Question About Length Of Postulancy

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

I have been looking at the pictures of the clothing of Sister Mary Agnes (formerly FutureNun (Angela) and also another Phatmass name that I have temporarily forgotten). The pictures are gorgeous!--I'm SOOO happy for her. Sister Mary Agnes had to wait a long time before she could finally enter the Rockford PCC's. It also seems (to ignorant me) that she had a long postulancy, too. The new Sister Mary Agnes entered the Rockford PCC's in May 2011, so her postulancy was something like a year and four months.

As I hear about other Orders and Communities it seems as if postulancy is usually about a year (especially in Communities where a number of postulants enter as a "class"). I have also heard about postulancies that are as short as six to nine months, but rarely over a year.

Is a longer postulancy typical for PCC's? Or, did Sister Mary Agnes have a longer postulancy for some other reason unique to her? I imagine, for example, that a Sister could have a longer postulancy simply for "logistical" reasons or in order to be clothed on a particular day.

Can anyone help "educate" me on this? BTW--I'm not looking for answers about Sister Mary Agnes' specific situation, just general information.

Thanks!

Edited September 9, 2012 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[krissylou]

I think that postulancy has to be six months, although TB was a postulant for about ten minutes and a lot of her waiting-to-enter time counted as that period of "asking." Most communities seem to have about a 9-12 month postulancy.

But it can vary. "My nuns" for whatever reason tend to take things slower. They most typically have a two-year postulancy although it can vary. One person right now is about to become a novice after being a postulant for one year, and sometimes people who enter especially young have been postulants for THREE years.

I know of two people who entered simultaneously. One discerned out after a year, re-discerned, entered a different community, and STILL made her first profession before the person who stayed put! (Of course it isn't a race but something about that struck me as rather not fair!)

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Postulancy can be whatever the particular community decides it is. There is nothing in canon law. If you are a Dominican friar of the St. Joseph's province you don't even have a postulancy! Sigh!

For the Nuns of the Order of Preachers we have to have at least 6 months but it can't be any longer than 1 year UNLESS specifically stated in the monastery directory. I think that some of our monasteries in Africa have about 2 years.

Sr. Deepa is receiving the habit on Oct 2nd because she didn't need to remake her postulancy. The 4 months were to give her time to settle in back into the life.

It is sometimes frustrating to have Brothers who entered AFTER I did but are OLDER than I in Profession!

Sometimes people just need time to adjust. It is different for everyone.

[maximillion]

As has been said, it varies from community to community. Even back in the mists of time when I entered, it was possible for someone who entered after me to be Clothed before me. Our minimum Postulancy was 6months. The usual was a year, but you could ask for Clothing any time after the 6 months were up.

Later on, things changed and Postulancy was a minimum of one year which could be extended with the agreement of Chapter, but not exceeding two years.

[HopefulBride]

The postulancy is not a canonical formation period so there is no specific term that it has to be (that's the reason TB's was short) in m case for example, the girl who entered as part of my class went in August 22nd which is when all SMMCs candidates enter. However, I won't be there for some weeks, yet if it is God's will I will enter novitiate with her on August 22nd so I would say it depends on the community and the situation. Some communities like the DSMMEs and the NDs have set periods but some communities allow for the postulancy to last based on the need of the person or persons in formation.

Edited because my fingers don't know how to keep up with my brain and so some words were left off.

Edited September 9, 2012 by HopefulBride

[Chiquitunga]

She entered June 12th, 2011. I believe there are several reasons why it was postponed a bit, but especially because of all the events that took place there this Summer. First, she was given permission to leave the enclosure for a few days to take care of unfinished business before she began her novitiate. She signed onto PM at that time briefly in July and I happened to see her! So glad I did! She changed her profile a bit which some of you may have noticed, [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/user/1041-piccoli-fiori-jmj/"]http://www.phatmass....coli-fiori-jmj/[/url] Again she was not in the enclosure then. They do not have internet there.

But I believe the main reason for the timing was especially because there were big preparations this year for the Feast of their Holy Mother St. Clare, August 11th. This year 2011 - 2012 was the 800th centenary of St. Clare's entrance to religious life. The [b]"Year of St. Clare"[/b] was officially [b]April 16, 2011 (Palm Sunday, the day she entered) - August 11, 2012 (her feast day)[/b]

[url="http://www.zenit.org/article-34557?l=english"]http://www.zenit.org...34557?l=english[/url]

[url="http://www.ofm.org/ofm/?p=1301&lang=en"]http://www.ofm.org/o...?p=1301&lang=en[/url]

[url="http://www.ofm.org/ofm/?p=1155&lang=en"]http://www.ofm.org/o...?p=1155&lang=en[/url]

[url="http://www.poorclarestmd.org/"]http://www.poorclarestmd.org/[/url]


At Rockford they did many special things to celebrate this. All over the monastery were little displays about the life of St. Clare, and their life too. It was wonderful to see! And they set this up a little earlier actually for the [url="http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/article?id=115"]St. Therese camp[/url]. I have been to that camp before and they did not have all the displays that had this time. And that Poor Clare cardboard cut out... she told me about that in her letter, but she didn't mention who made it. Well the ladies that help there at the monastery told me that she made it herself!! She's such an artist! And it had a place at the bottom where you could fit your barefeet through!

