Becoming a Sister of St. Margaret
Entrance into Religious life is a gradual process of study and discernment between the aspirant and the community. The application process requires several visits of varying length to the community. Those women accepted enter the Society of St. Margaret as postulants. After a postulancy of six months, they may become novices. The novitiate is for two to three years, after which a novice makes an annual Profession of vows. Life Profession may come after a further three to five years. This is just the start of a lifetime of contemplative action and continuous discernment of God’s will for each Sister as she lives life in community and in the world.
Some questions to consider might be:
How do you feel about living with others? Have you had community experiences in the past? What is your prayer life like? Do you find yourself wanting more time to pray? How do you feel about silence? Do you feel called to serve, are you interested in joining hands with a group of dedicated women?
You might also want to read about life in a religious community and we recommend the following books to those who are discerning a vocation to religious life. If you are interested in a longer list, please let us know.
Paying Attention to God – Rev. William A. Barry, SJ
Life Together – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Rule of St. Benedict – Joan Chittister
Wisdom Distilled from the Daily – Joan Chittister
Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict – Esther DeWaal
Growing up – Peter Gomes
Open Mind, Open Heart – Thomas Keating, OCSC
New Habits – Isabel Losada
Cloister Walk – Kathleen Norris
If you would like more information on life in our community, please contact:
Sr. Adele Marie, Vocations Director
St. Margaret’s Convent
P.O. Box C
Duxbury, MA 02331-0605
781-934-9477 x702
Vocations@ssmbos.org