Novitiate

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Find out more about the Legionary principle of Integral Formation.

“In the novitiate, the novices discern, delve into, and mature in their vocation; they form a personal and passionate love for Jesus Christ; they acquire habits particular to religious life and affectively and effectively assimilate the spirit and discipline of the Congregation.”
—Constitutions of the Legionaries of Christ, # 71
 

Novitiate is a time of going into the desert with Christ in order to prepare for the mission. Each day, the novices have Mass, one hour of meditation, one half-hour of adoration, spiritual reading, examination of conscience, Rosary, and Night Prayers with benediction. They receive spiritual direction on a regular basis.

The day of a novice is balanced with periods of study (liturgy, gregorian chant, spirituality, catechism, language studies, Christology, etc.), recreation (hikes, sports, board-games...), and other opportunities to spend time in community. The novices dedicate a special month to manual labor. They also spend two weeks on vacation in community during the summer.

A novice does some apostolic work such as helping parishes by teaching CCD class, training parish altar servers, helping to conduct door-to-door parish missions, and helping to organize Test Your Call vocational retreats.

After two years of discernment and deepening in the Legionary charism, for those who continue on into religious life, the novitiate ends with the professions of vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

  
Religious Professions