Stages of Formation

The Candidacy phase of the formation process formally welcomes the woman into the Congregation. It is a time of continuing discernment for the Candidate and the Congregation.

This phase is an opportunity for a Candidate to deepen her relationship with God and to begin the transition to religious life or to discern another calling.

The length of Candidacy ranges from six months to two years.  At the end of this phase, the Candidate may request entrance into the Novitiate.

Here are videos of some candidate’s welcome ceremonies:

You can also listen to two candidates talk about their experience of transitioning from being a discerner to a candidate and about being a candidate during the coronavirus period.

A Discerner’s Transition Into Candidacy

Candidate Cathy Buchanan shares her experience of preparing to enter our congregation during the pandemic.

Candidacy During Coronavirus

Sr. Annie Killian shares how she had to reshape her schedule during the pandemic to add more time for prayer, journaling and personal reflection. She shares how inspired she was by her religious Sisters who were serving emerging needs. This helped her to move forward in her discernment and formation, recognizing how the world needs us “to speak a word of peace and bring God’s healing touch” to others.

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask God in my name, God may give you.” (John 15:16)

The Novitiate focuses on deepening a Novice’s spirituality, as well as her understanding of the vows and mission of the Congregation. “A Novitiate of two years will offer the Novice time to spend one of those years as a Canonical Novice, and another year during which she may engage in further study or apostolic ministry.” (Constitution 30)

The Canonical Novitiate Year is primarily a year of prayer and reflection with a contemplative focus that necessarily implies a slowing down of activity and a quieting of the spirit.  The Canonical Year is ordinarily the first year of the novitiate and usually takes place at the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate.

During this second year, a novice integrates the learnings from the Canonical Year into her life in community and ministry. At the end of this phase, the Novice may request to make her first profession of vows.

Here are videos of candidates being received as novices:

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask God in my name, God may give you.” (John 15:16)

During this time of Temporary Profession, the vowed member seeks to deepen her Dominican Apostolic Life by continuing to interiorize and integrate all that she has learned and experienced during her time as a Candidate and Novice.

The study program for those in Temporary Profession is designed according to the needs of the individual.  Workshops, articles, and books on a variety of topics may be considered for study.

The length of this phase is not less than three years nor longer than six years.

Here are videos of our Sisters making their Temporary Profession of Vows (or First Profession of Vows):

Perpetual Profession completes the initial formation process.

Each Perpetually Professed Sister has the primary responsibility for her continuing growth in intimacy with God and unity with all God’s people and all God’s creation through fidelity to her Dominican life of prayer, community, study and ministry.

Here are videos of some of our Sister’s Perpetual Profession of Vows ceremonies.