Vocation and Formation
Sr Philomena signs the book after making profession
Because God deals with us gently it is also quite hard to hear what we are being called to amid the noise and hubbub of our lives. Nevertheless, the gifts we recognise that we have and wish to use; the desires we have for ourselves, vague though they may sometimes be, are indications of what it is God sees us as, what kind of uniquely Christ-like person He wants us to be.
Sculptors have said that sculpting is freeing the form within the stone or wood. We can see this happening in some of Michelangelo's unfinished sculptures, the shape of the human body seems to be in the process of emerging from the stone. All Christian formation is akin to this: growing in likeness to the God in whose image we are made.
As you may have already read on our website, a Dominican is formed by: Liturgical and private prayer; Study; Community life; the Vows we take; and the mission of preaching to others the Truth we have learned to love.
Becoming a Dominican therefore is a matter of trying to find and maintain the delicate and difficult balance between ever deepening contemplation and an outgoing and forward-looking apostolate. This becoming lasts a lifetime.
The preliminaries, however, are as follows:
- a period of getting to know the Congregation by visits, while carrying on your everyday life;
- a formal application and interview;
- a two year Novitiate;
- three years of Vowed commitment. (Temporary Profession);
- a further period of Temporary Profession;
- Perpetual Profession (Vows for life)
These are the bare bones: should you
wish to know more please do not
hesitate to contact our vocations
director Sr Julie Alves on on our
Contact page
