If a man has completed an application and has been accepted as a Postulant to the community, he begins the stage called Postulancy. He lives alongside the Brothers and begins to share in the community life and its responsibilities. Lasting about one year, this period is one of huge adjustments, but for good reason. God has affirmed this step, and in freedom the young man has responded with faith, hope, and love. He has made some wonderful sacrifices for God: he has left his job/school to try on this amazing new life to which God may be calling him. He trusts, though his vision is blurry. It's a busy, active life. He begins to witness what obedience means: it is not demanded of him yet, but is invited. He sees the generosity and the sacrifice of others around him, and strives for the same. Some days are hard. Others are filled with deep joy. Consecrated Life is set apart from the world; depending on his former material and relational attachments, this can be more or less hard. Some requires some healing. He is growing. After a few months, he is discovering the rhythm of the prayer and the work. He is adjusting to a variety of personalities under one roof, and he is admitting the strength of his own. In the quiet, he is beginning to hear God's guiding voice again. If the Lord is inviting him further, he may request to become a Novice Brother.

Now he enters a more focused period of discernment, the Novitiate. During a humble ceremony called the Investiture, he is invested with the Franciscan Habit and is given a new name that will be used to address him in the community. He has become a Novice Brother. He has the cord but the knots of the Vows are not tied yet. He sees himself in the habit. Others see him in the habit. He has begun the life of a Franciscan Brother. The schedule of a novice is focused on prayer and formation. Your Novice Director is your supervisor and shepherd. He will care for your person and also challenge you to grow. You begin to trust God's providence for you through your leaders. Your time spent on works of service decreases to prioritize a year of putting on the mind of Christ as a Franciscan. Classes are taught by Brothers and by Seminary professors. Some are graded formally; others are by completion. It's time to build the foundation of a solid Franciscan life that won't fall in a storm: the Catechism, Personal Prayer, Scripture & Tradition, Franciscan History, Psychology and Spiritual Life, Celibacy for the Kingdom, the Vowed Life, and more. How did Francis live? What does it mean to be a Franciscan today? Um, celibacy, how do I live that joyfully? How do I pray well? What is the heart of the Vows - is God calling me to live them? There is time for these questions and many more. Retreat experiences will help the discernment further. The novice relies upon the Lord to reveal to him what his calling may be. Again, there is a natural, big adjustment to the new schedule and rhythm.

After the Novitiate, the Novice may request to make Simple Vows. The profession of simple vows is where a man makes a public commitment to live Poverty, Celibacy, and Obedience, for one year. He is entrusted with certain responsibilities, as he returns to a more active schedule in the works of mercy. A brother praying seriously about the priesthood may begin some philosophy and theology courses during his Simple Vows.

This helps in preparing for the last stage of Solemn or Lifetime Vows, where the candidate – after years of dedicated study and prayer – makes the decision to offer his life completely to God, with support of the Church and members of the community. As a Lifetime Brother, the Brother may be entrusted with more responsibility for a work of mercy, or assigned a leadership role. If discerning the priesthood, a Lifetime Brother may officially apply for the seminary with the support of the Brotherhood Council. A lifetime of rebuilding God's kingdom, starting with you, has begun....

Contact our Vocation's Director