The call to religious life: a particular vocation
God is still calling, women and men to follow Christ Jesus through various forms of consecrated life. Blessed Anne-Marie Javouhey, foundress of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, founded an ‘apostolic religious’ congregation. As a member of the congregation, a sister commits herself to the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. This call is responded to in freedom and often is encouraged by those God places on the road of the one called.
After a time of coming to know the congregation, sometimes through a particular sister or through the activities of a diocesan vocation office, a woman can ask to begin a formal time of formation in our congregation. The steps are as follows:
The Postulancy
The postulancy enables a gradual transition into religious life. It can lasts from six months to two years. It is a time of deepening the awareness of God’s call as well as both the wealth and demands of religious life lived in our congregation. It is one step in the process of discernment which begins to prepare someone to give a free and responsible response to the gift of God’s call.
The Novitiate
This second phase of formation is a two year process. The novitiate is centered on the person of Christ. "It is He the novices will try to know and love better." The first year is devoted to the study of doctrine and religious life. During the second year, the novice experiences community life outside of the novitiate while continuing her spiritual and religious training.
While living in community a novice becomes more familiar with the living out of the evangelical counsels and the daily search for the Will of God, especially through her prayer. It is an experience that prepares her for temporary vows, a step towards a definitive consecration.
The Juniorate (Temporary Vows)
This step in the formation process is usually between six to nine years in community. Sisters progress in their life of union with God, in community living and in their practice of the evangelical counsels. The juniorate prepares a sister to fulfill the mission entrusted to our congregation by the Church. The sisters seek to deepen her theological, spiritual and apostolic formation to best accomplish this mission.
Perpetual Profession (Final Vows)
At the end of her temporary vows, a sister makes a definitive commitment, through her ‘pertpetual vows’ to live the evangelical counsels of obedience, chastity and poverty according to the constitutions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny. This is an expression of the total gift of herself to God.
