Training as a Marist Priest or Brother takes place in Auckland, at the Marist Seminary, and at the Society of Mary’s English-Speaking International Novitiate, at Good Shepherd College, Auckland and later on at the Marist International Theologate in Rome.
The training, or “formation” process begins by joining the Marist Seminary community, generally for a period of 1 – 2 years. During this time Marist seminarians:
- live as part of the Marist Seminary Community
- are introduced to the Marist life
- discert whether they would like to go to Novitiate and become a Marist
- study at Te Kupenga towards a Batchelor of Theology degree
When a Marist Seminarian decides he wants to further his life as a Marist he applies to go to the Marist International Novitiate.
He makes this application to the head of the Society of Mary in New Zealand, who, on the advice of the formation staff at the Seminary and having consulted his provincial councilors, forwards it to the Superior General of the Society of Mary in Rome.
Successful applicants are invited to join other English-speaking novices and attend the International Novititate for a year.
At the end of the Novitiate the Marist seminarian is professed as a Marist and is entitled to place SM (Society of Mary) after his name. He then returns to New Zealand to study once again at Te Kupenga and complete his Bachelor of Theology degree.
After a further year of study, the Marist seminarian travels to Rome to study for four years with other Marist seminarians from around the world.
During the summer holidays the seminarian will generally go on pastoral placement to one of the various Marist missions worldwide.
While in Rome, the seminarian will
- take his final vows as a Marist
- be ordained as a Deacon (priest students only)
- receive a further period of pastoral placement.
At the end of his formation, the Marist deacon returns to New Zealand for ordination as a Priest.
After ordination, a newly ordained priest can expect to be placed in a supportive Marist community and occasionally gather with other newly ordained Marists either in New Zealand or in an international English – speaking setting.