To be able to live the spirituality and fulfil the mission as Sister Disciple of the Divine Master, we go through a specific and integral formation. This refers to the journey of discipleship which is a gradual and ongoing process that aims to arrive at a deeper maturity of “life in Christ” and a deeper commitment to his mission of bringing God’s care and compassion to all. It involves various stages and engages the whole person: physical, psychological and spiritual.
The formation aims at building together the “community in mission” while the person continues to grow in her sense of belongingness to Christ and in her commitment to the specific mission as Sister Disciple in the Church.
Stages of Formation:
- Pre- postulancy: Pre- postulancy is in continuity with the dynamic of the pastoral care for vocations. We accompany the young women in their journey of growth toward human and Christian maturity and in the discernment of their vocation among the Sister Disciples.
- Postulancy: The purpose of postulancy is the human and Christian formation, as well as deeper vocational discernment. In this stage the young woman is gradually accompanied to know the charism of the institute and of the Pauline Family and to prepare herself for the Novitiate.
- Novitiate: Novitiate is a period of initiation into the consecrated life of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master. The Novice is accompanied in a gradual manner to grow in awareness of the vocation of the Sister Disciple: to experience the community life and specific mission according to the Rule of Life. The Congregation, through the formator, verifies the intentions and the suitability of the novice to live the consecrated life of the institute.
- The Period of Temporary Vows; The period of Temporary vows is the favourable time for the assimilation of one’s ecclesial identity as a Sister Disciple. The sister in temporary vows continues her personal process of appropriating the evangelical and charismatic values and the integration of the experience of God with life in community and in the mission at the service of the Kingdom. She deepens and lives the Rule of Life as the way of sanctification and of apostolate.
