Knocking at the Convent Door

On Entrance Day, after bidding farewell to their families, the Candidates approach the convent and knock on the door, asking to be admitted as aspirants to our way of life. They have walked a long journey of discernment, first the hearkening in their soul to Christ's call and then the mutual discernment with the community which seeks to determine God's will. The community has seen in the Candidate signs of the communal charism - the gift from God given for the service of the Church to both the Community and to the individual members for His glory and the salvation of souls - and indications of the ability to live the life. The Candidate has in turn seen that the life of the consecrated bride of Christ is beautiful and that our charism and way of life may be the place in which He wishes to fulfill the desires that He has placed in her heart, desires of belonging more fully to Him and of giving her whole self in His service.

Each Candidate reverences the wounds of Christ Crucified on this day, just as the whole Church does on Good Friday, as an act of honor to the Cross as the means of our redemption and as an act of loving reparation to our Good Redeemer, so injured by the sins of men. 

Entrance marks the end of an often difficult period of discernment in the Candidate's life, but the discernment does not cease with entrance. In a sense, a more intense period of discernment begins. ​

Now is the opportunity to see how the well the aspirant and the life match: does she have the physical stamina necessary to live a life fully given? The intellectual maturity to join our '"pursuit of Truth by learning"? The emotional maturity to flourish in community life? 

The early stages of religious life provide the Candidate with the time and guidance she needs to determine if, in fact, God is calling her to this way of life, in this particular community, living out of this particular charism, serving this particular Church, in this particular manner. It is a time of beautiful opportunities for growth in all the human as well as intellectual and moral virtues, to grow in the spiritual life, and to fall deeply in love with Christ Crucified Who has been whispering to her heart and communicating to her His Loving Presence and plan for her life.

We pray that each young woman who knocks on our door as an aspirant grows in her love of Christ Jesus and in her ability to perceive and receive His love in all the aspects of her life. We welcome each "little Sister" into our religious family with open hearts and loving prayers, recognizing that she may be our sister for life, according to God's Holy Will.