Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio

Formation

As Sylvania Franciscan Sisters, we commit ourselves to a lifelong formation process, which emphasizes continued growth in wholeness and becoming one with the heart of God. Within our Franciscan tradition, we name this process metanoia (ongoing conversion of mind and heart). The stages for becoming and living as a Sylvania Franciscan Sister are described below:

PRE-CANDIDACY follows a brief, initial inquiry period

Ordinarily, a period of 12 to 24 months
A mutual getting-acquainted time
An appointed discernment guide (a Sylvania Franciscan Sister) meets regularly with pre-candidate
Pre-candidate joins Sylvania Franciscans for prayer, celebration, weekend visits as appropriate
Woman completes intensive application process before acceptance into Candidacy

CANDIDACY is the first formal stage of formation

Ordinarily, 12 to18 months
Woman formally enters the initial formation process
Candidate lives and participates in everyday life of an appointed local community of Sylvania Franciscans
Candidate meets regularly with discernment guide
Candidate usually engages in some ministry or ministry preparation
Remains financially independent of the congregation

NOVITIATE is a very focused stage of a novice Sister’s formation

A two-year formative period
Novice spends nine months of the first (canonical) year at the Common Franciscan Novitiate in Joliet, Illinois
Engages in extensive Franciscan study and reflection, prayer, and some volunteer ministry experience
Second Year provides further experience of Franciscan life:
- At home with the Sylvania Franciscan community
- In part-time ministry
  setting(s).

FIRST COMMITMENT is also known as the period of “Temporary” Profession
From 3 to 6 years in duration Designed for deepening the Sister’s vowed commitment As a Sylvania Franciscan Through opportunities for further spiritual, ministerial and theological development Ordinarily serves in full-time ministry

PERMANENT COMMITMENT begins with a Sister’s Final Profession

Each Sylvania Franciscan Sister embraces
- A commitment to ongoing conversion of mind and heart
- Continued maturation as a faithful, loving, deeply committed Franciscan woman religious
- A lifelong process of spiritual, psychological, intellectual, and missionary integration