If the interested person wants to continue with his vocational option, a process begins that seeks to motivate and prepare us to respond to the Lord. Identifying Jesus' call as an invitation to follow him as a consecrated Brother implies not only the inner disposition (spiritual, psychological, theological, etc.) but also the outer one (personal talents and skills, environment, family, etc.).

This is a stage in which accompaniment becomes fundamental and where it is not advisable to "skip the steps." These moments are combined with personal, pastoral and missionary experiences, which help us to know "from within" the life of a Brother, in his community life, in his mission and in his prayer.

This is a stage that appears in all the formation plans proposed by the Church. At the end of vocational accompaniment, the proposal for the Novitiate encourages one to continue walking. This stage is called Postulancy, and contains a formation plan that seeks to mature the option for the religious life of a Brother, as well as prepare us for entering the Novitiate.

Its duration depends on each person, it is usually between six months and one year. Postulancy is a time in which the candidate - or Postulant - continues to analyse the harmony between his qualities and desires, on the one hand, and the mission of the Institute and the lifestyle of the Brothers, on the other.

The decision to enter the Novitiate indicates a desire to enter more deeply into the religious life of the Brother. The Church describes the Novitiate as an initiation into religious life. It normally lasts one to two years.

During this time the novice is introduced to the Rule of the Brothers as well as other studies of an anthropological, theological, catechetical and Taborinian nature. It is a time of deep reflection which culminates in the novice's request to make his first religious commitment to the Brothers for a period of one year. This is called First Profession.

The novice, like the postulant in the previous stage, may choose to withdraw from the program at any time during the Novitiate. This is normally done in consultation with the Brother Director.

Once the Brother has pronounced his first vows, the next stage of his formation begins. Life in a community of Brothers will set the pace of work, prayer and apostolate. If he has completed the relevant studies, he will be assigned to one of the Brothers' educational apostolates, where he will be given appropriate responsibilities and helped in the process of integrating the different dimensions of his life.

On the other hand, if he is required to complete such studies, he will be given time and opportunity to pursue them. The purpose of this stage is to enable the Brother to maintain a steady growth in commitment to his vocation, to continue his formation, to give the Brother his first experience of ongoing formation and to prepare him for his definitive commitment in Perpetual Profession.

The Institute wants to ensure that anyone who requests Perpetual Profession has had sufficient time and experience to make a mature commitment. It therefore requires that perpetual profession be preceded by at least five years of temporary profession.

In other words, during this stage the Brother will renew his annual commitment, first manifested at the end of the Novitiate, for at least five years before being admitted to Perpetual Profession. Before Perpetual Profession, upon the expiration of these annual vows, the Brother is free to withdraw from the Institute if he feels that the life of a Brother is not for him. Again, he normally arrives at such a decision in consultation with the Brother who is accompanying or directing him.

The request for admission to Perpetual Profession indicates the Brother's desire to commit himself definitively to the vocation of Brother. As indicated above, this step is reached only after several years of reflection and experience of that life.

The request indicates that the Brother has acquired a degree of spiritual maturity and that he is capable of assuming personal responsibility for his future growth and development as a Religious Brother of the Holy Family.

To be admitted to Perpetual Profession, a Brother must be at least 25 years of age and have made five years of temporary vows in the Institute.

Once the perpetual vows have been made, the Brother also completes his formative stage, but he must be attentive to continuing to update himself as a Brother and educator.