Entering Our Community
The process of becoming a permanent vowed member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida takes place in various stages, each designed to help you discern a permanent commitment. Formation focuses on theological, scriptural, liturgical, spiritual, and psychological learning that helps you grow in knowledge and experience of God, yourself, the community, and the people you serve.
The first stage of formation is a preparation for final commitment. It includes affiliature, postulancy, novitiate, and juniorate. The second stage is ongoing formation, which encompasses the rest of your life in our community.
Affiliature - "Is This Right For Me"?Affiliature is a pre-entrance program that allows you to explore your interests in religious life. When you sense an attraction to our way of life, you are welcome to become an affiliate. During this time you will have the opportunity to visit and meet with us so that you might become more acquainted with our life, spirituality, work, and charism. During this uncommitted time of six- months-to-one-year, you continue in your everyday life of work or study.
Postulancy - A Time For Learning and SharingPostulancy is a period of gradual orientation and adaptation beginning after you have applied for admission and have been accepted. During this period of one-to-two years, you live in the community and continue your work or study. This stage of formation will allow you to experience community living as you live, pray, and interact with the Sisters. Through your study, you will begin to develop yourself as a woman religious moving toward spiritual and psychological maturity.
Novitiate - Deepening the CommitmentThe Novitiate is the formal entrance into religious life and the congregation. During the two year period of formation, you put into practice the religious vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service to the poor. Through prayer, study, and listening to the Word of God, you will deepen your understanding and appreciation of your faith.
The emphasis of the first year of Novitiate is on the development of your prayer life and on formational studies. During the second year, you will begin a period of ministry in service to the poor as you begin to live out the charism you have been studying. At the end of the novitiate, you will make your first profession of temporary vows.
Juniorate - Becoming a Fully Professed Sister of CharityUpon completing your novitiate, you begin your ministry in the last stage of preparation for final vows. Whether you take up a full time ministry, professional studies, or a combination of both, you strive to integrate your spiritual and communal ministerial life.
The juniorate is a period of four-to-six years. At the end of each year, you renew your temporary vows until you make your final commitment in the congregation. As formation studies continue, you will experience yourself becoming a more authentic Sister of Charity as you continue spiritual and theological reflection, sharing of prayer, faith and ministerial experiences.
At the end of this period of time, you will make your perpetual vows and become a fully professed sister in the congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida.
Ongoing Formation - Continuing the Journey of Faith, Service and LoveAlthough the formal period of "formation" ends after perpetual vows, all of the Sisters of Charity are committed to ongoing self-development and faith development. You will continue to receive support in the development of your faith life through our ongoing formation programs.
"St. Matthew was prompt in responding to the grace of vocation. Our Lord said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew, obeying at once, left his office, his relatives and his friends and became the faithful apostle of Jesus Christ. Well, know that He asks no less of you!" --St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret
For further information please contact Sister Theresa Rozga at srtheresa@scsja.orgOur vows
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