
108 novices in the Institute
There are 11 novitiates in the Institute’s six regions: three in Africa, one in América Sur, three in the Arco Norte, two in Asia, one in Europe and one in the Pacific. There are now 108 novices in the Institute. The novitiate lasts two years and some include a two to three month visit to a Marist community outside the novitiate.
Novitiates in Africa
The Marist Brothers Formation Centre in Kumasi, Ghana, was established in 1990. It starts in August and ends on June with the first religious profession. The novitiate, which currently has 26 novices and four formators, belongs to both the province of Nigeria and the district of West Africa.
The Novitiate of Save, Rwanda, is an Inter-provincial novitiate and receives novices from the provinces of Madagascar and East Central Africa. It has now 12 novices – four in the second year and eight in the first year. The novitiate usually begins in September and its professions are held in June.
The Novitiate of Matola, Mozambique, has 14 novices this year – seven in the first year and seven in the second year. The activities start in February and end in December. The time spent in the novitiate is around 17 – 18 months, excluding the time they go for a three-month community experience. It was founded in 2007.
Novitiate in America Sur
The Noviciado Regional Champagnat de Cochabamba, in Bolivia, is an interprovincial novitiate running since 2017. It receives novices from the provinces of Santa Maria de los Andes, Cruz del Sur, Brasil Centro-Norte, Brasil Centro-Sul and Brasil Sul-Amazônia. The novitiate currently has 11 novices, five in the first year and six in the second, and three formators. The programme begins on Feb. 2 and finishes 22 months later. The novitiate works with two official languages: Spanish and Portuguese. The formation includes human development, fraternity, Marist spirituality and global availability. It has internal classes, at home, as well as an inter-congregational study center.
Novitiates in Arco Norte
The Marist Brothers Novitiatein Esopus, New York, is in the province of the United States. It currently has one novice. Classes begin in August and finish in the same month two years later. The programme includes studying history, spirituality, the Institute’s mission, theology, youth ministry, languages – particularly French and Spanish – and a hands-on experience working with young people in the local community.
The Novitiate of Jérémie, Haiti, is in the province of México Occidental. It currently has six novices in the first year. It begins in July and ends with the first profession after two years. The novices are also asked to do a 30-day silence retreat, six months after they have entered the novitiate to help them in their discernment.
The Noviciado Interprovincial La Valla in Medellin, Colombia, receives novices from the provinces of México Occidental, México Central, América Central and Norandina. It currently has 12 novices and three formators. The novitiate begins its activities on Feb. 2, feast of the Presentation of the Lord and Day of Consecrated Life. The second-year novices return to their provinces early December. This year, there are five first-year novices and seven in the second year.
Novitiates in Asia
The International Novitiate of Tudella, Sri Lanka, is in the South Asia province. Its programme begins on May 3 and this year it will receive 19 novices. The Novitiate includes a three-month placement in an apostolic community from May 15 – Aug. 10. After they make their first vows, they have a month’s holiday with their family and a month in a community in their country. They then begin their post-novitiate formation in Manila, Philippines, at the Marist Asian Pacific Center (MAPAC).
The Immaculate Conception Novitiate of Broce in Cotabato, the Philippines, is in the East Asia province and opened in 1960. It currently has three novices, one in the first year and two in the second. The novitiate begins on May 15 and ends two years later, on May 20.
Novitiate in Europe
There is only one novitiate in Europe, located in Seville, Spain. This year, it has one novice, currently in the second year. The novitiate was born as an initiative of the Spanish Marist Conference and is opened to all the provinces of Europe (Ibérica, Compostela, Hermitage, Mediterránea, West Central Europe). It starts in October/November and finishes June/July two years later. The novitiate participates in the inter-congregational formation programme of the “Internoviciado del Sur”. It follows the biblical and theological formation in the Center of Theological Studies, of the University of the Jesuits of Granada. The novitiate's pastoral activities are done in the parish and in the "Casa de Todos" – an intercongregational social work that aims to respond to the needs of the neighborhood where the novitiate is located.
Novitiate in Pacific
The Marist Brothers Pacific Novitiatein Lomeri,Pacific Harbour, Fiji is in the Pacific district. It has been forming Brothers of the Pacific Islands for over 40 years. There are currently three novices, two are from Samoa and one is from Fiji. The programme begins and finishes on August, around the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.
See down for a map with all the Institute’s novitiates worldwide, or visit: https://goo.gl/UAjWUr.