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Listening to and following Christ is always an adventure. You never know where you're going, but you know you're on the right track. Jesus said, "Go to the ends of the earth. Proclaim the Good News!" We take these words to heart and are willing to go wherever the Spirit leads us. We may have to give up family, health and even our own lives in order to accomplish this mission, but there is no greater love.
DISCERNMENT
"Seekers Groups" are for young adults aged 18 and over. They come together and share their experiences of God in an atmosphere of hope, joy and mutual support. They share and look at what God is calling them to be. To "seek" and discover God's will is the ultimate purpose of the group.
Within this process we take a serious look at religious life in a Missionary context. We have discovered that many young adults really know very little about Sisters, Brothers and Priests or the process of becoming one, or how to become one.
"Seekers" usually meet once a month for about two hours, for prayer, talks or videos, community-building and refreshments.
It is a complementary process to other kinds of Church ministry experiences in order to reflect and discover God.
These "Seekers" are young men and women who are interested in many of the same things as you. These monthly meetings are a place to question, seek, and explore various vocations, including religious life.
LIVE IN EXPERIENCE
The "Live-in Experience" is one that is designed to help young men who are interested in "trying-on" religious life for a weekend during the school year or a whole week in the summer.
A team of religious from the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) and other trained lay-ministers accompany those who are interested in a concentrated experience of the MSC. The experience includes prayer, liturgies, faith sharing, group dynamics, input sessions on the history of religious life, the history of the MSC, witness-talks by missionaries and much more.
FORMATION
Upon earning a B.A. (or equivelent degree) and after an initial discernment process with the vocation director, the aspirancy program begins with a candidate living in an MSC formation house with peers and under the guidance of a formation director. During this period he learns about community life, sharing, discernment, prayer and Catholic doctrine. He continues to learn about the vowed life and charism of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC). Besides daily prayer and Mass, there will be retreat days and formation days. The process continues in the Pre-Novitiate program, which immediately prepares the candidate for Novitiate.
NOVITIATE
Once the candidate knows the MSC way of life, he is admitted into the novitiate preparing himself to take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. He is given the opportunity to focus on the human, spiritual, intellectual, pastoral and communal aspects of religious life. The candidate is accompanied by his novice master to live the gospel and MSC values in a ministry setting. The Novitiate ends with the young Religious taking his first (temporary) vows.
POST NOVITIATE
Post Novitiate is where the young Religious deepens his committment as an MSC and decides whether or not to make a lifelong commitment to vowed life. It includes community living, ministry, prayer and further education in Theology at Catholic Theological Union (www.ctu.edu) and other professional training.
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