Juniorate Novitiate

[das8949]

I recently heard that the Salesian Sisters have a second novitiate the last 2 years of their Juniorate Program. I understand that they attend classes but I do not know much more than that. Do all orders have this type of a program prior to completion of their Juniorate? Do they live in the Novitiate and adhere to the rules instilled there?Is it a higher level of training on the vows and the history of the order  and constitution?

I would appreciate any info as this is the first time I have hear of this requirement.

Thanks

[Sister Leticia]

I don't know about what the Salesian sisters do. As it seems to be 2 years, then it's probably a time for further study, as well as preparation for final profession. But there may be more about this on one of their websites, if they write about their formation.

Many orders do have a programme of preparation for final vows. It's often called tertianship - ie the "third year", completing the formation begun in the two years of novitiate, although it usually only lasts months rather than a year. In the Society of the Sacred Heart we call it probation - our foundress saw it as the "second probation" completing what was started in the novitiate. (Although the word probation is now often used to mean "being on probation" this wasn't the reason behind St Madeleine Sophie's use of the word. She was using it in the way Jesuits refer to the 1st and 2nd probations in their formation)

In a sense it is a 2nd novitiate, not as a repetition of any rules or restrictions, but as a return to the essence of novitiate, as a time apart, away from activity and centred on prolonged prayer, reflection, discernment and deepening one's sense of call. But whereas novices are at the beginning of their religious life, learning about religious life, the vows, community etc largely from theory, probanists come with several years of lived experience, and it is from that experience of our spirituality, mission, vowed life, community etc that we study, reflect and learn more. We also make a long retreat - the full Spiritual Exercises - both as novices and as probanists.

Our probation lasts about 4.5 months, and we come together as an international group. It takes place in a convent we have in Rome, not far from our generalate, so we can visit/be visited by the Superior General and her Council, and get to know each other. There are also plenty of opportunities to visit the Vatican, Colosseum, catacombs etc, and we also make a short pilgrimage to France, to visit St Madeleine Sophie's birthplace and spend time with her in Paris. For non-European RSCJ, especially those from poorer, 3rd world countries, this is probably their first opportunity to visit any of these places so it's an added extra. But even without all the visits, probation is a precious, graced time, an oasis of prayer and growth whose fruits last many years.

[katherineH]

Not all communities have a stage of formation called "juniorate."  The sisters between the end of novitiate and final vows are often called "temporarily professed."  If the community is apostolic, they may begin serving in the apostolates, obtain some form of higher education, or move to a different convent.  There is still some kind of formation (regular contact with a formator, retreats, classes, etc.) but not as intense as during the novitiate.  The novitiate is when you would go deeper into the particular constitutions of the community and the nature of the vows.  You are also held to standards closer to what you would have if you were a professed sister.  For example, there is a community that I know of that wakes up M-F at 4:30 AM.  Postulants wake up at 4:30 only three days a week to ease them into the schedule, but once they enter the novitiate they are held to that M-F 4:30 AM standard.

The way I think of it is this: during the novitiate you really learn to be a sister of that community, and being temporarily professed is when you get to try being a sister with training wheels on.  You're not fully there but it's a time of deepened discernment before making the life commitment. Communities may tack on an additional year to supplement what's been received.  The Servidoras for example have all of their sisters spend a year studying in Rome after their novitiate.

[Ceaseless-Longing]

For the Dominican Sisters Immaculate Conception Province, they have a 6-12 month aspirancy, 6-12 month postulancy, 1 year noviatiate, and then you take temporary vows. The temporary vows stage is their juniorate phase. Then, the year before their final vows, they must return to wherever their formation house was and live in a more secluded manner.

[Sister Leticia]

Yet again we come up against different names for the same stage! I think the only stage with a universal name and generally universal understanding is that of novice!

Many congregations used to call their temporary professed "junior professed" - some still do, but most now say "young professed" or "temporary professed". My Society had a completely different name until about 1970 - "aspirants", which of course is what many other congregations call those at the very first stage of formation!

The Society also had a juniorate, which meant a time of study, and certain courses, straight after novitiate. Nowadays, though, the timing and content of this is more geared to individual needs. People enter with different educational and professional backgrounds, and different calls make themselves heard.

When in doubt, do check what an order means when it says "postulant", "aspirant", "juniorate" etc: it's best not to assume that just because the Sisters of X mean this or that, the same goes for the Sisters of Y.

[miserere55]

                The community that I was in, a Franciscan teaching community,  called the temporary professed the "juniorate" and then had a second novitiate for an entire summer before final vows.  They also had a "tertianship" after 14 years in the   community The tertianship was also an entire summer of prayer and study.                                                                                            

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

[littlesister]

The Little Sisters of the Poor have several months of postulancy and a two-year novitiate, with about two semesters of further study after two years of profession.  Perpetual vows are preceded by some months of language study and apostolic experience in one of our Homes in France, followed by a year at the Motherhouse in Brittany.  That year is similar to what Sr. Letitia's congregation does, without the Ignatian retreat.  St. Jeanne Jugan lived and died there, and all of our early history took place in the region.  Being in 31 countries with multiple novitiates, the group comes in from all over the world.  

Ready though we may be to go back to the elderly and hospitality, it is the hardest place on earth to leave when the time is over.