On March 25, 2014 – the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, eight Postulants were admitted to the Novitiate. Five of them (Rolly, Felix. Rene, Mark and Chadee) are Filipinos and three (Son, Hung and Dinh) are Vietnamese. The ceremony of acceptance took place during the concelebrated Mass at the Novitiate, Fr. Dehon in Lower Lucoban, Dumalinao in Zamboanga del Sur Province. During his homily Fr. Francis Pupkowski, the superior of the Philippine Region said:  “Today, eight of  you start your fifteen month Novitiate. It is not an accident that we are here; it is a God’s call… God called us here, because He has many and meaningful plans for each one of us… many interesting and inspiring tasks… He firmly believes that we can do something special for Him. So, let us place ourselves at the disposal of God. Like Mary let us give our full cooperation and unconditional collaboration as we say “Ecce Ancilla” – favorite expression of Fr. Leo Dehon, “Lord, let it be done according to your will.”

Novitiate is a time of preparation to become a member of the congregation by professing three vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. It is also a time of discernment if one was called to religious life in the community.  It often includes times of intense study, prayer, living in community, studying the vowed life, deepening one’s relationship with God, and deepening one’s self-awareness. It is a time of creating a new way of being in the world.