Is God calling you?

Do you feel a strong desire to serve others, to find God through prayer and to live a vowed life in community? If so, please contact one of our vocation directors in your country for more information.

The International Novitiate at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana, helps prepare new members for life and service to God's people in communities around the world. It also reflects the Congregation’s identity as a richly diverse international and intercultural community of women. 

What is a novitiate?

A novitiate is a house of formation where new members of religious congregations get to know God, their community and themselves better. Our two-year novitiate program provides new members with a common novitiate formation experience and connects them with their peers from around the world. Learn more about the process of joining a religious community.

What do the novices do?

Novices learn about and reflect on spirituality, prayer and community history, and participate in faith formation by becoming familiar with Scripture, Catholic doctrine and the sacraments. They also engage in personal prayer and spiritual direction. Novices provide liturgical ministry at the Church of Our Lady of Loretto and visit the Congregation’s senior sisters. They form community together—planning and leading community prayer, cooking meals and leading community meetings. They also spend time acclimating to the area and culture by attending workshops and serving others in the South Bend, Indiana, community.