Stages of Formation
Our formation aims at an integral development of the human person and a deeply committed Christian in view of a total consecration of herself to God in the service of the Church, and in keeping with the Spirit and Charism of the Institute.
Candidacy
It is a time of being familiar with Religious life. It is the most important period where the seeds of Religious values are sown. A young woman, who shows a genuine interest in our way of life, is assisted to be a human and deeply committed Christian. She is enabled to discern her vocation to our way of life in a spirit of freedom to be a Mission Sister of Ajmer. The duration of Candidacy is normally for one year but it will be decided by the Provincial Superior based on the qualification and the maturity of the Candidate.
Pre-Novitiate
It is a time to strengthen one’s religious vocation and become familiar with the basic requirements of Religious Life. The pre-novice living in a community is enabled to discern her vocation to the MSA way of life with responsible freedom. The pre-novitiate which lasts about a year is a period of mutual acquaintance. It is also the time to enable both the pre-novice and the community, to discern her vocation to our way of life and help her to grow in human and Christian maturity. During the pre-novitiate the pre-novice is under the guidance of the Directress of pre-novice.
Novitiate
“Religious life begins with the Novitiate. During this time of initiation, the Novice is helped to grow into a more loving familiarity with Christ. She is guided to seek the Lord in quiet peace, in order to deepen her knowledge of Him, who has drawn her to Himself.” (Const. Art 96). The Novitiate is an intense period of formation which prepares the novice to enter into a covenantal relationship with God. The novice is enabled to give herself freely and completely to God with a sound understanding of the Charism and Constitutions, Character and Spirit and the Mission of our Institute. The duration of noviceship is two years. The first year is canonical and is devoted entirely to the spiritual formation of the novice, and is spent in the novitiate community. The second year of the novitiate is a time of formative activity. During this period she is under the guidance and direction of the Directress of novices.
Juniorate
A time when a Junior Sister is assisted to grow to a maturity of faith and a total surrender to the Call of Christ. The purpose of the Juniorate is to help the young Sister to deepen her relationship with Christ and strengthen her bonds with Community. She fully identifies herself with the Institute of the Mission Sister of Ajmer in its Redeeming Mission and Christ-like service to humanity. She is progressively led to make a total, deliberate and free response to the call of Christ at her Final profession, under the direction of the Directress of Juniors. An intensive study of scripture, theology, liturgy, church history and the human sciences, enables the young Sister to gain wider perspectives of religious life and of the apostolate.
