Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Novitiate
11311 Drumsheugh Lane
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
(301) 499-2188
nov.kateritekakwitha@servidoras.org

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin Among the earliest gems of the Church in North America is Kateri Tekakwitha, a young Iroquois who was born in the 1600’s of a Christian Algonquin mother and a non-Christian Iroquois chief, in Quebec, Canada. Having lost her parents at the age of fourteen, she was raised among the Mohawks in the home of an uncle. There she first encountered Christian missionaries, and was baptized on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1676. Because of her baptism, her exemplary life, and her desire to remain a virgin, Kateri suffered great persecution. She died at age twenty-four known as the “Lily of the Mowhawks,” since she had given herself over entirely to care for the sick and long hours of prayer and penance. She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II. Her body is buried in the church of the Native American  reserve of Kahnawake, Quebec.

"Life in the Institute begins in the Novitiate. 'The purpose of the novitiate...is to give the novices a greater understanding of their divine vocation. At the same time their resolution and suitability are to be tested (Code of Canon Law, 641-645).'  The novices must be properly prepared for the religious profession according to the exigency of the religious life. The Institute studies the candidate in order to receive her into its bosom (Const., 238)." 

We have Novitiate houses in Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, USA, Italy, Ukraine, Egypt and Taiwan. Our Novitiate in the United States was opened in 1999.

"The spiritual formation should take primacy in the Novitiate. Intellectual formation is also necessary to prepare the novices to begin with further studies. Pastoral and missionary experiences can be done according to the proper charism of our Institute (Const., 245)."

Apostolate
Currently, the Novitiate is located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, about twenty miles east of Washington, DC. We are committed to several apostolates in the area, including:

1. Little Flower Oratory for Girls: According to the tradition of our Religious Family and in the spirit of St. John Bosco, the Novices hold an oratory for girls every Saturday. The oratory is open to young girls between ages 7 and 12 and consists in four main elements: prayer, cooking, art and games. From volleyball to baking brownies, the girls learn the importance of the human virtues, but most of all, they learn the importance of faith and prayer through talks about saints, the life of Jesus, etc., and the prayer of the Holy Rosary.  
2. Catechism/Oratory:
   • Catechism classes at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bowie, MD.
   • Oratory and Catechism at St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic Church, an IVE parish in Chillum, MD. The programs include recreational activities with children and catechetical formation.
   • Oratory and Catechism at St. James Catholic Church, an IVE parish in Mount Rainier, MD. The sisters join IVE seminarians to provide recreational and catechetical activities for children of all ages.
3. Home Visits: On Sundays in Bowie, MD the sisters visit homes as a means to bring Christ to the people.

During the Novitiate year, the novices are stimulated to live the human and Christian virtues, and are brought to the path of perfection by means of prayer and self-denial.  In addition, the novices are instructed in the contemplation of the mystery of salvation and in the reading and meditation of the Sacred Scriptures, prepared for the celebration of God's worship in the Sacred Liturgy, and formed to live a consecrated life for God in Christ through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. 

Towards the end of the novitiate year, the candidates make the consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary according to St. Louis de Montfort on May 8^th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lujan, the Patroness of Argentina and of our Religious Family.  Following the Novitiate, the sisters make first profession leading them into a new period of religious formation: the Juniorate.

Juniorate House of Studies Immaculate Heart of Mary
28 15th St. S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-1179
jun.ihm@servidoras.org

Immaculate Heart of Mary The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary stems from the efforts of St. John Eudes to inspire devotion to the heart of Mary. In 1649, he won approval for a Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be celebrated locally. In 1855, the Congregation of Rites approved a Mass for the feast, and in 1880, Pope Leo XIII extended it to the whole diocese of Rome. The 1917, appearances of Mary to three children at Fatima led to a greater confirmation of the devotion, and in 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The feast for the Universal Church was established in 1944, on the octave day of the Assumption (August 22).

Photo Gallery
After first profession, "...there begins a new period of religious formation, characterized by the philosophical and theological studies. This is carried out according to the norms of the Canon Law, and the most recent documents of the Magisterium, in order to achieve an authentic integral formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation" (Const., 258).

We have Juniorate Houses in Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Italy, USA, as well as a pre-Juniorate in Egypt. The Juniorate House in the USA was opened in 2001.

