Novitiates Collection, 1927-1970 | Maryknoll Mission Archives

This collection has been arranged into 4 series.

Series 1, Administrative, includes material related to the administration and management of all Sisters’ formation programming until 1969.

Series 2, Motherhouse Novitiate, includes records of the novitiate held at the Motherhouse in Maryknoll, NY.

Series 3, Topsfield Novitiate, includes records of the novitiate held in Topsfield, MA.

Series 4, Valley Park Novitiate, includes records of the novitiate held in Valley Park, MO.

The novitiates were the centers of the Maryknoll Sisters’ formation of candidates until 1969. All stages of candidate formation were done at the novitiates, which were at different times located at the Motherhouse in Maryknoll NY, Topsfield MA, and Valley Park MO.

The original novitiate was at the Motherhouse, which operated from the Sisters’ beginnings until 1969. The novitiate in Topsfield MA, called Ladycrest, was opened in 1953, closed in 1968, and sold in 1969. The novitiate in Valley Park MO was opened in 1947, closed in 1972, and sold in 1977.

Formation of candidates for the Maryknoll Sisters was done in three stages – postulancy, novitiate, and juniorate (also known as junior professed).

The purpose of postulancy was to test a candidate’s fitness for life as a Maryknoll Sister. A candidate was introduced to the Maryknoll way of life through regular Catholic education, apostolic activities in the local community, doing household duties as assigned, learning Maryknoll history and customs, and living in a group setting. This was a time to determine if a candidate actually felt a call to life as a Maryknoll Sister, felt that she could fulfil the regular duties of a Sister, and had no issues which would prevent her from joining the Sisters. The postulancy period lasted nine months.

At the end of the postulancy period, the candidate became a Novice after a Reception Ceremony. Novices continued with a similar program of formation to the Postulants, with intensified study of the vows, constitutions, and norms of the Sisters, study of Catholic doctrine and scripture, regular prayer and scheduled devotions, and household work at the Novitiate. She would also attend classes at Rogers College to obtain an undergraduate degree if she did not already have one, or to take courses on the mission areas which Maryknoll served. At the end of the novitiate period, a candidate made her First Vows to Maryknoll. At different times in the Maryknoll Sisters’ history, the novitiate period lasted between one and two years.

After the novitiate period, the candidate entered the juniorate period, which was focused on further educating the candidates for their future missions. During this time, the Junior Professed took a mix of classes ranging from apostolic methods to biology to psychology to spirituality. They also worked in assignments around the Novitiate. At the end of the juniorate period, a candidate made additional vows and received her mission assignment. At different times in the Maryknoll Sisters’ history, the juniorate period lasted between one and three years.

The Maryknoll Sisters began seriously interrogating the format of their formation programming following Vatican II. In February 1968, a proposal was made to transition from the traditional postulant-novitiate-transcultural apostolate progression to a 5-phase progression:

I. Pre-entrance (under an Admissions team)

II. Orientation (under an Orientation team)

III. Mission training (spent in mission under contract of commitment)

IV. Preparation for vows

V. Perpetual vows

This proposal was adapted and improved, and in mid-1969, following the issuing in February 1969 of the Instruction on Renewal of Religious Formation by the Sacred Congregation of Religious, the new program was approved by the Chapter and initiated. The Admissions Division and the Formal Education Division, which were part of the Education Department, took over the direction of new and prospective Sisters. The reorganization was made with the intent to clarify moments of decision for a candidate: becoming a candidate, a woman made a professional decision; becoming an associate, she made a mission decision; becoming a member, she made a religious decision. Entrance into the community proceeded by six stages:

I. Professional Education (previous to formal acceptance as a candidate)

II. General Orientation (to community  life and mission)

III. Transcultural Orientation (to a specific mission area as assigned)

IV. Religious Orientation (to specific commitment to religious life)

V. Promise of Fidelity (establishing a woman as a member of the Congregation with full voting rights)

VI. Vows (permanent commitment)