After completing their year of novitiate, Br. Ben, Br. Daniel and Br. Cassian professed their first vows as Capuchin Franciscans during a Mass surrounded by their families, brother friars and the faithful.
By professing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, they have taken an important step in their formation as Capuchin friars. Following their profession, they will begin their Integrative Year in Wichita, Kansas, where they will continue their formation.
What Are First Vows?
The profession of first vows marks the completion of the novitiate, a year dedicated to prayer, fraternity, work and discernment. During this time, novices step away from many of the distractions of everyday life to deepen their relationship with Christ and discern whether God is calling them to life as Capuchin Franciscans.
Throughout the novitiate, the brothers learn to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. At the conclusion of the year, they publicly profess these vows befoRe God, the Church and the Capuchin Franciscan fraternity.
These vows are often referred to as temporary vows because they are professed for a limited period of time and are renewed annually as the brothers continue their formation. This stage allows them to grow more deeply into the life they have embraced before one day making their lifelong profession as Capuchin Franciscans.
A Liturgy Rich in Meaning
The profession of first vows is filled with symbols that reflect a brother’s complete gift of himself to God.
During the Mass, the brothers’ parents presented the gifts at the altar, symbolizing the offering of their sons to God and to the Church. Each brother then placed his hands into the hands of the provincial minister as he professed his vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Following the profession, the brothers removed the caperone—the garment worn during the novitiate—signifying the completion of that stage of formation. They also received a copy of the Capuchin Constitutions, which will guide their life as friars, and signed their profession documents on the altar as a sign of offering their lives to Christ.
The newly professed brothers then exchanged the Sign of Peace with the fraternity, a visible expression of their deeper incorporation into the Capuchin brotherhood. They concluded the liturgy by moving from sitting with their families to sitting among the friars, a simple but powerful sign that they now share more fully in the life of the fraternity.
What’s Next?
Br. Ben, Br. Daniel and Br. Cassian will now begin their Integrative Year in Wichita, Kansas. This stage of formation provides opportunities for continued spiritual, human and communal growth as they continue discerning God’s call and preparing for the next steps in their vocation.
Please keep Br. Ben, Br. Daniel and Br. Cassian in your prayers as they continue their formation as Capuchin Franciscans.
