A growing awareness of self, respectful love for others, a personal relationship with Christ, a deep sense of the Church and the spirit of the sisters of our Lady of Fatima will be emphasized at all levels of formation. The goal of formation is to prepare committed Christians for the total consecration of themselves to God in the following of Christ in the service of the Church's mission. Since the very purpose of the consecrated life is to live in the Lord Jesus in His total self-giving this is also the principal objective of formation. In fostering Vocations, we aim at presenting the attraction of the person of the Lord Jesus and the beauty of the total gift of self for the work of the Gospel.
The candidates are given an initial formation into a new form of life and a deepening of their understanding of the meaning of God's Call-in terms of the Charism of the Congregation. Duration for come and see is for one year.
The aim of the Pre-novitiate is to allow for mutual acquaintance and progressive adaptation to the religious life of the Fatima Sisters. We make available to them the means to discern with us the authenticity of their call and their capacity to respond to it in freedom. The Pre-Novitiate will ordinarily be for a period of one year.
The main purpose of the novitiate is to prepare the novice for the essential demands of religious life as well as for the practice of the evangelical counsels of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. Normally the duration of the novitiate period will be for two years.
The Eucharist, the center of her life, is the source of her union with the community. Meditation on the Sacred Scriptures, the study of Theology and the documents of the Church, the reading of the life of our Founder, patrons and the documents of the congregation will help her to grow in her commitment to the charism and mission of the Congregation.
The time of Temporary profession is a time of insertion into the life and mission of the Congregation. The temporary professed sister brings her gifts of vitality and hope to the community. Her integration into the life and apostolate of the group provides an opportunity for mutual enrichment and growth. The period of temporary profession is of six – Nine years.
An immediate spiritual and more intensive preparation precedes perpetual profession. It is in fact desirable that this unique and definite act, whereby the religious is consecrated to God forever is preceded by six months immediate preparation spent in spiritual renewal and retreat. The Formation Team consists of the General Councilor in charge of formation and the directress of juniors, novices, pre-novices and candidates.
The perpetual vows place greater responsibility on the individual for further integration, deepening one's rootedness in Christ and His mission. Regular religious renewal courses and seminars are conducted to deepen our commitment to God and our mission.