Application Process

[Spem in alium]

Hello there.

I am currently an aspirant. When I was applying, I met with the Vocations Director a few times and had to submit: a form with general questions about myself; a spiritual autobiography (the Sisters gave me questions to follow); information regarding finances; medical information (past medications, etc.); a doctor's report (because of a particular medical issue); proof I had received the Sacraments; around three references; academic transcripts; my CV. 

I had to wait a fair while before I heard anything about my acceptance (at least four months) because Sisters were away, and because of the doctor's report (he took ages to get back to me). It was a stressful but very blessed time.

It is my hope to apply for postulancy, and this will again be a formal application with medical and psychological tests. 

 

[marigold]

Lord have mercy! All we do is move in!

[Nunsense]

Lord have mercy! All we do is move in!

Wouldn't that be nice!  

[vee]

haha it seems the answer to the original question is the standard VS response, it depends on the community!

[vee]

haha it seems the answer to the original question is the standard VS response, it depends on the community!

[vee]

sorry for the double post, phatmass is weird

[truthfinder]

Drawing a picture?!? I'd probably be turned away from my drawing skills being so poor, I'd probably have my picture misinterpreted as something ominous. 

[vee]

Ive heard that in the past, but possibly still on some applications now, there was the question "are you of legitimate birth?"  I understand what it means but Im not catching on to why it would need to be asked?  Were people refused entry due to that? 

[Sponsa-Christi]

Ive heard that in the past, but possibly still on some applications now, there was the question "are you of legitimate birth?"  I understand what it means but Im not catching on to why it would need to be asked?  Were people refused entry due to that? 

At one point, being of illegitimate birth was an impediment to becoming a superior. (I believe this law/custom originated in the middle ages to prevent wealthy nobles from endowing a monastery and then setting up their illegitimate children as the abbot or abbess.) Currently, not being of legitimate birth isn't an impediment to anything, but some communities still have a custom of asking about this or requesting a copy of a candidate's parents' marriage certificate.  

[vee]

At one point, being of illegitimate birth was an impediment to becoming a superior. (I believe this law/custom originated in the middle ages to prevent wealthy nobles from endowing a monastery and then setting up their illegitimate children as the abbot or abbess.) Currently, not being of legitimate birth isn't an impediment to anything, but some communities still have a custom of asking about this or requesting a copy of a candidate's parents' marriage certificate.  

Thanks for your answer, I never would have guessed that!  Talk about  convent intrigue, no wonder there were reforms!

[truthfinder]

Thanks for your answer, I never would have guessed that!  Talk about  convent intrigue, no wonder there were reforms!

Actually this went for seminaries, and wasn't restricted to the middle ages.  It was in force until the 1917 Code of Canon law was abrogated with the new law in the 1980s.  I still know a seminary which asks for the parent's marriage certificate.  But this time I'm assuming it's because knowing if there were difficulties in the home life, so they can address them more easily during formation. 

[He is Risen!]

@ Truthfinder, drawing a picture was part of the psychological test, it had nothing at all to do with actual drawing skills, lol.  I kind of think that Fr. Benedict enjoyed giving the psych tests/ psych interviews as a way to get to know candidates.  He worked his whole life in the field of psychology.  It wasn't at all scary or nervewracking at all because of the loving approach he took to it and he "read" me so well that it put me totally at ease.  He really had a gift for it.  I don't think this much psych testing is standard for every community though!

[Pax_et bonum]

My friend is entering the Nashville Dominicans tomorrow(!!!), so I was on their page and found this:

• The candidate may request an application. This application process entails completing an information form; sending school transcripts, medical forms, Baptismal & Confirmation certificates; acquiring a letter of recommendation from a priest; writing a personal statement of one’s motive for entering religious life; and completing a psychological evaluation.

