The Novitiate

at the

Abbey of St. Walburga

First Year Junior Professed:

Sister Lioba, OSB

           and

Sister Maria-Gertrude, OSB

Made First Vows September 2008

Candidates: upon entering, a woman remains a candidate for about the first three months.

Postulants: she then receives the postulant veil and remains a postulant for about nine more months.

During the candidacy and postulancy, a woman studies our Benedictine rule, traditions, and ways of prayer as she lives the community life.  This is a period of discernment on the part of the individual and the community.  We attempt to discover together whether the person seems genuinely to be called to our monastery and way of life.

Novices:  at the end of the postulancy, one becomes a novice for two years.  The novitiate is a period of more intense discernment and preparation for vows. 

Junior Professed:  at the end of the novitiate,  with the approval of the community, the novice makes her first monastic vows of obedience, stability, and fidelity to the monastic life, for a period of three years, during which she continues her formation education and community life.  At the end of three years, she makes her solemn perpetual vows.

Second Year Junior Professed:

Sister Immaculata, OSB

                        and

Sister Maria Josepha, OSB

Made  First Vows February 2007

Canonical Novices: Sister Kristina

                             and Sister Raisa

Formation Program:

Postulant: Judy