One of the questions you may find yourself asking is, “How do I know if I am being called to be a Sister?” The answer is, “Slowly.”

Discovering one’s call is a gradual process. Maybe it starts as a gentle tugging on your heart. Maybe you want to do more with your life. Maybe you have a desire for a deeper relationship with God. These thoughts are God’s invitation to look at your life choices. As you prayerfully open yourself to God, you begin to have a sense of how you are being called.  If you feel drawn to religious life, explore the possibility. With faith, risk starting the journey. God will be with you every step of the way! And we will walk with you!.

The Journey to Becoming a School Sister of Notre Dame

Step One – Inquiry
If you feel that God is drawing you to look at religious life, the first step would be to contact our vocation directors to begin a dialogue with you. A vocation director will introduce you to sisters and invite you to visit comminutes so that you can see how we live. She will give you materials for prayer and reflection and will answer your questions. With you, she will listen keenly to how God is moving in you life. Back to top

Step Two – Affiliation
If you desire to continue exploring the call to religious life at a deeper level, you can become an affiliate. During affiliation, you continue to discern God’s call and have opportunities to experience community life by living in several of our communities for a week or two. This gives you taste of how you would live as a sister. The time frame for this first step is six months to three years. Back to top

Step Three – Postulancy
Postulancy is the time in which you come to live with us in community. Being a member of a local community gives you greater insight into religious life and helps you see if it is a good fit for you. You will come together with us to share prayer, household tasks, ministry and leisure. You may continue going to school or maintain your present job. Postulants meet regularly with their directing sister. Postulancy is a one to two year period in which you have a first-hand experience of how you will live as a sister. Back to top

Step Four – Novitiate
As a Novice, you spend time apart to deepen your relationship with God. You study the theology of the vows and see how they impact the daily living of our lives. You learn skills for community life and study our SSND history and charism. During this time, you continue your discernment. At the end of the novitiate, you profess your First Vows. SSND novices in North America come together for novitiate in St. Louis, Mo. Back to top

Step Five – Temporary Profession
Having expressed your desire to dedicate yourself to God through First Profession, you now enter into the heart of SSND life and learn to integrate the elements of prayer, community and ministry. Within a six year period, you prayerfully discern if religious life is your heart’s deepest desire. During this time of preparation for Perpetual Profession, you come to know if the vowed life the right choice for your life. Back to top

Step Five – Perpetual Profession
Trusting in a faithful God, School Sisters of Notre Dame profess three vows: Consecrated Celibacy, Gospel Poverty and Apostolic Obedience in Community. These vows express the totality of our commitment to God and to the members of our SSND Congregation. For us, life in community is a giving and a receiving of love and respect, of trust, openness, sincerity and forgiveness. Through our presence to and for one another, through prayer, dialog and ministry, we become a community of one mind and one heart . Back to top

Invitation
We invite women who desire to deepen their faith, live in community and to serve others in active ministry, to inquire about our congregation. To become a Sister, a woman must have good health, the ability to grow and to change, potential for living in community and skills for ministry. Back to top