The way into the community

Catholic couples who are interested in the Schoenstatt Institute of Families can contact a family of the Institute.

There are various events within certain countries where the Institute is explained. These provide a first insight into the aims and duties of the community.

The necessary requirements of acceptance are explained at such meetings. As we play a model role within the Church and the Schoenstatt Movement, the upholding of the Catholic marriage ideal is vital. Therefore, there are obstacles for acceptance into the Institute consisting of no sexual intercourse before marriage, divorce or abortion.

This should not be understood as a moral judgement but rather serves the high aims of the community. Couples within the Institute need to be able to represent the morals of Catholic marriage distinctively and clearly.

A couple wishing to be accepted for postulancy needs to apply in writing giving reasons why the couple wish to take this step.

After the council has approved the application, a time of preparation and getting to know other couples, as well as the community begins (postulancy). The novitiate follows which provides a time for actual formation and a chance to gradually grow into the community of the Institute. During this time a course community is formed. The course community searches for an ideal which becomes a focal point of their life. The course consecrates itself under this ideal, to Our Lady of Schoenstatt as a new, unique life cell. This consecration should be understood in the path of Schoenstatt's original consecration, the covenant of love with Mary in the shrine. The step by step process of growing into the life style and spirit of the community of the Institute is followed through together as a course. At the same time the couple work through the concept provided by our founder regarding the uniqueness and role of husband and wife, father and mother as well as a marriage spirituality according to the Catholic ideal of marriage, as a fundamental way to the holiness of marriage.

The noviciate concludes with the first officially binding contract. Now begins the time to participate in the life as members within a region.

Before the final contract, two intensive periods of training are planned, the first and second tertianship. The meaning of these periods is the continuation and development of the training at all levels begun in the novitiate for the individual, the couples and the course community, which helps test and clarify the vocation.