Formation
Formation: Stages of Incorporation into Religious Life
When a woman first expresses interest in a community, she is asked to attend events put on by the order. In this stage she is often called a pre-aspirant. After application and acceptance to an order a woman becomes a candidate or postulant for 1 to 2 years. In some orders the woman continues her job or study and lives in community. Postulants in other orders give up their job and possessions when moving into community for this stage.
The next stage of formation is the novitiate. The woman is a novice for 1 to 2 years. During this time attention is given to exploring the vowed life in depth. The novice has classes in religious life, the history and charism of the particular religious order, prayer, scripture, and spirituality. Part of the novitiate is given to apostolic works in short term experiences.
After novitiate the woman asks permission to make first vows. The sister is then a junior professed or temporary professed for 3 to 6 years while living in community and sharing in full time ministry or study. Periodic classes and time is set apart for further formation.
After the period of temporary profession the woman can apply to make her permanent or perpetual vows. This means the Sister is then a full and permanent member of the community. Formation continues throughout her life but with more responsibility on her on part.
The Life: Common Doubts and Fears
Many women considering the life of a sister often share some fears and doubts. You might look over these and see if they find an echo in your mind and heart.
- How do I know for sure if I have a vocation?
- How certain do I have to be? (No one has 100% certainty! Then we wouldn't have to trust)
- Fear of the unknown, fear of making a permanent commitment, fear of failure
- How do I know which religious order is the right one for me?
- Will my personal story fit in with the story of the sisters?
- Will my needs for intimacy be met?
- Will I have to give up something valuable in order to join?
- What if I'm not "holy" enough?
An Invitation
If you feel a tug in your heart to consider religious life and if the thought keeps coming back again and again…..this could be a sign of a Church vocation. Even your doubts and fears may be signs that God is asking something of you! Ask a sister about the above questions, doubts and fears.
What do I do next?
- Contact a sister you know or a vocation director.
- Go to the diocesan vocation office and talk to a sister there.
- If you are NOT living in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, you can find a vocation director in your area by going to the National Religious Vocation Conference Web site.
- Get involved in your parish in a ministry or in some form of service to others.
- Cultivate a prayer life that includes daily conversations with God, spiritual reading and reflection. You might write in a journal any significant Scriptures, events or experiences of God that have moved you to want to be a religious.
- Explore at least 3 different religious communities. Ask the sisters if you can pray with them, join in a meal and even spend a week with them in community.
- Ask sisters to tell you their vocation stories. Read books about sisters.
