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Stages of Formation

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Stages of Formation

Candidacy

It’s a time of transition from home to a new way of living in a Religious community. The candidate is introduced to Carmelite Cloistered way of living.
The formee is progressively introduced to a formation program with a time table, syllabus classes, common prayer and personal prayer. The candidate is helped to grow in human and affective maturity. The community also gets an opportunity to see if the candidate has sufficient health and right intention to live Contemplative way of life in a monastery. It lasts for one year.

Postulancy

It is a period of preparation for planting the seed of Carmelite vocation. The postulant is introduced to the Carmelite spirituality and way of life a little more. She is introduced to meditation, community prayer, life transforming reading of the Bible, Carmelite Spirituality, Catechism of the Catholic Church and other important topics progressively.
The postulant discovers her vocation with its joys and demands. She discerns with the accompaniment of a formator her capacity to lead a life of prayer, silence and solitude in a community. She will learn to participate in the community work, and recreations. The Postulancy lasts for one year.

Novitiate

The goal of novitiate is to facilitate the seed of Carmelite vocation to take root and grow towards religious consecration and vowed life. It is a time of intense formation.
The Formation program that focuses on : -

The goal of novitiate is to facilitate the seed of Carmelite vocation to take root and grow towards religious consecration and vowed life.

It is a time of intense formation.

The Formation program that focuses on : -

  • Human maturity
  • Balanced personality
  • Psychological maturity
  • Carmelite Spirituality
  • How to be "Hidden with God in Christ" ( Col.3:3)
  • Progress in prayer rooted in the word of God
  • Joyful living in a community.
  • Carmelite Saints and their works
  • Vowed life / Evangelical councils of poverty chastity and obedience

The formation is continuous, gradual, personal and unified. The novitiate lasts for two years of which the second year is canonical year. At the end of novitiate makes her first profession.

During the period of formation if the person feels that she is unable to live this way of life she is free to leave.

Juniorate

It lasts for four years of which the first two years the young professed Sister remains in the novitiate and is helped and accompanied by the Novice Misterss.
The juniorate is a time of getting fully inserted into the Contemplative Monastic way life. There is a formation that goes side by side with community life. Lot of time and opportunity is given to nurture and deepen her call to be a Teresian Carmelite. The community helps the young Sister to grow towards integral maturity.

Solemn Profession

After a period of intense formation, the junior Sister makes a final decision to be a bride of Christ forever. Once the young Sister is solemnly professed she becomes a fully fledged member of the community and fully inserted into the life of the community.