The Novitiate
The Novitiate: Building the Foundation of Dominican Life
The novitiate is a year dedicated to living Dominican life in a focused way - through prayer, study and living Dominican life on a daily basis. Our novitiate is located at Saint Albert the Great Priory in Irving, Texas. However, in August 2010 we will move the Novitiate to Saint Anthony of Padua Priory in New Orleans, Lousianna.
During the novitiate year the novice comes to a better understanding of vowed Dominican life through:
- Experiencing communal and personal prayer
- Daily participation in the Mass
- Living community life
- Ministerial experience
- Study of our history, constitutions and vows
- Other programs aimed at preparing the novice for vowed life.
During this year the novice experiences both the tension and harmony of religious life. He learns how to adjust the balance between action and reflection, prayer and service, community and solitude.
The Daily Life of a Novice
A typical day in the novitiate begins at 7:00 A.M. with Lauds (Morning Prayer) followed by the community Mass in the priory chapel, where the Dominican community is often joined by students and faithful from the local neighborhood. After breakfast, the novices spend the morning in classes in Dominican history, the Constitutions of the Order, and the vows with the novice master or scholar brought in as the opportunity and need arise. Once a week, the novices meet with the novice master in a chapter meeting to help build the community skills they will need in their vowed life. In a chapter meeting the novices discuss their differences and seek to live better as a community. Time is set aside for private prayer and study. Vespers (evening prayer) is celebrated at 5:30 P.M. Each novice shares in the duties of caring for the house and also chooses a specific form of apostolic ministry to round out a personal balance of prayer, study and ministry. The novices are encouraged to develop their own gifts with classes in areas of personal enrichment and creative art. After the evening meal and the chance to relax, a usually full day ends with compline (night prayer) at 10:00 P.M.
Simple Vows
At the end of the novitiate year the novice makes a formal request for temporary vows. Upon recommendation by the Senior Community of brothers, the novice professes vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for a period of up to three years. At that point he begins his formal education and continue his initial formation as a friar at the House of Studies (Studium) in St. Louis Missouri.
The 2009 - 2010 Novitiate Class
Click here and learn more about our new novitiate class. Find out about their backgrounds and what brought them to life as a Southern Dominican friar.
