When the six months of Postulancy is up and the time for Novitiate is at hand, the candidate prepares to “put on the new man” by receiving the habit and a new name in religion.
On the feast of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, postulant Michael Duffy did just this. After a Solemn High Mass in honor of the great saint, Michael publicly asked for the “mercy of God and the companionship of the community,” receiving in return a special blessing, the habit of a Brother Novice and the new name of Brother Patrick Joseph. (See photos of the ceremony below.)
This “new man” has now begun the next step in becoming a professed member of the Brothers, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; a time of prayer and formation for a period of two years known as the Novitiate. But he is in good company… entering the next phase of the journey on the Feastday of Saint Louis de Montfort and with two powerful patrons beside him: Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph.
Please join us in thanking God for this vibrant young vocation and may he make his own the famous prayer of his new patron:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
