Our Charism
Sent from the Father by the Risen Lord, the Holy Spirit bestows manifold gifts on the Church in order to accomplish Christ’s work: the glorification of the Father and the salvation of the world. One such gift is the vocation to religious life. The individual called must embrace it as a personal challenge. Those who freely respond to God’s call by entering our Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing are prepared to surrender themselves wholly to Christ; by doing so, they will be enabled to serve others according to God’s plan of salvation through different Formation Stages.
1.
INITIAL FORMATION
There are sisters entrusted with initial formation to lead the candidates to an inner conviction of our Congregation’s values through their instruction during different Stages such as:
a) ASPIRANCY
Young women who have expressed their desire to enter into our Congregation. They come for short visits to any of the communities near to them and spend some time with the sisters. When they are ready, they are officially admitted in the Aspirants’ house of the Priory before they become Postulants.
b) POSTULANCY
Are young women who have spent some time with the sisters in the Aspirants’ house to discern their fitness for religious life. They are helped to adjust gradually to the new mode of life and assisted to develop their human and spiritual maturity in the community. They have a daily schedule of prayer, lessons and work. They are introduced to the nature of religious life that provides an opportunity to make the right choice.
c) NOVITIATE
This stage helps the young women to deepen their relationship with God through silence, prayer and recollection. Hence, for a period of one year, the Novice is limited to the contacts of the outside world of the Convent. In this way, they become imbued in mind and heart with the spirit of the Congregation while testing their resolve and fitness for this way of life.
d) JUNIORATE
At this stage, young women are integrated into the community’s life and its service by admitted to temporary profession of public vows. They receive further training which is one of our vital concerns of our Congregation, in order to fruitfully engage in any apostolic field of the community. They may be assigned to any of our communities in order to foster mutual acquaintance with other sisters as well as being exposure to other activities, before they pronounce their perpetual commitment to our Congregation.
2.
ONGOING FORMATION
Formation is essentially a lifelong process of transformation into Christ. Ongoing formation builds upon the foundation prepared during the period of initial formation. We continue to learn until death, and grow throughout our lifetime. We prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually for retirement by planning for it meaningfully. We continue to live under the Rule of St. Benedict and our Superior. Elderly sisters support our missionary work through their prayers.
THAT IN ALL THINGS, GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED!
