membership: Vowed Life

Discernment – a woman spends time praying and visiting with the community, listening to her heart and to the direction of a Vocation Director in helping her decide if there is a compatibility in spirituality and lifestyle.

Live-in - after coming to a preliminary mutual agreement about God’s call to the community a woman begins a residency period to further discern her vocation.  She continues to support herself independently.  The woman who is living in the monastery in discernment continues to meet with the Vocation Director to assist in her deliberations.

Postulancy – as a woman becomes accustomed to life in the monastery she may ask to be received as a postulant and to take the first formal step into the monastic community.  This period may last from six months to two years during which the woman meets with the Formation team for classes and direction.  The postulant is financially independent maintaining employment during this time.

Novitiate –  the next step of incorporation is the beginning of a canonical year of novitiate.  This year is a spiritual year of ora et labora (prayer and work) during which time the new member becomes more acquainted with Benedictine spirituality and tradition and is immersed in the monastic lifestyle.

Temporary Profession – successfully completing her canonical year and feeling drawn into further incorporation into the community the novice petitions to make first vows of obedience, stability and conversion of life.  With the approval of the community she enters into the experience of monastic vowed commitment and fuller integration in ministry.  Temporary profession is a minimum of three years but may be extended.

Final Monastic Profession – Perpetual profession of monastic vows is not the end but the beginning of a woman’s monastic journey.  Each day she will continue to “seek God” and to “faithfully incline the ear of her heart”.

For further information on vowed membership, contact Sr. Shelly Farabaugh
or Sr. Roberta Campbell at (412) 931-2844 x117 or listening@osbpgh.org

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