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ASPIRANCY
At this stage, the candidate is called an aspirant. She begins her transition from a lay life to a life of prayer and community while continuing her discernment to the religious life. She receives formation in Christian moral virtues and spirituality. The aspirant lives in the convent with the Sisters as she continues going to school or to work depending on her situation.
POSTULANCY & NOVITIATE
During the Postulancy, the candidate confirms her religious vocation and prepares for entrance into the Novitiate. At the same time, the Congregation becomes more familiar with the postulant’s personality, abilities, and motivations for choosing the religious life.
After the Postulancy, the Postulant enters into the Novitiate. The purpose of this stage is to help the novice confirm her call with more certainty, to form her according to the spirit of the Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation, and to allow the Congregation to evaluate her suitability.
TEMPORARY PROFESSED
After two years in the Novitiate, the novice professes the three Evangelical Counsels and is then referred to as a temporary professed sister, or a junior sister. She renews her vows every year for five years. The purpose of this stage is to help the sister live a more definite consecration to Christ and to carry out the mission of the Congregation more concretely.
PERPETUAL PROFESSED
After years of discernment and arriving at a conviction in her religious vocation, the temporary professed sister makes her perpetual profession. This marks the beginning of the sisters permanent commitment to God through the Evangelical Counsels in the Lovers of the Holy Cross Congregation. However, ongoing formation continues throughout the sister's life.