WHO:  Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross

WHAT: Meeting the needs of the time.  Bringing Mercy and compassion to the needs of the time.

OUR LIFE STYLE: We are Franciscans.  We do the works of mercy.

PROCESS:  The first step starts with a deep feeling that God is calling you to something new and different.  That sense of call may be a bit frightening and unclear, but no matter what you do you feel that tugging at your heartstrings.

You may begin by talking to a friend, priest, sister, deacon, or just someone you might know and who knows you.  Gather general information about different congregations, ministries, and what it means to be Franciscan, Dominican, etc.  Your search continues by contacting a specific congregation like ours to continue your process.

STEPS IN THE PROCESS

            INQUIRY:

            This stage is open to single Catholic women.  During this stage you will make contact with the Vocation Director or a member of the congregation to further explore God's call in your life.  This stage can last from six months to two years.  You will become familiar with us through correspondence, visits, and dialogue.  You will have opportunities to meet the sisters, attend celebrations, and experience prayer in community.  If you continue to feel drawn to the Holy Cross Sisters, you may request to complete the application process.  Once you complete the application process and discernment, you begin the initial stage of formation, which is candidacy.

            CANDIDACY:

            A woman who has chosen our way of life will get to know our congregation during candidacy.  This will help to clarify her vocation and the motivation for choosing religious life as her way of life.  She will be accompanied in her human development and on her faith journey.  The duration of the candidacy depends on the growth of the individual candidate and external circumstances.

             POSTULANCY:

             A further concrete step of growing into our congregation is the postulancy.  In this stage the postulant learns to realize more consciously God's call and her response.  She gets gradually more involved in our way of life and tests her aptitude for it.  The postulancy is the immediate preparation for the novitiate.  It lasts a minimum of 6 months and maximum of 24 months.

              NOVITIATE:

              During the novitiate the novice deepens her relationship with God.  She understands her vocation to our congregation more deeply and comes to know herself better.  She lets her heart and mind be formed by the charism of the congregation and grows deeper into the way of life of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross.  The novitiate is the official beginning of her life in our congregation and last for two years.

              TEMPORARY PROFESSION:

              Temporary profession lasts from a minimum of five years to a maximum of seven years.