The process I started was similar to what's been described. I didn't need transcripts because it was a cloistered community, and I needed maybe four recommendation letters, at least one from a priest. The actual papers to fill out had a lot of questions on it just about getting to know you and your history and your family's history. The autobiography was guided by sets of questions, so that wasn't too hard. I didn't get as far as the medical exams though because we already knew my health was deteriorating. It's not scary or anything; it's exciting that a community wants to get to know you so well even if filling out all the questions is a bit tedious.

[marigold]

Is there a particular reason for getting to know candidates via their application rather than via face to face acquaintance over a period of time?

[puellapaschalis]

Is there a particular reason for getting to know candidates via their application rather than via face to face acquaintance over a period of time?

I'm guessing (emphasis) that it's to do with record keeping and having a paper trail.

[marigold]

I'm guessing (emphasis) that it's to do with record keeping and having a paper trail.

Oh that's a good point. I hadn't thought of that..

[Benedictus]

Is there a particular reason for getting to know candidates via their application rather than via face to face acquaintance over a period of time?

I think they should do both, allowing docs and conversations to inform the process.

Pro's of written stuff: It's useful, mostly for records, but it also prevents things being missed or disputed too. It can also be used as a basis to explore and find out stuff that may not come up in conversations. It also permits a wider pool of people to review and discern if things seem to be OK or not (they can simply review the file for a progress report). Sometimes things can also get missed or overlooked when relying on conversations and built up impressions alone. Some people also don't like to talk about or ask certain questions, so putting them on paper first can be useful, even if they have to get talked about at some stage.

The paperwork, along with chats, also forms the basis of the interviews and the psych evaluations (at least in my experience).  It also stops you having to keep repeating and duplicating the same information about yourself each time you meet or converse with a superior

Edited August 15, 2015 by Benedictus

[marigold]

Doesn't it seem a bit... reductionist, though? How can I put myself down on paper, or even talk about my entire life's relationship with God - this is something that a trusted superior could get to know over a longer period, but I'm not sure me trying to write the important points down succinctly would be helpful. It also presupposes that I know myself... I heard one senior sister say that when a new person arrives, 'They don't really know why they're here'. And to her that was okay. Perhaps in the interests of getting a lot of factual information across quickly - schooling, catechesis, work history, etc. I don't know.

[puellapaschalis]

If it were solely paperwork, then yes, I'd agree with you, @marigold. But what @Benedictus said makes sense to me: like it or not, in this day and age we need a paper trail for more or less everything. It seems to me that the paperwork is to protect both the community and the applicant.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Is there a particular reason for getting to know candidates via their application rather than via face to face acquaintance over a period of time?

Marigold, it's both. Writing an autobiography is also helpful to the person applying. And for some people, they are better able to express things when they write. Also, if the person is healthy there will be a continuity between what is written and what has been shared verbally.

School transcripts can prove helpful because its hows the community your strengths and weaknesses and how you have (hopefully) matured. For example, if someone had a high school transcript that was really good and a college transcript that was really poor it would be the subject of conversation and this "objective" fact could help someone share something about their spiritual growth that perhaps otherwise they wouldn't share but wanted to.

It's not reductionist. We absolutely know that we are only starting to know the candidate and she us! There is an old adage that it doesn't matter WHY you come to the monastery, what matters is WHY YOU STAY! It's about conversion.

Mostly we don't really know ourselves when we come to the monastery but we gotta start somewhere!

(Happily I didn't have to write an autobiography! )

At one point, being of illegitimate birth was an impediment to becoming a superior. (I believe this law/custom originated in the middle ages to prevent wealthy nobles from endowing a monastery and then setting up their illegitimate children as the abbot or abbess.) Currently, not being of legitimate birth isn't an impediment to anything, but some communities still have a custom of asking about this or requesting a copy of a candidate's parents' marriage certificate.  

There is NO NEED for a community to ask this question anymore or to ask for parents marriage certificate. My community stopped after I entered and pointed it out to them that it was not needed after the '83 Code or the '86 Constitutions. I was quite taken aback when I was asked this by a religious community.