What  happens now?

Becoming a Jesuit isn't like applying for a traditional job. As we've learned throughout this website it's a spiritual journey of discernment, a process of exploring your calling and discovering if Jesuit life aligns with God's will for you. The following may help to guide you through the next steps:

Self-reflection

• Explore: Start by reflecting on your faith, values, and life experiences. Ask yourself: What motivates me? What brings me joy? Where do I feel called to serve?
• Prayer: Deepen your prayer life. Go on retreat. Talk to God about your desires and anxieties. Seek guidance through scripture, meditation, and spiritual direction.
• Research: Learn about the Jesuits, our history, spirituality, and ministries. Go through this website, read books, watch videos, and connect with Jesuits if you have the chance.

Initial Contact

• Connect: Get in touch with Fr Dermot Preston the Vocation Director for the Jesuits in Britain.
• Dialogue: Share your interest in discernment and ask questions. Fr Dermot will guide you through the various steps to be followed.

Discernment Process

Discernment is a two-way process - you discern a possible future as a member of the Society, and the Jesuits discern your suitability to join them. At a certain point in the discernment process a person who has been seriously enquiring about their vocation might feel they want to formally apply to be accepted into the Jesuit Novitiate. If that is the case then, with the agreement of the Vocations Director, the Candidate would undergo a series of interviews and tasks to clarify and assess his faith journey, motivations and experiences.

Important Note

• Timeframe: The discernment process can take months or even years. Be patient, open-minded, and trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Vocations Director and your spiritual director.
• Decision: The final decision to enter the Jesuit novitiate rests with the Jesuit Provincial, considering all the information we have and which a candidate has openly shared. It goes without saying that Fr Provincial decides to invite a candidate to enter the novitiate only after he himself engages in a process of prayerful discernment.

Remember This process is part of your personal and spiritual journey. There's no guarantee of a specific outcome other than that God will lead you forward in life. Focus on your own growth in faith and discernment, and trust God's guidance throughout the process.