two-year program of real initiation into the religious life. Building on the Postulancy, the novice becomes more greatly aware of her vocation, experiences the Institute’s style of life and takes on its spirit. In prayer, study, the mission and fraternal communion, the novice embraces the charism and prepares for consecration to the Lord in the profession of her first vows.

Juniorate

The Juniorate is the time of temporary vows that are renewed each year for a period of five years. The junior professed Sister continues her formation, engages more fully in the mission and deepens her understanding of all the aspects of religious life—consecration, spirituality and community. Upon completion of the Juniorate, the young Sister will spend some months in intense preparation for her final vows.

Perpetual Profession

In the decisive act of perpetual profession, God consecrates the life of the Sister to himself forever and places it at the service of the Church in the choosen congregation. Rooted in God, the professed Sister responds with a public and definitive commitment and continually directs her life to him for the proclamation of the Gospel.

Information on this page is courtesy:
www.daughtersofstpaul.com/daughters/vocations/vocdiscern.html