Formation Processes

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Who are some of the seminarians in the process of discernment right now? You can meet them at vocation.nd.edu/what-the-seminary-is-like/.

Brother-scholastics preparing for the life of a Holy Cross brother can be found through the websites:

Take the international overview of Holy Cross vocations by exploring this online newsletter.

Formation for religious life and ministry in the Congregation of Holy Cross is described in Constitution 7. The stages of Initial Formation include:

Candidacy:

“Candidates who come to the congregation deserve from us the cultivation of their maturity, faith, generosity, learning and ability to live in community. With them we assess their character and growth as Christians, and we both discern and assist them to discern whether they are disposed and able to move towards joining our congregation. The duration of each one’s candidacy is determined by the provincial, and it is he who admits candidates to the novitiate” (C7, 61)

In Holy Cross there are nearly 500 young men in various stages of aspiring to religious life in Holy Cross throughout the world.

Novitiate:

“The novitiate is the beginning of life in the congregation. Novices are helped to form themselves in meditation and prayer, in the mutual services of a common life, in apostolic service, and in knowledge of the history and spirituality, character and mission of Holy Cross. In short they are challenged and helped to open their hearts to the gospel, to live under the same roof with one another, and to create a brotherhood of disciples. The novitiate is their apprenticeship in celibacy, poverty, and obedience.
“The novitiate takes place in a house designated by the superior general…Its duration is at least twelve months in the novitiate house, and no m ore than two years, including brief periods of active ministry…The novitiate concludes with a profession of temporary vows, to which a novice is admitted by the provincial” (C7, 62-63).

In Holy Cross there are 37 novices throughout the world.

Post-Novitiate Formation:

“The profession of vows is ordinarily followed by a program of formation that involves new members in further study and internship directed towards their eventual form of service and needs of our mission. All members are given theological and pastoral training for a lay or ordained ministry…The period of initial formation in annual vows after the novitiate is for at least three years and ordinarily no more than six years…It concludes with the profession of perpetual vows, to which a member is admitted by the superior general” (C7, 67-68).

There are 75 professed brother-scholastics and 118 professed seminarians in the initial formation programs of Holy Cross throughout the world.

The details of the formation process differs from province to province, and there is room for both the rigor of the highest standards and the flexibility of pastoral understanding. You can learn much about the formation process through your acquaintances in the Congregation of Holy Cross.

The website for the United States Province offers this comprehensive outline of their process for candidates pursuing a vocation to the religious life in Holy Cross: http://vocation.nd.edu/what-the-seminary-is-like/.

The websites of the Holy Cross Brothers USA provinces offers an outline of their process for candidates pursuing a vocation to the religious brotherhood in Holy Cross.

And since Holy Cross is found around the world, here is a listing of Houses of Formation at the NOVITIATE and POST-NOVITIATE levels by country:

BANGLADESH:
Pabitra Krush Nabyaloy (Holy Cross Novitiate), BARISAL
Pabitra Krush Sadhana Griha (Holy Cross Scholasticate), RAMPURA, DHAKA
Pabitra Krus Jnanatapasalaya (Holy Cross Scholasticate), MOHAMMADPUR, DHAKA

BRAZIL:
Noviciado Santa Cruz, SANTARÉM, PA
Sousas Juniorate Residence, CAMPINAS, SP
Juniorato-Casa de Formação Irmão André, SÃO PAULO, SP

CHILE:
Comunidad Egaña, SANTIAGO

GHANA:
Blessed Brother Andre Novitiate, ADISADEL, CAPE COAST
Holy Cross District Center, ADISADEL, CAPE COAST
Holy Cross Formation Community, SUNYANI

HAÏTI:
Noviciat La Solitude Saint-Joseph, BANDE DU NORD, CAP-HAÏTIEN
Scholasticat Basile-Moreau, BIZOTON, PORT-AU-PRINCE

INDIA:
Holy Cross Novitiate, YERCAUD
Holy Cross Seminary, PUNE

KENYA:
McCauley House of Formation, NAIROBI

MEXICO:
Casa de Formacion, GUADALUPE, NL

PERU:
Noviciado de Santa Cruz, HUAYACAN, LIMA
Residencia Estudantil San Jose, CANTO BELLO, LIMA

UNITED STATES:
Holy Cross Novitiate, CASCADE, CO
Moreau Seminary, NOTRE DAME, IN
Brother Charles Andersen Residence, SAN ANTONIO, TX

UGANDA:
Holy Cross Novitiate, LAKE SAAKA, FORT PORTAL