Society of Jesus Mary Joseph - Formation
The journey of a person who is invited by the Lord, enthused by the Spirit to experience the love of God and to imbibe and incarnate the spirit and charism of the Society through consecration and mission.
Aspirancy
The desiring candidates are invited to stay with us for a period of one year or more to facilitate human and Christian formation, to inculcate a taste for religious life, to get to know the Society, and to discern their vocation.
Postulancy
After having discerned her vocation the Aspirant enters the postulancy for a period of one year wherein she is directed to pursue human and Christian maturity to respond with conviction and freedom to God’s call through our Society.
Noviciate
The Noviciate is the beginning of life in the Society and it is a time of intensive formation.(Const.54) After being convinced of her vocation to our Society she enters the novitiate lasting for two years of which first year is the Canonical year. It is a time “to be with the lord” for interiorization and spiritual deepening wherein she equips herself “to be sent out”.During the second year the novices are sent out for mission and community experience to give a concrete shape to the theoretical formation.
Juniorate
The formation begun in the Novitiate continues during the juniorate having spiritual, theological, and professional formation with a special emphasis on the missionary concept of her vocation. The juniorate lasts for a period of six to nine years wherein she forms herself to be a full-pledged member of the Society.
Ongoing Formation
The spiritual, theological, and professional formation which is deepened in the juniorate is to be continued all through her life. For this, it is an indispensable requirement to keep abreast of contemporary thinking, to integrate the various aspects of her life, and to update her knowledge.
“Concerning our spiritual life, we are like the oarsman who has to row against the powerful current of a river. When he stops rowing, the boat drifts backward. At a time when he thinks the boat lies still in the water, it is slowly going downstream. The same is true of the spiritual life”. (PM 1.61)
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