First of all, you will get in touch to tell us about yourself and the story of your call. If the basic premises for moving forward are present, you will be in contact with one of our members, to share your call and receive her guidance in your search.
This may lead to an invitation to embark on a series of stages, each designed to help you learn, discern and live your commitment and mission with us.
You will:
“Jesus turned around, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ […] ‘where do you live?’ He replied, ‘Come and see.’”
John 1:38-39
In this pre-entry stage, you will stay with one of our communities and join us in our daily life, prayer and work. Borrowing from the words of the Gospel of John, we call it “Come and see”. It’s a chance for you to observe the Sion form of consecrated religious life close up, and to help with decision-making.
Before moving on to the next stage, we’ll take some time together to reflect on your experience and see how you might fit into our Congregation.
You will:
“Now the Lord said to Abram. ‘Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.’ […] So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.”
Genesis 12:1 and 4
Lech-Lecha is a Hebrew expression, that means: “Go to yourself”, or “Go to your essence”. In the annual Jewish Torah reading cycle, the portion called Lech-Lecha corresponds with Genesis 12:1–17:27 of the Christian Bible.
In Genesis 12:1-4, we hear God’s mission for Abram and Abram’s response. Just as Abram followed God’s call, you will set out on a faithful path of growth, deepening your relationship with God.
During Lech-lecha, you will learn about the history and spirit (charism) of our Congregation and its founder, begin organised studies in the Bible, theology and basic aspects of church teaching. You will also take up a second language.
Your personal growth is also a part of your vocation journey. You will have the opportunity to explore your inner strengths and challenges, to uncover insights into the path that will resonate most deeply with you.
At the end of this stage, you will enter novitiate and start to prepare for religious profession in two phases: a Canonical year and an Apostolic year.
You will:
“I lead you in the way you should go.”
Isaiah 48:17“Nothing can trouble me.”
“God alone is enough!”
St Teresa of Avila
Your Canonical year will be spent in our novitiate formation community in Jerusalem.
This full year places a special emphasis on prayerful reading and study of the Word of God. You will let go of other commitments and engagements, as the disciples did, to follow Jesus.
You will learn what it means to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, in the context of our congregational charism, diving deeper into our Constitution, history, spirituality and apostolic responsibilities.
This is a time for testing the strength of your religious vocation. The question you’ll keep asking yourself is: is my relationship with God deep enough for me to live with God alone?
You will:
“When Jesus had called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority over all […] and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Luke 9:1-2
As a novice in her Apostolic year, you will integrate the studies and spiritual experiences of the past years in one of our international communities. To help you find the mission in which you might express our collective call, you will step out to be of service to the broader community. This could mean working in a local parish or social or educational organisation, or carrying out regular employment in a field of your interest connected to the charism.
The first cycle of formation will culminate in your request to pronounce temporary vows as a public expression of the unconditional gift of self to God. At this moment, the Congregation formally recognises that your call to follow Jesus can also become a call to follow Jesus in Notre Dame de Sion.
You will:
“He asked them, ‘What are you talking about to each other as you walk along?’[…]
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him.”
Luke 24:17 and 30-31
As a newly professed sister, you will build upon your initial commitment in a second cycle of formation that spans several years. These are years of personal maturing, integration and growth in Christ and the spirit of Notre Dame de Sion.
When the disciples met the risen Jesus on their way to Emmaus, they rediscovered Christ’s presence in their lives and saw events they had already experienced with new eyes.
Like the disciples, you will be invited to reflect, and keep reflecting, on your journey so far, and rediscover Christ’s presence in your life inspired by the spirit of Sion’s unique calling.
With the support of your community, you will witness the quiet unfolding of God’s vast presence in your life. The sense of wholeness and harmony that takes root can help everything feel more connected, your path forward more grounded, as you live and respond.
At the end of your Juniorate years, you will make a permanent commitment to God through the Church, offering yourself completely in love and service.
Being a fully professed sister doesn’t mark the end of formation for you. In the years ahead, deepening, learning and growth will continue to feature in ways unique to you in your journey as a Sister of Our Lady of Sion.