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The framework for the Plan for Initial Formation of the United States Province is the General Plan for Initial Formation (GPIF) from our General Chapter of 1994.
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The framework for the Plan for Initial Formation of the United States Province is the General Plan for Initial Formation (GPIF) from our General Chapter of 1994.
Initial Formation in the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts-United States Province consists of Pre-Novitiate, Novitiate, and Post-Novitiate periods. Initial Formation begins with a candidate’s entrance into Pre-Novitiate and concludes with a Brother’s profession of Final (Perpetual) Vows.
Our Formation Program seeks to train candidates who are open to becoming Brothers of our Congregation (in the broadest sense) as their primary response to God.
More specified calls to particular occupations or ministries, or to the ordained priesthood, are secondary to the Brotherhood that binds us together in our common SS.CC. Charism. Both responses to God’s call – to various professions and to the ordained priesthood – are valued ways to live the Sacred Hearts Charism.
This is to avoid, as is possible, the constant temptation in the Church and the Congregation towards clericalism. We have many horror stories, where vocation becomes “how do I do best for myself”… rather than for God’s plan.
For younger men desiring to enter our Formation Program, we use the guideline of age 20 for earliest possible acceptance. This would allow time after high school for candidates to continue their maturation process and begin to develop some of their own personal values, which may differ from those of their families of origin.
Cognizant of the accepted policy of in our GFIP about the upper age limit for applicants who are most suitable to enter into our Formation Program (age 27, GPIF 126), we recognize the particular situation of the context of the United States. The days are dwindling when applicants choose to answer their vocation in the service of the Lord during high school years, directly after high school, or during college years.
It has become the increasing norm in the United States that men will discern and be able to answer a call from the Lord later in life. Acknowledging this, and after much discussion among the members of the Formation Commission and Brothers of the Province, we use the upper guideline of age 50 for acceptance into our Formation Program.
This, like any other guideline, has already been ignored…but we learn that we ignore to our peril…
One of the primary considerations for admitting any candidate into the Formation Program would be his ability and openness to be formed in the Charism of our Congregation. The older the candidate, the less likely…
It is important to note that while formation begins with the pre-novitiate, we have a number of steps before entrance. We hold “Come and See weekends” and also allow for longer periods of time for a candidate to come to live with us if desired… to make a commitment to the process of formation.
We also have a process of application which addresses many of the “pitfalls” of entry into the Congregation…i.e., psychological screening, background checks, recommendations, etc. that are so important to coming to know the candidate and any possible issues.
Pre-Novitiate After approval by a panel reviewing the applicants documentation, the candidate enters the pre-novitiate. Cognizant of the GPIF guideline for the minimum time spent in Pre-Novitiate (1 year, GPIF 135), our Pre-Novitiate Program is approximately 10 months, beginning in mid-September, ending in July.
Pre-Novitiate Location At the present moment, the pre-novitiate takes place in Wareham, Massachusetts, on the east coast of the United States.
Wareham is the location of our Sacred Hearts Retreat Center. The pre-novices live in the cottage on the property, and enter fully into the ministry and prayer of the local community, which consists of Fr. Stan Kolasa, ss.cc., Bro. Justin Carrigan, ss.cc., temporary professed, and Sr. Claire Bouchard, ss.cc.
In addition to participation in the ministry of the retreat house, the pre-novices also experience the local parish communities, work at Damien’s Pantry for food distribution to the needy, as well as work at St. Anthony’s Soup Kitchen in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
We clearly understand that the tenor of the Pre-Novitiate period is distinctly different from that of the Novitiate period. Pre-Novitiate is not meant to have the intense atmosphere of reflection and solitude that characterizes Novitiate. The Pre-Novitiate avoids being too closed to the world (GPIF 133).
Current prenovices - 3 Matthew in Wareham Semisi in Tonga Etisio in Tonga (from Fiji) (SOANE IN PHILIPPINES IN NOVITIATE) PROJECTED PRE-NOVITIATE 2014-2015 – ? VARIOUS REPORTS OF 4 TO 7
Novitiate The Novitiate takes place at Bethany Center, in Kaneohe, Hawaii, which also houses the Provincial House. This of course has its advantages as well as disadvantages.
In addition to classes on the vows, prayer, discernment, and the history of the formation of the Congregation, which our candidates find eerily similar to the situation of the Church and state today (i.e. satanic Mass, demoting of the Church as a “good” to the point of near persecution), we also have class with Sr. Dolorine, 94 years old, who teaches on some historical aspects as well as writing… which is becoming very important to a generation brought up on computer communication…
Pictured here is this years novices with last years class…one class arriving, the other departing…
The Novitiate is scheduled for one year and one day. During the second part of the year, after enclosure, the novices volunteer at the Institute for Human Services, as well as the Waikiki Homeless Ministry.
In the picture is this years two novices, the Provincial, myself, and David Lupo, ss.cc. There is also a Catholic High School helping. About three times a month, there is a different High School, and it is an opportunity for them to meet the novices, as a way of “seeing” religious life “outside” of Church.
We took a hike one Saturday with the Waikiki Homeless “regulars”…
Post Novitiate Wareham Massachusetts and Berkeley, California –
Berkeley, California Holy Names College for undergraduate work Jesuit School of Theology for Masters
Challenges Tonga – visas … culture Fiji - Language Where do they go after novitiate? Both “foreigners” and U.S.? Aging formators – no one in between… Fluidity as a Province, in the midst of trying to be cohesive. What is right, what works? Differences of religious culture between the two as we become one… as we assimilate as a Province. Wounded.
