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Chapter 7 Admission to the Institute and to Religious Profession
111. In admitting candidates to the Institute, we follow the prescriptions of the Code of Canon Law1. The Brothers assigned to admit candidates use their prudent judgement in giving entry to those who give evidence of an authentic call from God and of a sincere desire to respond. Those who admit candidates do so in accordance with the criteria of the Formation Guide.
Admission to the Novitiate
112. Permission to enter the novitiate is given by the Brother Provincial. He needs to be satisfied that the postulant has good judgement, sufficient health, a feeling for religion, and the ability to live in community, as well as the other dispostions needed to become a Marist Brother.
112.1 To enter the novitiate, the postulant must be a layman, and must be at least seventeen years of age.
112.2 The Master of novices decides on the practical details connected with the beginning of the novitiate. At this time the new novice is given a copy of the Constitutions.
Admission to Profession
113. The Brother Provincial, with the consent of his Council, grants admission to temporary or perpetual profession1. This must be confirmed by the Brother Superior General.
Temporary profession is made for one or three years. The period of temporary profession must last at least four years. It terminates in perpetual profession.
113.1 Before profession the novice or Brother makes a written application to the Brother Provincial for admission, giving reasons for his request. If it is possible, the Brother Provincial makes known his reply in a personal interview.
113.2 For temporary profession to be valid: 1. the novice must be at least eighteen years old; 2. he must have made a valid novitiate; 3. the admission must have been made freely by the Brother Provincial and his Council, and approved by the Brother Superior General; 4. the profession must be expressly stated and made without force, grave fear, or deceit; 5. it must be received by the Brother Provincial or his delegate in the name of the Brother Superior General.(c 656)
113.3 For perpetual profession to be valid, in addition to the requirements listed in the previous statute, the following are needed:
1. the Brother must have completed at least his twenty-fourth year;
2. the Brother has been in temporary profession for at least four years. Perpetual profession may be anticipated by the Brother Provincial, but not by more than three months. (c 658)
113.4 The Brother must spend at least two years of apostolic life in a Marist community before he is admitted to perpetual profession.
113.5 When a Brother in temporary vows asks to renew his profession or to make a life-long commitment, the Brothers who know him, especially those of his own community, give their impressions of him in writing, sending their report to the Brother Provincial at the appropriate time. They should comment on the external aspects of the personal life of the Brother, his life in community and in the apostolate. (cf 165.1; 150.2.1)
113.6 A year of temporary profession is generally calculated as the time from one annual retreat to the next.
113.7 In exceptional cases, the Brother Superior General can prolong the period of temporary profession up to nine years. (c 657,2)
113.8 Records of admission to the novitiate and to the different professions must be sent to the Secretary General without delay. The Secretary General will supply the appropriate forms.
113.9 At the request of the Brother Provincial and his Council, the Brother Superior General can, without requiring that the novitiate be made over again, re-admit a member of the Institute who, at the end of his novitiate or after profession, has legitimately left us. The Brother Superior General will decide on the length of probation time needed before temporary profession is made, and also on the length of time to be spent in temporary vows before perpetual profession. (c 690; cf 137.3.8)
114. The profession formula will contain the following elements:
I, Brother .... freely and voluntarily, make into your hands, Brother Superior General, (OR Brother ......, delegate of Brother Superior General) profession of the evangelical counsels by the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, for one year (OR for three years, OR for my whole life), according to the Constitutions of the Institute of the Little Brothers of Mary (OR the Marist Brothers of the Schools).
If the Brother wishes to add a personal introduction and/or conclusion to this formula, such addition must be approved beforehand by the Brother Provincial.
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