By,  Sister Mary Andre Lafferty, OSF

Formation is the process in which you learn above all about God’s will for you.  This is achieved through a variety of activities including formal studies, community living, worship and apostolic work.  These aim to integrate the spiritual, intellectual and psychological aspects of human development.  In the process you discern together with the community if this consecrated life is right for you.

A spiritual assistant or formator accompanies you during this period of study and self-discovery.  This is true for both religious and Secular Franciscan formations.  The formator assists you in discerning your vocation.  Honesty and trust are essential to a successful relation between you and your formator.  

In general, members of the Hong Kong- Macao Franciscan family share the same plan of rotation.  With a few variations, the program is as follows:

Friars, Poor Clares, Franciscan Sisters                    Secular Franciscans

Solemn Profession                                                            Permanent Commitment

 In the aspirancy/orientation period, you keep contacts with a Franciscan who will try to answer your queries and help you clarify your interest in the Franciscan Order.  Perhaps you may be invited to stay with a community for a couple of days.  This will give you an opportunity to experience community life as an outsider without obligations to remain!

The postulancy/enquiry allows you to observe and participate in the Order’s life from the inside.  You may live with the Franciscan community but may continue your work or education.  This gives the community the opportunity to observe whether you show promise in living our Franciscan life.  In return you should show sufficient interest and readiness to continue in the next stage of formation as you discern your vocation.

The novitiate/candidature is a special period that marks the official entrance into the Order.  Novices and candidates spend time in intense study and prayer.  Study usually includes the spiritual tradition of the Franciscans, its history and rules of life.  Prayer above all is directed toward discovering God’s will for you.  At the end of the novitiate/candidature, you should be sufficiently sure about your vocation to make temporary vows or commitment.

The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience are made by the friars, Poor Clares and Franciscan sisters for one year and are renewed for at least two more years.  This is known as the period of temporary vows.  For special reasons, these temporary vows can be renewed to up to nine years in accordance with Canon Law.  During this period of temporary vows, you may be involved in further studies or work.  When you and your community have come to a clear discernment, you may finally make your solemn profession of vows that will require you to live in poverty, chastity and obedience for the rest of your life.

Secular Franciscans do not make vows like the friars, Poor Clares or Franciscan sisters.  Instead they make a permanent commitment to live the Gospel in accordance with their secular state of life- whether as a spouse, a parent, an employer or an employee, etc… This commitment is as challenging as the religious vows, and is equally serious.  Instead of poverty, chastity and obedience, the Secular Franciscan commits to live a life of simplicity, fidelity to one’s spouse and family, and fidelity to the ideals of the Order.

During the many years of formation, the community will discern with you if there are signs of true vocation.  This requires prayer, dialogue and interaction with the community.  The community should not be seen as a judge threatening to make a negative decision.  Rather it should be seen as fraternal concern to discover God’s will for you.  Remember that your vocation is essentially in the Church and for the Church.  Hence, the Church, represented by the community, has the right and responsibility to discern with you.