Formation
"Those who seek their joy in God
are the ones who give joy to God"
- Saint Raphael Kalinowski, OCD
Novitiate
After a Postulancy of six months, the young man enters the novitiate. The novitiate is of the utmost importance since it consitutes the first steps and foundation of the religious life. It is during this time that the novices discover the basic values of the consecrated life in Carmel, and begin to build on them by following the directives of the Church and the Order. The formation program will help them experience these basic values. as they try to live them faithfully instead of knowing them only theoretically, they will begin to keep their eyes fixed on our saints, who are masters in this art.
Temporary Profession
At the end of the novitiate it is for the Provincial, with the consent of the formation community, to admit the novice to temporary profession. The Novice should have given proof of his suitability, of possessing a well-balanced personality, adapted to community life. He should have demonstrated a promptness in giving himself in a radical way to the Lord and to his brothers in community.
Solemn Profession
By Solemn Profession a religious is definitively incorporated into the Order and becomes a full member of it. For that reason no one should be admitted to it without proven human and spiritual maturity.
Further Studies
After Solemn Profession and/or Ordination, all our religious should strive to combine an intense spiritual life with an unflagging application to sacred and secular studies. They will thus be unceasingly renewed in spirit, and their service to the Church will keep abreast with the needs of the times.
The way of life she proposed to us was to be marked with a distinctive style and character. She wanted social virtues and human values to be duly fostered. She inculcated a joyous family spirit, affability in community life, nobility of soul and mutual respect. Our young religious were to be carefully trained; study and culture were to be encouraged. The ascetical practices of our communities were to be at the service of a deeper theological life, and geared to the demands of the apostolic ministry. There was to be a bond of unity between our communities and of evangelical friendship between our religious.