SALESIAN VOCATION
God is still calling his disciples
It is a great gift to be called by God.
Three signs of vocation
During discerning of Salesian vocation you can observe 3 main dimensions of this beautiful vocation and their harmony.
Salesian congregation has two faces cleric (priest)ly vocation and lay brother vocation. Clerics are the confreres who opted to live a life for priestly ministry. However, a lay brother is the confrere who consecrated their entire life to God to live poor, chase and obedient in a life like a lay person.
The primary mission of the Salesian is to educate the youth to become Good Christians and upright citizens. This purpose can be reached through the preventive system which Don Bosco himself opted.
How to become a Salesian?
If you feel that God calls you to become a Salesian, pray a lot of and find a friend of your soul, with whom you can share your desire and who can accompany you in discernment process.
There are 5 stages on Salesian formation way. It is time of grace, study, service and friendship.
Pre-noviciate
A time were the young person is introduced of Salesian way of life. Moreover, it is also a period of preparing for noviciate.
Noviciate
For Salesian, it takes one year. It is a period to learn the Salesian rules and constitutions hence the young person will make discernment whether he is suitable to become salesian or not. At the end of the formation period, the noviciate will make a profession whether he chooses to become cleric to lay brother.
Post-Noviciate
It is a period where the newly professed Salesian learns the philosophy. It takes around 2-3 years for philosophy. It is of course a moment to deepen the Salesianity as well.
Practical training
it is a period where the Salesian actualizes what he has learned from philosophy and moreover to deepen and learn the apostolate he has going to have in his entire life. It takes 2-3 years for on practical training.
Theologate
It needs 4 years to study theology for the priests and Lay brother learns theology for 2 years. Moreover, the lay brother will continue other specific formation which he deepens for his profession.