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Women discerning a vocation with our Congregation participate in a variety of discernment experiences to deepen their own self-understanding and personal faith development. Discernment may lead to a decision to seek to enter religious life with us. Our entrance process is designed to support the personal faith and spiritual journey of the individual woman. Although she may enter the congregation at the same time as women of different cultures and backgrounds, each woman is considered individually for her own gifts, strengths, hopes and personal challenges.
The entrance process involves various opportunities to get to know our Congregation and experience life among us. Such experiences include twilight and weekend retreats, vocation support group gatherings, live-in experiences, volunteer experiences, spiritual direction, and visits to local communities.
Commitment to one's spiritual growth and active involvement in the Catholic faith community are essential dimensions of the discernment experience. The goal of the entrance process is mutual discernment of the individual's vocation to live life as a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose.
The discernment and entrance process are initial stages that provide ample opportunity for the woman to determine whether or not she is authentically called to religious life with our Congregation. The length of the entrance process varies with the individual. The final steps include writing an autobiography, interviews with the vocation director and members of the vocation team, a psychological interview and testing, and a medical examination.