1. He 'illumined the Church more than all the other doctors. In his books, one profits more in only one year than in the study of all the others during his whole life (John XXII, Allocution in the Consistory, June 14, 1323).'
2. He 'most venerated the ancient doctors of the Church, in a certain way he seems to have inherited the intellect of all (Cajetan, Commentary on Summa Theologiae, II-II, 148, 9, 4. Quoted by Leo XIII, Aeterni Patris, 10).'
3. The 'Church has proclaimed that the doctrine of Saint Thomas is her own (Benedict XV, Fausto Appetente Die, 4b).'
4. God has willed that by the strength and truth of the doctrine of the Angelic Doctor 'all the heresies and error that would follow will be driven away, confounded and condemned. (Saint Pius V, Mirabilis Deus, cf. Leo XIII, Aeterni Patris, 13)'
5. His knowledge is of undeniable and fundamental importance for the right interpretation of Sacred Scriptures, so to transcend the sensible and to reach union with God; to build the edifice of Sacred Theology upon the solid basis provided by a profound knowledge of the philosophy of being -- 'a philosophical patrimony perennially valid. (Code of Canon Law, 251)' We also need to keep in mind all the advances of philosophical investigation. (Const., 227)."

The program of studies lasts three and a half years.  The first two years are spent in the local Juniorate, and in the third year the sisters study at the San Bruno Center for Higher Studies in Segni, Italy run by the priests and sisters of our Religious Family. 

Our studies include Philosophy, Theology, Dogmatic Treatises, Sacred Scriptures, Spirituality, Church History, and a language program.

1. Philosophy: Introduction to Philosophy; History of Ancient & Medieval Philosophy, History of Modern & Contemporary Philosophy; Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Culture; Logic, Cosmology (Philosophy of Nature), Philosophical Anthropology, Gnoseology (Philosophy of Knowledge), Metaphysics.
2. Theology: Fundamental Theology: De Revelatione, De Vera Ecclesia; Fundamental Moral Theology, Special Moral Theology (Cardinal and Theological Virtues), Social Doctrine; Dogmatic Treatises of Deo Creante, Deo Uno, Deo Trino, De Verbo Incarnato, De Sacramentis; Eschatology, Ecclesiology, Mariology.
3. Sacred Scripture: Introduction to the Sacred Scriptures (Principles of Biblical Studies); New Testament Exegesis: Synoptic Gospels, Gospel of St. John, Letters of St. John and Revelation, Letters of St. Paul; Old Testament Exegesis: Pentateuch, Prophets, Wisdom Literature.
4. Spirituality: Vita Consecrata, Spiritual Theology
5. History of the Church: Early and Medieval, Modern and Contemporary
6. Language Program: Latin, Spanish, and introductory Italian.

Also as part of our intellectual formation at the Juniorate, we have cultural expositions, annual Thomistic Studies (Philosophy Conferences), and we publish a news-letter.

Apostolate
As a continuing part of our formation in order that the sisters grow in our charism, our apostolate include the following:

1. Our Lady's Oratory: Motivated by the spirit of St. John Bosco "of charity and sacrifice, and brotherliness," the children learn the importance of winning souls for God and the frequent reception of the sacraments. They also learn to simply "sanctify the joy of living." Some of the activities include: praying the Rosary, the Angelus, the Stations of the Cross, putting on plays, as well as competitions in sports, trivia, and art.
2. Catechism/Oratory: As our calling is to Evangelization of the Culture, our sisters are involved with the oratory and catechism programs at various parishes in the surrounding area:
   • St. John Baptist de La Salle Catholic Church, Chillum, MD (IVE parish)
   • St. James Catholic Church, Mt. Rainier, MD (IVE parish)
   • St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, Gaithersburg, MD
   • Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Washington, DC
   • Holy Comforter St. Cyprian, Washington, DC
   • St. Mary's Catholic Church, Alexandria, VA
3. Birthing and Care and Project Rachel: The sisters assist in the Archdiocesan sponsored programs of Project Rachel and Birthing and Care.   The office is located in College Park, MD. Birthing and Care is a program aimed at helping uninsured pregnant women find prenatal care.  Project Rachel is a program that helps women who have already had an abortion; its objective is to help heal the wounds caused by the loss and to foster a greater trust in the Mercy of God.
4. Pontifical Mission Societies: "The Pontifical Mission Societies have, as their primary purpose, the promotion of a universal missionary spirit - a spirit of prayer and sacrifice - among all baptized Catholics and to gather support for the worldwide mission of the Church" (http://www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org).
   
   The Holy Childhood Association (HCA) is a society of the Pontifical Mission Society. It was founded in 1843 by French Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson. One of our sisters works as the Missions Education Coordinator of HCA. She helps coordinate mission education in schools.