The vocational journey for a candidate to enter the Order of Friars Minor is always accompanied by vocations animators, who seek to evaluate the call and provide support to follow it. Before arriving at the time of solemn profession, the friar follows several stages of formation and discernment.
After making the necessary discernment of one's call, the candidate enters the postulancy year: it is a time of direct knowledge of the life of the fraternity while remaining in one's secular state. Through study, prayer and common life, following the ideal of St Francis' life, the postulants seek to understand whether they really have the desire to formulate their own life commitment on the model of the Rule of St Francis.
After the first year of postulancy, the candidate is given the Franciscan habit and enters the novitiate. During this time, the candidate is called to deepen his knowledge of the Rule, Sources, History and Franciscan Spirituality.
Having received the approval of their formators, the novices make their temporary profession; that is, they publicly make the commitment to live according to the Rule of St Francis, in obedience, poverty and chastity. From year to year, temporary professed are called upon to renew their commitment four times.
After the years of temporary profession, the candidate, with the approval of the formators, may make solemn profession, by which he fully enters the Order of Friars Minor. The friar's formation will continue, but will be entrusted to the council for ongoing formation.
