While learning to live in mutual love in community, the sisters are in relationship with a world athirst for love. As they progress in being open to Christ and true to themselves, they will begin to know pure love, which is the divine love active in and through them, and so with joyful hearts press on towards true freedom in the all embracing love of the Trinity.
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from the Rule of the Society of the Sacred Cross
The Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Cross live in community under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The process of becoming a Sister within the community is gradual, with clear steps, each step discerned by both the community and the individual thorough prayer and conversation.
The wider family of Society of the Sacred Cross provides for a variety of expressions of a life of prayer. Individuals who are drawn to the community and its vocation of prayer and are drawn back again and again, may find themselves wishing to be committed to this vocation within their daily life. Then, he or she will be invited to become an Associate, Oblate or Companion of the Society of the Sacred Cross.
Becoming a Sister
The Society is instituted for the promotion of the honour and worship due to Almighty God. This it seeks by prayer and contemplation of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, its members living in enclosure and humbly offering themselves to God, in a life of prayer, under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience according to the Rule of the Society.
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THE CALL – The Society’s dedication to the Cross signifies consecration to the crucified and risen Lord, as the focus of its life, and source of the power to live it. As the Sisters learn to appropriate their baptism into Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension, this life, nourished by the Eucharist, becomes an ever-deepening communion with him, and a seeking in the power of the Holy Spirit to share more and more fully his supreme oblation of love, adoration and thanksgiving.
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Rule of the Society of the Sacred Cross
Step 1: Come and see
When an individual expresses an interest in discovering the life of the community, she is invited to visit and then to live alongside the community for a minimum of three months up to one year.
Step 2: Postulancy
At the end of this period of getting to know the community, she can ask to be admitted as a Postulant, that is, as someone who is seriously asking questions about joining the community. The community will discern through prayer and conversation with her whether this is possible. The Postulancy is a minimum of three months extending to one year.
Step 3: Novitiate
At the end of the Postulancy the individual may request to be admitted as a Novice Sister. The Novitiate is a time of serious engagement with the life of the community, a period of prayer, learning, formation and discernment. The community and its Warden decide whether to admit an individual as a Novice. The Novitiate lasts for two years.
Step 4: First Profession
At the end of the Novitiate the individual is eligible for election by the Chapter Sisters for Profession after discernment with the Warden and Bishop Visitor. Once again, the request comes from the Novice and the decision is made by the Chapter Sisters. It is at this stage that the Novice makes her vows of poverty, chastity and obedience within the Society and the Church in Wales. These vows are temporary vows and last for three years.
Step 5: Solemn Profession
At the end of three years in simple vows the Sister can request to make her life vows. The Chapter, Warden and Bishop will discern with the Sister, before the election Chapter.
If you feel that this way of life in community, under vows, for the healing and salvation of our world speaks to your heart, please complete this form (click to expand) to make contact with the Reverend Mother.
