Entrance Requirements

The Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart

Practicing Catholic

Baptized, Confirmed, received First Communion, striving to live Christian values

Character

Generosity of heart, zealous love to serve, good common sense, and a sufficient degree of spiritual and emotional maturity.

Health

Good physical and mental health is essential.

Age

A candidate must be at least 17 years of age and have completed her high school education; our age limit for candidacy is 30 years of age.

Stages of Becoming a Sacred Heart Sister

Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart
Postulants wear a brown skirt as they begin to experience religious life in our community.

Postulancy

  • A time to live with our Sisters in the Novitiate house and experience religious life in our Community
  • An introduction to our prayer life
  • Beginning formation in religious studies
  • Supervised catechetical teaching experience and learning the Five-Step Illustrated Method of our Society

Postulancy (a period of 6 months) is a time in which the newly admitted candidate can come to recognize more clearly her response to Our Lord’s invitation, “Come, follow Me” (Jn. 1:43) and experience what religious life in our Society would ask of her.

Sacred Heart Sisters
The clothing of novices is similar in color and style to the habit of the professed Sisters, but without the Sacred Heart badge. Novices receive a scapular that they wear externally as a sign of their desire to deepen in our life, and they receive the Constitutions of our Society to know and embrace the principles of our spiritual life and charism.

Novitiate

  • Entering into a deeper period of spiritual formation
  • Studying the Constitutions of our Society
  • Deepening the understanding and living of the vows (Evangelical Counsels) of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience
  • Continuing supervised catechetical teaching and religious studies
  • Receiving the scapular medal to be worn externally as a public witness
  • Wearing the beige colors of the Community
  • Receiving the title of Sister

The duration of the Novitiate in our Society is two years.  During this time, the novices experience religious life as lived in our Society, and learn to adapt themselves wholeheartedly to it. Guided by the Director of Novices and her Assistants, novices give evidence of their intention to live a life totally dedicated to God, spent in undivided love and faithful prayer.

Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart
Professed Members received a badge of the Sacred Heart which they wear over their own hearts.

Temporary Profession

  • Profession of Evangelical Counsels, vows of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience
  • Reception of the emblem of our Society, the silver Sacred Heart Badge
  • Reception of Profession Crucifix
  • Assigned to live in a local Community and to more fully participate in the apostolate
  • Taking part in living the Evangelical Counsels in the life of the Community
  • On-going education and workshops to be strengthened in the charism of the Community, understanding the Constitutions, prayer life, and apostolate

During the years of temporary vows, we receive continued formation in  our religious life and our apostolate.  We are guided to prove that we are faithful and beloved servants of God by our purity, knowledge, patience and kindness, and by a spirit of holiness.  The minimum number of years for temporary profession is six years and can be extended for another three years, if helpful.

Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart
PROFESSION OF VOWS

A deliberate and free promise made to God, concerning a possible and better good which must be fulfilled by reason of the virtue of religion. Religious vows, the public profession of the evangelical counsels in the Church, have an exemplary value in witnessing to the Kingdom to come.  –  Catechism of the Catholic Church

Perpetual Profession

  • Public profession of vows to live Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience “forever” in the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart
  • Reception of a simple gold ring (worn on the right hand), a sign of belonging totally to Christ
  • Continued enrichment through prayer, Sacramental life, Sacred Scripture, spiritual reading, and further studies
  • A life-long commitment to make known the personal love of God in a dynamic and effective way through a broad scope of apostolic works

The year preceding perpetual profession is a year of serious spiritual preparation in our Society.  During this year, we have opportunity to reflect on our sacred history with Our Lord and our place in the plan of God so that, united to Christ Our Lord, we may respond to Him through a life of love and service.

Sister Laura's Final Vows

"...trusting in Your infinite love and mercy, I vow chastity, poverty and obedience..."