HABIT AND FORMATION IN SOCIETAS FILII DIVINAE PRAESENTIAE MISSIONARII

 

HABIT OF THE CONGREGATION

“The Religious habit is a sign of consecration and should therefore be simple and modest and at once poor and becoming. It should also meet the requirements of health and suited to the circumstances of time and place and services required by those who wear it (P.C. n.17).” Every colour is consecrated by God and therefore good and holy. The colours of Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii are: Red, White, Black, Gold and Ash. These colours signify pure and holy love, divine presence cum divine charity.

The habits of Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii are:

For the Professed:  Gold Soutane with twelve white buttons and a Black Sash. The Sash will have the logo of the Congregation on it.

For Novices: Black Soutane with twenty white buttons on it. 

For Postulants: Ash Soutane; ash trousers and the Congregation’s T-shirt. 

RELIGIOUS LIFE

The religious members of Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii make the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. In addition, they take the vows of offering and stability.

The Vows

Members of Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii make Vows of:

Poverty – vowing to abandon all one’s material and emotional possessions, and to come to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii with empty hands, and a heart filled with the desire to become a possession of Divine Charity.

Chastity – vowing to give one’s heart entirely to God for the sake of the kingdom.                            

Obedience – vowing to willingly and gratefully become Jesus’ and Mary’s possession and servant in Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii, and in doing so, to obey the rules and charism of the community as well as the direction of superiors.

Offering – Members make a fourth vow to offer one’s life for the intentions of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii, keeping nothing for self but giving all without reserve and with joy.

Stability- Vowing to willingly and gratefully observe and cherish the community life, without self-deception, coercion or fear. The members enter, assume and live a stable life of consecrated love and devotion to the Holy Trinity and Mary by the public and profession of these vows. 

ADMISSION

Becoming a full member of Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii will take the person two years and six months. At first, any person interested in the life of the Congregation will apply through a written application letter. If the application is accepted, the person will come for a retreat where and when he is informed about the essentials of the life of the Society. This process includes three to six months stay with the Community, during which time one would meet with certain members of the Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii, and also take psychological tests. In addition, the applicant is to present two letters of recommendation (one from his parish priest, the other from a spiritual director), baptism card, and medical fitness test from a recognized Catholic hospital. If the young man is still interested, and will be considered possible by the Society, will be admitted into Postulancy for one year, learning the Liturgy, the Church doctrine, and all about the Society. He spends another one year in novitiate where he learns about the mystery of Christ, and the spirituality of the Society, and other spiritual exercise approved by the church. Games and physical exercise and prayer are also essential programmes in the novitiate. He will take his first vow, and will be sent to study philosophy in the seminary, after which he will spend another one year for pastoral experience, before his theology. He takes his final vow, the ministries of lector and acolyte, diaconate ordination and priestly ordination. One can also take the ministries of lector and acolyte in cases where the Seminary in which one is studying arranges for such for the entire class.

The practical requirements are:

Those desiring to be members must be debt-free.

One must be between 18 to 40 years of age (considerations can be given to those applying for brotherhood who are above 40years of age).

One must be single, never married and without children.

One must be physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically healthy.

Anyone who is been admitted during his philosophical studies will do his novitiate programme after the philosophical studies, and also go for pastoral year, before proceeding to theological studies. 

Anyone admitted during his theological studies will be allowed to finish his studies before going to novitiate. After novitiate programme, he should stay at least four years doing the apostolate assigned to him in any of the community houses before any ordination. The same with anyone who is been admitted after all his studies.

To those who have been admitted normally, that is, those who did their Aspirancy, Postulancy and Novitiate with Societas Filii Divinae Praesentiae Missionarii before their philosophical studies, they will have their pastoral year programme after their philosophical studies, and internship after their theological studies.