Formation

The Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel is a diocesan Institute of the Archdiocese of Mbarara in South Western Uganda. We are known as Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Mbarara and our Novitiate house is in Isingiro district.

Aim of our formation:

Our formation provides opportunities, guidance, encouragement for personal development, conversion and growth to deepen relationship with Jesus Christ and his mission.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

The girls aspiring to join the Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel must have the following:

1. Baptismal certificate.
2. Aged between 18 – 35 years
3. Completed O’ level with 5 credits (English and Mathematics) then A’ Level with 2 Principal passes or Professional careers from a recognized Institution.
4. Good and stable physical and Mental Health.
5. Good and healthy family back ground
6. Attend a “come and see” Programme designed by the Institute.

Formation phases:

Formation is a process in our Institute; the candidate goes through the following phases;

Candidacy phase

After due process of interviews and selection by formation team, candidates are called for come and see phase of 8 to 12 months at St. Michael Formation Mbarara. This is to offer the girls an opportunity to get to know by experience who the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel are by a live-in experience.

Postulancy phase

The Postulancy house is in Bukoba diocese Tanzania. The phase takes a period of one year. The aim is to deepen the faith of the individual person through study of various subjects and help each person appreciate her call and be able to make appropriate response to the call. Postulants study in depth the history of the Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Novitiate phase

Novitiate house is in Kyabirukwa Isingiro district Uganda. This is to deepen the spiritual life of the individual novice. This year is specifically a year of deep prayer and reflection for the novice. In the second year, the novice is:

• Provided with experiential knowledge and practical involvement outside the Formation House.
• Given an opportunity to recognize the tensions between apostolic involvement and personal contemplative life and experience community living.
• After successful completion of the formation programme, the novice applies for her first profession of Religious vows in the Institute. The whole formation programme takes four years.

Scholaticate phase (3 years)

After first profession a sister is sent out for apostolate. Various spiritual renewal courses are given for adaptation in religious life and professional studies. (On-going Formation) this takes a period of six years until a sister willingly applies for perpetual commitments.

If after reflection and prayer you feel that God is calling you to religious life in the Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel write to,

The Vocations Animators

Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel

P.O. Box 260

Mbarara – Uganda