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Jesuit Formation

“Called to Serve…All For the Greater Glory of God!”

Jesuit formation, or the training of Jesuits, seeks to prepare candidates for the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus spiritually, academically and practically for the ministries they will be called to offer the Church and world. The following are the main stages of Jesuit Formation.

Novitiate: A man is a Jesuit the day he enters the novitiate. (The word “novitiate” can refer to both this period of formation and the building in which the formation takes place.) And here’s the first common mistake that journalists make: You don’t become a Jesuit when you take vows or when you are ordained; you are one on entrance day.

First Vows: A Jesuit pronounces (makes, takes) his First Vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) at the conclusion of his two years of novitiate, during a Vow Mass. Technically, the Jesuit is promising to enter the Society fully, at the end of his training. (And you have been living the vows since entrance date.) The man is then a vowed Jesuit or “has vows.” Each stage of formation (including entrance and approval for First Vows) is predicated on the approval by the provincial (and the further you get in formation, that may also include approval by the Jesuit superior general, and for ordination, the Vatican).

First Studies: At one of several Jesuit universities across the country, the Jesuits, now scholastics (or brothers), study philosophy and theology and work a few perhaps 10 to 15 hours a week in ministry in a First Studies program.

Regency: The Jesuit (again, either the brother or scholastic) works full time in a Jesuit ministry for generally two to three years. Or longer, depending on the decision of the man’s provincial. (One well known case had a Jesuit spending six years in regency: not surprisingly, he was known for the rest of his life as “Sextus.”) They are called regents.

Theology: Both brothers and scholastics study theology at the graduate level. They are often called theologians. A brother’s formal studies may end here—but may not, since some brothers might go onto another advanced degree.

Diaconate: Jesuit scholastics are ordained to the transitional diaconate (rather than the “permanent diaconate” for married men.) They are now members of the clergy (and not before, though usually for work or formal occasions they will wear clerics or clerical garb.) The men about to be ordained (this is true for the diaconate and priesthood, in both diocesan life and religious orders) are theordinandi.

Priesthood: Despite many people calling all Jesuits “Father” way before this, a Jesuit is not ordained until this point, after many years of formation. (He is still, by the way, a scholastic, and will be until his final vows.) The Jesuit does not pronounce any further vows at ordination, though he makes a series of ordination promises.

Tertianship: The final stage in Jesuit formation, the so-called “third stage of probation,” comes after the priest or brother has worked for several years after completing his studies (for the brother), or after his studies and ordination (for the priest). The man participates in a (usually) year-long program of spiritual training, which includes making the full Spiritual Exercises again. He is called a tertian.

Final Vows: Both Jesuit brothers and priests are, at the conclusion of tertianship, and pending approval from the provincial and the Jesuit superior general, invited to pronounce (make, take) final vows. All make three vows (poverty, chastity and obedience, re-affirming the First Vows) and some Jesuits make a “fourth vow” (special obedience to the Pope “with regard to missions.”) The shorthand difference between First and Final Vows (which is unusual for religious orders) is that in the First Vows you are promising to enter the Society; in the Final Vows the Society is now ratifying that offering.

CONTACT THE VOCATION PROMOTER!

Fr. Menoy D’Souza S.J.

Loyola Hall, Miramar, Panaji-Goa
Mobile: +91 96731 08457
jesuitvocationgoa@gmail.com
The Goa Jesuits Official Facebook Page
The Goa Jesuits Official Youtube Channel
https://www.jesuitsgoa.org/joinus.php

Further Reading

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