How to prepare for a missionary life?
Through the ministry of Vocation Promotion, young men are admitted into our Pre Novitiate Program. During this time, the individual is guided in the direction of a commitment to life as a Missionary Servant priest or religious Brother.
Pre Novitate
Brothers renewing their vows
Specifically, the Pre Novitiate assists the individual in the development of fundamental human and Christian qualities as well as the spiritual, communal, and the apostolic values and ideals of the Community. There is an academic dimension, which is tailored to the man and his future choice of ministry. This stage of development usually lasts three years.
Novitiate
This is the stage of formation where the novice is formally initiated into the Community. This is a spiritually profound stage in the formation program. Under the close direction of the Director of the Novitiate, the novices deepen their encounter with our Lord and in a prayerful setting, confirm their vocation to religious life. The novices receive the Community’s habit and spend a year preparing to take their first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They study the Missionary Servant’s Rule of Life and Constitution, and experience short stays on our missions.
Post Novitiate
Fr. Raul Ventura’s ordination
The purpose of this final stage of formation is to equip the young confrere to be pastorally innovative in today’s world, inspired by the vision and charism of our founder Fr. Judge as articulated in our Rule of Life and Constitution. For three to four years, confreres study theology and spend one full year on mission. At the conclusion, they take their final vows. The Post Novitiate offers formation to the professed student that will enable him to exercise his specific ministry, whether as a Brother or a priest, as a full member of the Community.
Throughout the formation process the individual and the Community are very attentive to the prompting of the Spirit and ultimately discern a mission assignment that is a “best fit” for the young religious. After a long formation journey, finally comes a first mission assignment!
