Stages of Initial Formation

For a college graduate or young professional

1. Aspirancy: In this initial exposure to religious life, aspirants live in the House of Formation. They get to know the brothers and experience the normal rythm of prayer, study, and mission while laying the foundations for a good discernment. This stage usually lasts 3-4 months.
2. Postulancy: For around 9 months, postulants live in the Mission House where they have an intense exposure to the mission alongside the brothers. They live with the brothers, grow in service, help with missions, and also attend several classes on human and spiritual formation.
3. Novitiate: This stage marks the official entry into the Community and lasts around 18 months. Novices live in the Formation House where they live a life of prayer and study while strengthening their discernment. Their main focus is on deepening their relationship with Christ, understanding the vows, and preparing for temporary profession. A brother also receives the religious habit and a new name during the novitiate.
4. Temporary Vows: After making this first commitment to the religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, a brother studies philosophy for two years. A time of apostolic internship for another two years follows the studies. A brother also begins studying theology during this time and prepares for perpetual profession.
5. Perpetual Vows and Priesthood: After confirming his vocation throughout the years of initial formation, a brother makes final profession which marks the definitive stage of commitment to religious life and the service of the Church. For those called to become priests, ordination takes place after this final commitment.

For a highschool graduate

A young man who enters the brothers without already having a college degree will spend four years in the aspirancy program at the Formation House. He will live with the brothers and have exposure to the religious life and to mission while studying to obtain a philosophy degree in Cebu City.

After temporary profession, a brother is sent directly to apostolic internship in one of our apostolic priories instead of studying philosophy for two years.

Otherwise, all the stages of formation are the same for those who have already graduated from college.

Lay consecrated brother or brother priest?

The Brothers of Saint John offer you the chance to discover your vocation, where you can live a life of prayer, brotherhood, and mission. Whether you feel called to serve as a Lay Consecrated Brother or as a Brother Priest, we will walk with you every step of the way, helping you discern and prepare for the unique path God has planned for you.

As early as postulancy, you’ll begin discerning your calling within the Brotherhood:

• Lay Consecrated Brother: A Brother fully dedicated to Christ, serving the community and the Church through a life of prayer, mission, and presence, without seeking ordination.
• Brother Priest: A Brother called to serve the Church as a minister of the sacraments, shepherding others through priestly service.

Throughout your formation, the community works closely with you to discern your specific calling:

• Early Discernment: In postulancy, you’ll begin to explore whether you feel drawn to be a Lay Consecrated Brother or a Brother Priest.
• Ongoing Formation: If you feel called to the life of a Lay Consecrated Brother, you’ll receive specialized formation tailored to this vocation.
• Before Final Profession: The community, in partnership with you, will confirm whether you are called to the path of a Lay Consecrated Brother or to continue toward priesthood.

Delve a little deeper

Is there an entrance exam?

For those seeking to join the Brothers of Saint John, there is no traditional academic entrance exam. During formation, the real test lies in your ability to live out community life, embrace the formation given, and remain authentic in your listening to God’s call.

Can I be exempt from certain classes if I already have a college degree?

If you already have a college degree, particularly in philosophy, the good news is that you don’t need to redo your studies to become a Brother Priest. For those with a degree in philosophy, you can move directly into the next stages of formation, focusing on theology and the deeper aspects of religious life.

However, for those who don’t yet have a philosophy degree but feel called to the priesthood, a two-year course in philosophy will be necessary as part of your formation. This is not just about academics—it’s about preparing your heart and mind to live out your vocation fully.

What is the significance of receiving a religious name?

Receiving a religious name is a profound and sacred moment in the life of a Brother. This happens during the investiture, when the novice receives the habit as a visible sign of his commitment to follow Christ. It’s more than just a new name—it signifies leaving behind the old self and embracing a new way of life, one modeled after Jesus. By wearing the habit and taking this new name, the Brother expresses publicly his desire to live a life patterned after Christ, following Him in poverty, chastity, and obedience.