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Become a Sister |
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| Roman Catholic women, ages 18 and older, who are free of any previous bonds of commitment and who sense that they may be called by God to a gospel lifestyle as consecrated religious, pass through the following stages of discernment to test and clarify their call: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pre-Candidacy: An informal, non-designated period of time during which the woman gets acquainted with the community and vice versa. This takes place through such means as e-mails, letter writing, conversations, participation in small and large community gatherings, ministering together, becoming an associate, etc. The Vocation Minister or any Sister the woman has met may serve as the connector with the community. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If both the woman and the representative Sister(s) sense a spiritual kinship that may indicate the woman has been given the charism (gift) of religious life and specifically the Franciscan charism as lived out by this congregation, the woman applies for candidacy. |
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| Candidacy: A period of six to twelve months during which the candidate lives in community with other Sisters and prepares for the novitiate. She is employed in ministry, and remains financially independent. She is assisted in deepening her prayer life, learning more about Franciscan spirituality, and the spirit of the Tiffin Franciscans. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If the likelihood of an authentic call to this community has become clearer, the candidate requests permission to enter the novitiate. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Novitiate: A period of two years during which the novice (new Sister) grows in self-knowledge, deepens her relationship with God, is steeped in the theology of religious life, the three vows, Franciscanism, community living, mission, etc. One year, normally the first, is comparable to an extended retreat. For nine months of this year, novices participate in a national Franciscan Common Novitiate. During the second year, novices engage in ministry or study, and prepare for making vows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toward the end of the second year, a novice requests permission to make temporary vows of poverty, consecrated celibacy, and obedience. If accepted, she officially becomes a member of the congregation through the profession of vows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temporary Profession: A period of three to six years during which a Sister who has made temporary vows continues to grow in relation to God, self, and others. With the help of a mentor, as well as the small community to which she belongs, she continues to discern the authenticity of her call. When she is ready to make a public, permanent commitment, she makes this desire known and requests to make perpetual vows. If she is accepted, she professes life-long vows of poverty, consecrated celibacy, and obedience and is given a plain silver ring to wear. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For more information, contact the Director of Vocation Ministry, 200 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin, OH 44883 or email: osftiffin@tiffinfranciscans.org. |
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