Then on August 11th there was a Solemn Mass with Bishop Molloy and a big reception for St. Clare's feast and the end of the Year of St. Clare. And just looking this up online now I see that Mother Dominica was [url="http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/column?id=143"]on the radio a couple days later[/url]. Her Reverence (using Carmelite terms here, I'm not sure if they do the same) was elected Abbess Fall 2011. Mother Mary Regina had been Abbess for three three year terms, twelve years, which is the limit. Mother Dominica told me she told now Sr. Mary Regina that she can have the job back after three years! :j also she was very surprised that she was elected, she said when one of the Sisters suggested it to her "oh, the Sisters wouldn't be that foolish" )

So anyway, I think all of these events were the reason why her clothing was a little later .. and to have it on a special feast like Our Lady's birthday

Edited September 9, 2012 by Chiquitunga

[Chiara Francesco]

Most PCCs I've ever visited or wrote has a postulancy of one year. I've also come across several Carmels with a postulancy of one year also.

[OnlySunshine]

With my prospective community, the postulancy is for a length of 2 years. The way I understand it is that the postulants in Europe are not as formed in the faith as we are in the USA. The American postulant was kept here for 1 year and then sent overseas for her 2nd year. I'll probably have to do the same (God-willing).

[andibc]

Interesting thread.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Thank-you Chiquitunga for your explanation of all the wonderful events at the PCC Community in Rockford. I had figured that Sister Mary Agnes' postulancy was probably a little longer for some type of "logistical" reason. And, to enter on August 8 was worth waitiing for!

And, thank-you Sister Mary Catharine for your answer regarding Sr. Deepa.

I think that I was considering postuancy and the novitiate to be simply two steps toward final or solemn profession. But, all the answers in this thread have helped clarify that postulancy and the novitiate they are actually two very different things. ("Things" isn't the right word, but I can't come up with the right word--I hate it when that happens!)

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1347218463' post='2480674']
She entered June 12th, 2011. I believe there are several reasons why it was postponed a bit, but especially because of all the events that took place there this Summer. First, she was given permission to leave the enclosure for a few days to take care of unfinished business before she began her novitiate. She signed onto PM at that time briefly in July and I happened to see her! So glad I did! She changed her profile a bit which some of you may have noticed, [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/user/1041-piccoli-fiori-jmj/"]http://www.phatmass....coli-fiori-jmj/[/url] Again she was not in the enclosure then. They do not have internet there.
[/quote]

It's funny that you should mention that because I did notice but I didn't want to say anything. She never posted while she was here, so I wasn't sure of the circumstances. Believe me, I was really happy to hear the news that she was entering the novitiate because I was wondering if she left. She makes a beautiful Poor Clare novice.

[Katiebobatie94]

I know the Daughters of St Paul have a two year postulancy (but there have been postulants who have only done one year before entering the Novitiate). But the Sisters of Life have a 9 month postulancy.......I think it depends on the community

[AnneLine]

I know in our Secular Order (which is different than religious life, but has a similar formation structure), the ORDER requires at least one year as an aspirant (which is the equivalent of postulant), at least 2 years as a novice, and at least thee years in temporary promises before someone is eligible to be received. All of those can be extended if necessary.... and reduced for a very good reason (i.e., a serious, life threatening illness) with proper permissions.

However, our Province has suggested that people attend meetings for a while BEFORE becoming an Aspirant (i.e., Postulant), and that the Aspirancy be extended if it appears to be in the best interest of the candidate. In practice, what WE do in our community is they have a long discernment phone call with the Formation Director (me), then if it seems appropriate, we ask them to come to at least 3-5 meetings as a 'Guest' (the province uses 'Candidate' but the idea is the same). We give them a little preliminary formation during that peiod, but no actual homework or requirements other than coming to the meetings and checking in with me each month. At the end of that time, they Guest/Candidate and the community's council discern if we think s/he is a good candidate to test his/her vocation as an Aspirant. If the answer is yes, they begin their Aspirancy... and it ends up being about 18 months in practice, as we let Aspirants come between Sept. and November, and then receive them as Novices a year and two months later. The last 3 months of the Aspirancy they get a seminar on the major saints of our order, a good preparation for the reading and study they will do as novices and temporary professed members....

Why the longer aspirancy? Because what we have learned -- and I think this is probably true for many religious communities as well -- is that it is much harder for someone to leave AFTER they have been received as a novice (muchless after vows). If there are problems or concerns, lets get it dealt with during the Aspirancy.... the Order asks us to work toward people not being received as a Novice unless there is a very good chance that s/he will go all the way. And while sometimes things happen, that seems to be how it is working out, and I do think it is better.

We have two people in temporary promises (one just professed last July!) one in her tail end of her aspirancy and two just starting as Aspirants this month... please pray for them!

Edited September 12, 2012 by AnneLine