Formation

Stirred and grasped by the love of God, the same love that moved St. Francis and Mother M. Anselma, a young Catholic woman, hearing God’s call to our religious community, begins her formation as a candidate. During her candidacy, she learns more about our religious life.

After her candidacy, she is accepted into the postulancy.

In a special ceremony, the future Sister is accepted into what is known as the postulancy. The nine months that follow serve as an introduction to religious life. Then the novitiate begins.

Upon admission into the novitiate, which takes place during a liturgical celebration, the young Sister receives the habit, the religious name, a copy of the liturgy of the hours, and the Rule and Constitutions of our community.

Spiritual formation takes place during the two-year novitiate. During this time, the Sister is formed in the spirit of the Gospel, the Franciscan tradition, and the charism of our community. She receives instruction and accompaniment in the practice of personal prayer and in the living of our religious life.

At the end of the novitiate, the Sister makes her first profession.

In first profession, the Sister consecrates herself to God in the vows of consecrated chastity, poverty and obedience, and binds herself to the community for an initial period of one year. The vows are renewed annually until final profession. The purpose of this time, referred to as the juniorate, is two-fold. First, this phase serves the deepening of religious life. Second, it gives the young Sister the opportunity of integrating daily demands, especially those arising from the apostolate, into her religious life.

After three to six years in the juniorate, the Sister makes her final profession and thus binds herself forever to God and the community.