Candidates for religious life have many expectations and many hope to be well trained by a saintly Sister.
St. Jane outlines the style your Formator should have as she guides you after you have entered the community.
In her Answers, page 261, St. Jane states, in answer to a question, “No, Sister, it is not proper nor becoming for the Directress to be always scolding her novices; this is not our spirit, nor to daunt them by many mortifications. This way of fear closes the heart, and only makes them avoid evil and do good, from the motive of being afraid of reprimands and penances.
In this Institute, minds must be guided with gentleness: by giving them a great love and esteem of virtue and mortification; by making them desire and love it, as the only means of arriving at their end, which is the union of their souls with God.
Let her well ground the novices in solid virtue, let her render them supple as a glove.”
As you approach the time of your entrance to a Visitation community, be well assured that St. Jane’s advice holds well today. Place your trust in your Formator and let yourself be led to the heights of virtue and charity which will unite you to God.