Life in Fraternity

Entrance into the Order and formation
The Profession or Promise of Evangelical Life
Article 42

1. Profession is the solemn ecclesial act by which the candidate, remembering the call received from Christ, renews the baptismal promises and publicly affirms his or her personal commitment to live the Gospel in the world according to the example of Francis and following the Rule of the SFO.
    
2. Rule 23 Profession incorporates the candidate into the Order and is by its nature a perpetual commitment. Perpetual profession, because of objective and specific pedagogical reasons, may be preceded by a temporary profession, renewable annually. The total time of temporary profession may not be longer than three years.
    
3. Profession is accepted by the minister of the local fraternity or by his or her delegate in the name of the Church and the SFO. The rite is carried out according to the norms of the Ritual.
    
4. Profession does not only commit the professed to the fraternity, but also in the same way it commits the fraternity to be concerned with their human and religious well-being.
    
5. The act of profession is registered and preserved in the records of the fraternity.