Perpetual Profession

For the next two blog posts, I would like to tell you about our Perpetual Profession ceremony. This is the time that we have committed to this way of life for the rest of our lives. We have been a postulant, a novice, and a temporary professed. We have walked with the community, and the community has walked with us. This not a short process, and it can take up to nine years to complete. 

When a woman has decided that she is wanting to make perpetual profession, she discusses it with her temporary professed director and the prioress. After their discernment, she reads a letter to the entire community asking to begin the six month to a year process. She fills out a personal evaluation, evaluated by the formation team, evaluated by her deanery, and evaluations filled out by perpetual professed members. 

At the next community meeting, she comes before the community. If a community member has filled out a paper evaluation, they come to the microphone. The Sister asking then leaves the room and the community votes. After the votes are counted, she is brought back in to be told that she can make her perpetual profession. She then begins the process of planning the ceremony. 

In the next post, I will share the ceremony parts.