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Becoming A Dominican Sister
Do you have a desire to deepen your relationship with God? Do you feel called to make a difference in the world? Then you may be called to become a member of the worldwide Order of Preachers, the Dominicans. Becoming Dominican is a deepening of our discipleship in the Word of God. It is a response to a call to live interdependently with others in the context of the Dominican Family and the world. The Dominican way of being a disciple is to contemplate the Word of God in prayer, integrate it into every aspect of our life and preach it to the world.
How does one become a Dominican Sister?
Becoming a Dominican Sister involves prayer, study, reflection and discernment initially with the Congregational Vocation Minister.
If you wish to explore the possibility of becoming a Dominican Sister, as a member of the Blauvelt Congregation or as a member of any one of six Dominican Congregations, based in the northeast, Amityville, Blauvelt, Caldwell, Elkins Park, Hope or Sparkill, contact our Congregational Vocation Minister, Sr. Michaela Connolly (mconnolly@opblauvelt.org). She will provide you with information about our Dominican Family and our Congregation.
Pre -Candidate Period
The Pre-Candidacy Process provides you with an opportunity to explore your understanding of the call to the Christian life and to aid you in discerning your call to Dominican religious life. It will introduce you to the mission and charism of the Congregation, to Dominican Spirituality, and to our process of Becoming Dominican. During that time, you will be assisted in discerning your readiness to apply for membership in the Ccongregation.
Candidate Period
After being accepted into the congregation, you will begin the Candidate Period. As a Candidate, you will live with our sisters, engage in ministry and share in our life of prayer, study, community, and ministry. This period usually lasts for one year. During this time, you will continue to discern whether or not you are called to live the Religious Life and whether or not you are called to become a Dominican. It is a year designed to deepen your spiritual life, to immerse you in the life of the congregation, and to allow you to experience living communally. You will also be able to study and reflect on the history, constitutions, beliefs and core values of the congregation.
Canonical Novitiate
The Canonical Novitiate is the next step in the process of Becoming Dominican. Once accepted into the Novitiate, you will live with Novices from congregations at our Common Dominican Novitiate in St. Louis, Missouri. During your Novitiate year, you will explore the four elements of Dominican Life, Prayer, Study, Common Life and Ministry as you continue to discern your call.
Second Year Novitiate
Upon completion of the Canonical Novitiate, you will return to the congregation to live in community with our sisters, to study and engage in ministry. The purpose of this year is to integrate the Dominican Collaborative Novitiate with the lived experience of the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt.
Temporary Profession
After completion of the Second Year Novitiate, and acceptance by the congregation, you will make public vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The period of Temporary Profession lasts from three to six years.
Final Profession
At the completion of the period of Temporary Profession, and acceptance by the congregation, you will make Final Profession.
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