OUR VOCATIONS
As Handmaids we strive to belong totally to Christ. It is our
desire to be available for radical discipleship in faithfully
living our vocation as Carmelites in the service of His church.
This life-long transformation in Christ begins with one’s
interior commitment and is carried out through successive stages
of formation which are:
ASPIRANCY
Is the initial stage in which one discern a call or vocation and makes a decision to come and see then follow Christ. The period consists of attending workshops at least two or more and communicating with the Aspirant Directress.
What is a vocation?
- Is an invitation from God to lead a life totally consecrated to Him.
- Is a call to divine union and to strive after religious perfection
- A persistence and at least periodic desire to give oneself generously to God and his church
Requirements
- Baptized and confirmed catholic girl
- Aged 16- 30years
- Have 5 ‘O’level
CANDIDACY
Young women interested in pursuing their call enter Carmel, join our community and participate in our prayer life and srvice in the midst of people. The purpose of Candidacy is two–fold: to provide a time of serious discernment regarding a possible vocation to our community and to provide the applicant with deeper and practical understanding of the charism as lived out by our Congregation.
POSTULANCY
During this period of Postulancy, one deepens her awareness of her personal consecration to Christ through prayer, doctrinal study, service and community living.
NOVITIATE
It consists of two years; the first year is basically one of intense introduction into Carmelite spirituality and deepening one's life of prayer. The novice remains in the novitiate house and does not participate in any of the apostolic ministries of the congregation.
The second year novice will spend some time away from the novitiate in one of the communities assigned .She will actively participate in the apostolic mission of thecommunity under the direction of the Sisters.
The principal purpose of the novitiate is to introduce the novice to essential requirements of religious life especially to greater charity through practice of evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience which they will later profess .It gives the novices a greater understanding of their divine vocation and of their vocation to our institute.
JUNIOR SISTERS
At the conclusion of the novitiate program, the novice pronounces her first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. At this time, she is considered to be a junior sister. During this period, she commits herself to the responsibilities of our common life and mission, continuiting the program of human and spriritual development combined with professional and apostolic training.
|
