Discernment of Vocation
God’s call must find its way to the heart and penetrate the depths of a person’s thoughts, will, and emotions in order to shape their decisions. This process unfolds through prayer, meetings with the sisters, conversations, correspondence, days of recollection, and retreats.
Postulancy
This stage lasts from one to two years. The postulant gradually transitions from lay life to the life proper to consecrated persons; she deepens her human and religious formation and becomes familiar with the sisters' way of life while discerning her vocation to this religious family.
Novitiate
This stage lasts two years. The novice prepares to make vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience to God. During this time, the sisters study the Congregation’s Constitutions, spirituality, history, and apostolic principles; they perform various household tasks and undertake a period of apostolic work—lasting several weeks—outside the novitiate house.
Juniorate
This stage lasts from four to six years. This is a time for grounding one’s vocation and for preparing—both theoretically and practically—for various apostolic tasks. This period concludes with the making of perpetual vows. The sister signs the act of perpetual vows upon the altar, thereby symbolically uniting her entire life with the Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ.