Question About Vows

[Gabriela]

I just realized I am not clear on this point. Does the typical trajectory in religious life go like this?

 

Discernment

(Aspirancy)

Postulancy

Novitiate

Temporary Vows

Final Vows

 

Or like this?

 

Discernment

(Aspirancy)

Postulancy

Temporary Vows --> Novitiate

Final Vows

 

In other words: Are novices in temporary vows? Or do temporary vows come after the novitiate? (I'm pretty sure they come after...) And if they come after, then does a sister typically get her black veil at temporary vows, or does she continue to wear the white veil until final vows? If I recall correctly, the Passionists I interviewed had both novices and temporarily professed in white veils...

 

(I know the color of the veil depends on the community, but generally speaking, I mean!)

 

[Marie Villalovos Smith]

I am not an expert my any means, but those communities that I know it runs:

Discernment

Aspirant

postulant( 1/2 to 11/2 years)

novitiate ( who are in most cases receive the habit but do not take any vows)

Temporary Vows: Vow taken and repeated yearly for 3-6 years depending on the community

Final vows: from my understanding most communities re-affirm their vows every year.

 

[Lil'Nun]

The communities I have encountered do not have any form of vows during the Novitiate. The Novice lives the vows but does not make them. 

There may be exceptions, but I haven't seen any.

You make your temporary vows after the novitiate.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Lil'Nun

[be_thou_my_vision]

Some communities have the Sisters in the first couple years of temporary vows still live in the novitiate, but they are considered "temporary vowed" Sisters. They just are more under the care of the novice mistress at that point, I think.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

I have heard some communities say that their temporary professed are still in the novitiate, but distinct from those who have yet to make vows. I think they simply mean to say that the temp. vowed are still "learning" but are indeed living a vowed life. I know one community in particular who has a one year period after postulancy and prior to first vows, rather than the typical 2 years, and so they did refer to their temp. vowed nuns as "vowed, but in the novitiate."

 

Doesn't the term "novitiate" simply mean: trial period, test period, training period, traineeship, etc.?

 

If so, temporary vows fit that, don't they? You are, strictly speaking, in a "trial period" of the vows. That is precisely why they are temporary, is it not? Then after the "trial" period, you may elect to make final vows, or to leave the community. 

Edited December 2, 2013 by ToJesusMyHeart

[Spem in alium]

Discernment

(Aspirancy)

Postulancy

Novitiate

Temporary Vows

Final Vows

That is how the process has usually been explained to me, with aspirancy lasting between six months and two years, and postulancy between six months and a year.  The order I'm looking at most closely is quite flexible when it comes to the habit and veil (sisters don't have to wear a veil every day if they don't want to, and they can choose whether to wear the full habit or a skirt and blouse), but for those who do, I believe they take the white veil during novitiate and the black either with temporary vows or at final profession. Or something like that :)

[miserere55]

In the communities I was affiliated with or have entered, it runs:  Discernment, Postulancy, Novitiate, temporary vows, final vows.  I never had to do a period of aspirancy. 

 

Also, after you have done the required amount of temporary vows (3,5 and sometimes 6 years - each Order or congregation is different) there is final vows, leaving or one can ask for another year or more of temporary vows.

[AveMariaPurissima]

In my experience, it usually goes like this:

Discernment

Aspirancy and/or Postulancy (not all orders have a formal aspirancy)

Novitiate (habit but no vows yet)

Temporary profession (usually at this point there is some visible change in the habit, usually having to do with the veil; white --> black, for example)

Final Profession

[AnneLine]

This is my understanding... but I could be wrong!

 

All communities have some kind of a get-to-know-you discernment period - for some it is just that, for others the option or requirement of an 'aspirancy' or 'candidacy' is required.  Each community sets their own rules about this.

 

Most have some sort of a postulancy (sometimes called candidacy) before someone becomes a novice... a way of breaking someone into the community slowly.   Depending on the community or institute, they may live in a mother house or a branch house, or they might attend classes or be involved in the work of the community.  And the are getting used to the life, slowly ramping up to the 'full life' which is required during the novitiate.  Postulants are free to leave at any time, and can be asked to leave at any time.

 

Novitiate is a time of special training in being a member of that community.  During that period often people have a more restricted experience than they will as postulants or as professed religious.  I think they are mostly required to remain in the novitiate house and usually can't go home for visits, etc. during that year (even if the communities allow it during postulancy or after vows are taken).  Novices are free to leave at any time, and can be asked to leave at any time.

 

I believe -- but I am not positive -- that canon law requires a novitiate of at least 1 year prior to taking any vows.  Some communities add an additional year of novitiate before making any vows.  At one point it was customary at that point to 'make profession' and take permanent vows... but now a temporarily vowed period is required, usually 3-5 or 6 years.  Some communities keep people 'in the novitiate' for some or all of that period.  Some communities send people to school, or start them living the lifestyle they would be living as a professed sister (teaching, nursing, etc.) for all or part of this period.  And many communities have a few months of 'second novitiate' or 'tertianship' prior to making final vows.

 

Some give the black veil at first vows, others don't give black veil until after final vows are taken.  Some communities add a cross or ring at first or final profession.  

 

There are a few communities (i.e., Daughters of Charity) that do NOT take 'final' vows, but make them for one year at time for life.  I went to school with them, and they said that the first few years after 'seminary' (what they call the novitiate) the young Daughter simply lives as if a vowed sister, without any vows at all.... and makes her final Vows after several years of living the life as if a professed Daughter.   Each year the Daughter re-discerns whether to stay or leave.... most stay all their lives, but they can also just let them lapse and leave.

 

If a sister is under vows, she has to get released from them (or permission to live in the world under them while awaiting a dispensation)... which is a big difference between life as a postulant or novice and as a professed sister.  She also has some additional rights and responsibilities once she is a vowed member.  (Or he, in the case of a guy, of course!)

 

If any of the Sisters or Nuns (or Brothers/Priests) on the board want to clarify this, I'm sure we'd all be interested.

 

 

 

(typos are the bane of my existence!)

 

Edited December 3, 2013 by AnneLine

[DiscerningCatholic]

As far as I know, novices are never under vows.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

From what I've heard from the mouths of some religious, you can still be considered "in the novitiate" but not be a "novice." As I mentioned earlier with some temporary vowed sisters still referred to as "in the novitiate." Meaning simply, "still in training" or "not yet permanently professed".

 

I know some temporary professed ND's who are still in school earning their teaching degrees, so they are still called "in training" (i.e. in the novitiate). They're not yet in the active apostolate due to them being in school themselves.

[NotreDame]

According to Canon Law the novitiate is required prior to professing temporary vows.

 

From this link:

 

ARTICLE 3: RELIGIOUS PROFESSION

Can. 654 By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels. Through the ministry of the Church they are consecrated to God, and are incorporated into the institute, with the rights and duties defined by law.

Can. 655 Temporary profession is to be made for the period defined by the institute's own law. This period may not be less than three years nor longer than six years.

Can. 656 The validity of temporary profession requires:

1° that the person making it has completed at least the eighteenth year of age;

2° that the novitiate has been made validly;

3° that admission has been granted, freely and in accordance with the norms of law, by the competent Superior, after a vote of his or her council;

4° that the profession be explicit and made without force, fear or deceit;

5° that the profession be received by the lawful Superior, personally or through another.

 

Edited December 3, 2013 by NotreDame

[TheresaThoma]

No one is not under vows when one is a novice. However I have heard of some communities (typically cloistered) that have the temporary professed Sisters stay in the novitiate until a year or two before they make final vows.

 

As far as the novitiate goes it has to be at least one year and from what I have seen many communities, particularly active communities, have extended that to two years (one "cannonical" year that is focused more on study and one year in the apostolate.)

[ChristinaTherese]

In other words: Are novices in temporary vows? Or do temporary vows come after the novitiate? (I'm pretty sure they come after...) And if they come after, then does a sister typically get her black veil at temporary vows, or does she continue to wear the white veil until final vows? If I recall correctly, the Passionists I interviewed had both novices and temporarily professed in white veils...

 

(I know the color of the veil depends on the community, but generally speaking, I mean!)

Just as a quick clarification, the Passionists in Whitesville, KY (who I think are the ones you were referring to) receive the black veil when they profess vows the first time.

 

The two violinist Sisters here are in temporary vows. The close one is NunMother's daughter and just made her first profession last January or February or so.

[maximillion]

In my own community, we followed the order of things most people have listed above, however, to clarify:

 

Once Clothed we went into our Canonical Year of novitiate (as noted above) this was augmented by a further year, ( often called the 'Apostolic Year' even in cloistered communities ), when one plays a wider role in the work and actions of the house than one did in the canonical year. In my own community we studied the meaning and implications of the vows, besides other things, in the Canonical year and the apostolic year was meant for us to learn how to translate the vows into action in our life, community ( vs others) and for the church and the world. We were then considered ready for First Profession.

AFTER first Profession we were Junior Professed and NOT novices, but everyone stayed in the novitiate until Final Profession.

 

In some communities ( the Whitesville Passionists are a case in point ) the Black veil is given at first profession and the sister whilst remaining a junior professed nun, moves out of the novitiate.

What happens after First Profession, then, does vary from community to community, but in most (not entirely all!) communities one ceases to be a novice once first profession is made, even if one stays in the novitiate.

[krissylou]

Final vows: from my understanding most communities re-affirm their vows every year.

 

This is true for the Daughters of Charity.  They only ever make one-year vows and keep renewing them each year as they expire.  (And if a Daughter of Charity chose not to renew her vows she would be free to leave at that point.)

 

There may be others that do that but I've only heard of the Daughters of Charity.  (They have some unusual set-ups because St. Francis de Paul was bending over backwards to try to create an active women's congregation when women religious were all required to be cloistered.  So in order to have women out and about doing stuff he had to create some new categories.)

 

Most communities, once you take final vows you're set for life.

 

Now plenty of other communities will *devotionally* renew their vows on a regular basis.  Maybe annually on their major feast day, maybe as part of jubilee celebrations.  This is fine and lovely.  But it doesn't actually DO anything.  And if, say, you have a splitting migraine on Vow Renewal Day and are flat on your back in the infirmary rather than in the chapel, well that's a bummer that you missed it but you are not then out of vows.

 

It's similar to a married couple "renewing their wedding vows" on a major wedding anniversary.  That's nice.  Nothing wrong with it whatsoever.  But it's not as if their vows have expired!

[Chiquitunga]

the Daughters of Charity are not or never were specifically Religious to my understanding, http://doihaveavocation.com/blog/archives/1051  I think Religious will always profess perpetual vows eventually.

 

 

[Sponsa-Christi]

Echoing the point made here...all religious eventually make life-long vows. Permanent, public vows are one of the things that define religious life properly so-called. Communities that don't make life-long public vows are often classified as Societies of Apostolic Life, which is what the Daughters of Charity are.

 

Another Society of Apostolic Life are the Oratorians of St Philip Neri. Technically, they actually don't make any kind of legally binding commitment to their community, because St. Philip Neri wanted his brothers to make the daily choice to life their life, with this choice coming from a place of total freedom. However, after their initial formation, they do publicly state their intention to remain in the community for life. An Oratorian friend of mine said that they call this their "solemn I-think-so"!

[Catherine Therese]

Distinction to be made on the usage of the word "novitiate".

Many (perhaps most) orders are referring to the Canonical Novice Year when using the term "Novitiate". This comes after the postulancy and always BEFORE vows are made.

By "Canonical Novice Year" I am referring to that minimum year stipulated by canon law of cloistered discernment and formation prior to professing first vows. Some communities take longer than the minimum year required and it is not uncommon to hear of two-year long Novitiates (where the word is used in the sense described above).

OTHER orders (for example, the one to which I used to belong) use the term novitiate in a broader sense, encompassing a process of formation where the sister lives separation from those sisters in the house that have professed final vows (with the obvious exception of their formators and perhaps a few other specific exceptions). This process of formation often includes the postulancy, the Canonical Novice Year and the first year or two of temporary vows. I used to belong to an order that had a four-year novitiate (Postulancy, Novice Year, First Year of Vows, Second Year of Vows. The sister then moves into the professed part of the house and lives separation from the sisters still living their novitiate. Something to note is that my old congregation was quite a large one, which allowed for this kind of structure. I suspect things are quite different in small communities.

Perhaps this distinction helps clear up the confusion in the thread above?

Neither usage of the word is WRONG. It IS important to understand the particular approach taken by a community in which you might be interested in order to avoid equivocating your head into a twist!!