The Stages of Formation
Collegiate
High School graduates who apply to become
Redemptorists are sent to the collegiate in Cebu City. They reside at the
St. Alphonsus' Collegiate Formation House and attend classes at the University
of San Carlos. The collegiate is a four year program at the end of
which the seminarians graduate with an A.B. in Philosophy.
Aspirancy
College graduates and professionals who
apply to become Redemptorists need not go through the collegiate program
in Cebu. After a "come and see" program where they spend three weeks in
a Redemptorist monastery or join a Redemptorist mission team, the Aspirants
are sent to Davao and live in the Davao Redemptorist community for a year.
Brothers Aspirancy Program
There is a program for those who apply
to become Redemptorist brothers. It is for those who have not yet
finished college and for those who are already professionals. This
program is based in Davao.
Postulancy
Those who have finished the collegiate
and the aspirancy move to the next stage of formation which is the postulancy.
This program, which is based in Dumaguete, enables the postulants to experience
more intensely the Redemptorist community life and the apostolates, both
parish and missions. After eight months, those who decide to continue and
are recommended proceed to the next stage which is the novitiate.
Novitiate
The novitiate is a program of where
those who want to become Redemptorist priests and brothers spend
a longer period of time in prayer, study and reflection. They get to know
more about the Religious life in general and the Redemptorist life in particular.
The novitiate is at present located in Iligan City but will be transferred
to Lipa City by 2003 where the novices from the Southern Philippines (Cebu
province) will have a joint program with the novices from the Northern
Philippines (Manila vice-province).
After one year and six months novitiate,
those who decide to become Redemptorists and are recommended make their
first profession.
Studendate
This is the final stage of formation for
newly professed Redemptorists who want to become priests and in some cases
for brothers in formation. This is a five year program: first two years
theology, one year pastoral immersion, last two years in theology. This
program is based in Davao at the St. Alphonsus' Theologate. The one year
immersion is done with any of the Redemptorist mission teams.
After three years or more, those who are
ready and are recommended make their final (or perpetual) profession as
Redemptorists. The candidate for the priesthood are ordained to diaconate
after their perpetual profession and ordained priests in their final year
in theology.
Pastoral Year
Newly ordained Redemptorist priests make
their pastoral year in Tacloban. This is a period of apprenticeship as
they begin their priestly ministry. They experience the whole gamut of
the Redemptorist apostolates: mission, parish ministry, church work, retreats,
etc.
