Joining Us

 St Angela Merici - 5th Counsel

Becoming an Ursuline....

As followers of Jesus Christ all Christians are called to live out their Baptismal commitment in different ways. Most people do this and find holiness through marriage, some through dedicated single life and some are called to this discipleship as consecrated religious.

As Ursulines today our heritage of nearly five centuries of Ursuline life is immersed within the living tradition of the church.

As we know from our own process of growth we are shaped and formed by all our life experiences from the time we are born. As Ursulines we embody and continue to be shaped and formed by the spirit of our foundress St Angela Merici and our Patroness St Ursula.

Formation for this way of life is of prime importance.

INITIAL FORMATION helps the person and the community to discern whether this is the way of life for her. The process of formation has several stages and lasts about nine years. At the end of that time the woman makes her permanent commitment in the form of Final or Perpetual Profession, taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

ONGOING FORMATION continues throughout life and offers us a variety of opportunities to nourish our faith and our commitment according to our needs at different times.

The following principles are integral to the formation process:

• It is PERSON ORIENTED. Respect for the individual is paramount. Formation is always situated in the lived experience of the person, keeping in mind our global reality.

• It is CENTRED ON JESUS 'our only hope and life'. St Angela. 5th Counsel

• It is LIVED IN COMMUNITY 'keep the flame of love burning in our hearts...' St Angela; Primitive Rule No. 9 

• It is ORIENTED TOWARDS MISSION. In our formation as in our life we always have focus on our mission in the Church.

• It has an INTERNATIONAL dimension. We are a province of the Roman Union of Ursulines united as a global community moving to a new life.