Candidacy

On entrance day, the candidate knocks on the door of the convent, asking to be admitted as an aspirant to our way of life. By this time, the littlest Sister has walked a long and sometimes challenging journey of discernment. She has been listening for the Bridegroom’s voice and has faintly heard it calling her to our community. She has seen that the life of a consecrated bride of Christ is desirable and that Our Lady will teach her the way to be Christ’s bride.

The community has seen in her signs of the communal charism to communicate the Beauty, Goodness and Truth of our beautiful Faith while living the richness of the Church’s liturgical life and has seen signs of her ability to live the communal life in imitation of Our Lady.

When she knocks, she may know very little about the religious life or she may be well-read and experienced—it matters very little. All that matters now is that she sincerely seeks admittance into Christ’s Heart, that she is docile to the Holy Spirit and that she strives each day to imitate Our Lady in all things and to live according to the way of life of a Marian Sister.

She chooses at this time to leave behind her all that is familiar and comfortable. In order to grow closer to Christ and to be able to serve Him more freely, she chooses a way of life that initially offers but limited contact with her beloved family and friends. Upon coming to live with the community, she knows that she will have to lay aside many familiar routines and adapt her manner of doing things to that of the community. 

As she rises each morning, she unites with the community in praying, “I will arise and put on Christ Jesus Crucified, Whom my soul loves and in Whom my heart rejoices.” She consecrates the day to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, praying that the whole day (and her whole life) be a loving response to the gift of His gracious call.
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