How do you join a Catholic religious community?
Entering a religious community is the response to a vocational call that commits one for a lifetime. Whether one feels called to a contemplative or apostolic religious life, this path involves a long period of discernment and several important stages of formation. In this article from Hozana, discover how to join a Catholic religious community and the different stages of religious life, from vocational discernment to final vows.
What are the requirements for entering a religious community?
Entering a Catholic religious community is a vocational journey. It is not simply a lifestyle choice, but a response to a call from God. Requirements may vary depending on the institute of consecrated life, but several conditions are generally required.
Being a baptized Catholic
The first requirement is to have been baptized into the Catholic Church, since religious life is a following of Christ.
Have a life of faith
It is necessary to have a life of faith nourished by prayer and the sacraments. In some apostolic religious communities, an apostolic commitment may also be part of the candidate’s discernment or journey.
Be engaged in vocational discernment
Religious communities generally ask candidates to undergo spiritual accompaniment in order to discern and confirm a call to religious life.
Be free from any marital commitment and capable of living a life of consecrated celibacy
The person must not be bound by a valid marriage. He or she must also be capable of living a stable and fulfilling life of consecrated celibacy, in accordance with the demands of religious life.
Be of an age and have a life experience compatible with religious life
One must generally be of legal age to enter a religious community. Some prior experience with higher education or professional life may also be required before admission.
Demonstrate sufficient personal maturity
Community life requires the ability to live with others, to assume responsibilities, and to participate in fraternal life. Sufficient human maturity is necessary.
A disposition toward community life
Religious life involves living in community with brothers or sisters. This requires a disposition toward communal and fraternal life.
Good Health Suitable for Religious Life
While perfection is not required, one must have the physical and psychological health necessary to meet the demands of religious life, whether contemplative or apostolic.
What are the stages of religious life?
In religious life, the path toward final commitment unfolds in several stages of discernment and formation.
The stages of religious life are postulancy, the novitiate, temporary vows, and then solemn profession or final vows. These are preceded by a period of vocational discernment, which continues throughout the entire journey.
Vocational Discernment: The First Step Before Entering a Religious Community
The first step before entering a religious community is vocational discernment.
Although this discernment continues throughout the early stages of consecrated life, it is important to begin a period of discernment well in advance to verify the authenticity of the call.
This period of discernment can be supported by:
Personal prayer, particularly meditation
Spiritual direction
Meetings within the community. If it is a call to monastic life, regular stays in a monastery or abbey. If it is a call to apostolic religious life, visits and times of sharing in various communities
A spiritual retreat
Exploring the teachings of great masters of discernment, such as Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
Being a “visitor” to explore religious life
Before any official entry, a candidate for religious life may become an observer.
This means that the person can come for occasional stays to get to know the community and participate in its life of prayer and community life, while continuing their studies or keeping their job. This stage, therefore, ensures the person’s freedom.
The Postulate, the First Stage of Religious Life
When a candidate for religious life wishes to join the community, they become a postulant. This period, called the postulancy, generally lasts from six months to one year and allows the candidate to discern their call to religious life within that particular community.
The novitiate: a stage of fundamental formation
After the postulancy, the candidate enters the novitiate and thus becomes a novice.
This stage generally lasts between one and two years, depending on the congregation. It is a time of more in-depth spiritual and personal formation.
The novice gains a deeper understanding of:
The spirituality specific to the congregation
The charisms and mission of the congregation
Community prayer
Fraternal life
This is a period of in-depth discernment, during which the person gradually confirms—or does not confirm—his or her call to religious life.
Temporary vows (temporary profession)
At the end of the novitiate, if the novice confirms his or her call to religious life, and if this is confirmed by the community, he or she may then take first vows, known as temporary vows.
This period lasts a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years. For men, it corresponds to the period of philosophical and theological studies, which may or may not lead to priestly ordination.
During this period, he already lives the religious life fully within the community and continues his formation:
Spiritual formation
Intellectual formation (philosophy and theology, as applicable)
Apostolic formation (if it is an apostolic religious community) or monastic formation if it is a contemplative community
Perpetual Vows (Solemn Profession)
After taking temporary vows, a religious man or woman may take final vows. In religious life, this corresponds to solemn or final profession.
This stage therefore marks a lifelong commitment to the congregation. Final vows are the culmination of a long journey of discernment and formation and express a free and mature response to God’s call.
Let us pray for religious communities with Hozana
With Hozana, let us pray for all religious communities—whether contemplative or apostolic—and let us also pray for all those women and men who decide to follow Christ in religious life.
Throughout the year, Hozana offers several prayer communities, such as
- and many others.
