On August 29 and 30, 16 novices pronounced their first vows and received the habit in the four houses of the Community of the Beatitudes accommodating the novitiates. Who are they and how did they reach this great day?
In September 2019, 8 young women and 8 young men began a year of preparation for their vows. They arrived in four separate Community houses.
Our house in Thy-le-Château, hosting the international brothers’ novitiate, welcomed Jean (French), Paul (Cameroonian), Marek (Polish), Florian (Swiss) and Théophile (Togolese). The novitiate of Tan Thong in Vietnam welcomed Dominic, Peter and Antoine.
In Les Essarts, near Rouen, the Sisters’ novitiate for Europe and the Americas welcomed Delphine and Esther (French), Angela (German), Nathalia (Mexican) and Samantha (from the United States). And finally, the Sisters’ novitiate for the African Region, at the Abbey of Notre Dame d´Autrey (Vosges), welcomed Laetitia (Ivorian), Marie-Elisabeth (Central African) and Maïssa (Gabonese) …
16 novices…, 12 nationalities, in the image of the Community present on all five continents. They all had already gone through several important stages of integration in the Community. First, the year of “internship” to receive the first training, common to all states of life, and verify their calling to the Community. Then one, two or three years of postulancy depending on the circumstances, during which the training continued, in particular learning French for some.
A year of training to « put on the new man »
During their novitiate, under the leadership of their novice masters and mistresses, they accepted to be taught, enlightened, challenged and transformed by the Lord. Fraternal life, teachings, spiritual direction, re-readings of one’s life, everything contributes to help « put on the new man » (cf. Eph 4, 23-24).
At the end of this year, our brothers and sisters were judged ready to pronounce their first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience according to the rule of life of the Community of the Beatitudes. A moment of great joy and emotion for their families and for the whole Community, but above all for each of these new professed. Their joy and missionary zeal is reflected in this video of our sisters of the novitiate of Les Essarts, among many other festive events of those two days.
The adventure continues !
These vows pronounced by our brothers and sisters are still only temporary. They will be renewed on the anniversary date for four years. Their formation continues but their missionary outreach is resumed after this break of a year of novitiate. Each one is sent to a Community house in Europe, in Africa (or in Vietnam for our Vietnamese brothers!) where he/she will continue a theological training in different ways and will be available to serve the Community and its missions and apostolates. Among them, the brothers who are destined for the priesthood will begin their studies in philosophy.
In September, the adventure continues for all of them. And it begins for the new « trainees » who have decided to take the step of entering the Community. In this year 2020-2021, together with the postulants and novices, there will be altogether about 85 in number who will be following the initial stages of formation preceding the temporary commitment for the laity and the temporary vows for the consecrated.
These training stages are quite costly for the Community which invests for the future of the Church, for the missions and tomorrow’s evangelization. If you would like to help the Community of the Beatitudes to assume this formation, do not hesitate to make a donation. Small or great, every gift is precious! May the Lord repay you a hundredfold.
Find here below pictures of these new professed brothers and sisters on the day of their vows…
