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LEARN MORE ABOUT ICCN

Our Purpose

The Mission of the InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate (ICCN) is to provide a quality
novitiate experience with peers for novices from multiple congregations.

The program will facilitate ongoing discernment in a holistic and mentoring environment that fosters spiritual, relational, intellectual, and intercultural growth and development; nurtures individual charisms and the charism of religious life; and prepares novices to live vowed apostolic religious life.

Our Purpose

Information Session

Goals

ICCN goals are nurtured through:

Creating life in community that respects diversity and interculturality
Promoting a sense of global sisterhood
Using an adult learning model that values the lived experience of the novices
Committing to collaboration and communication between the novices and the home communities
Living the current reality of religious life while paying attention to and preparing for the emerging future
Nurturing a culture of curiosity and commitment to ongoing formation

Watch the recording of our most recent Information Session to learn about program components and hear directly from a novice director who currently has a woman in ICCN.

Program Details

The InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate is located in Chicago, close to Catholic Theological Union, in the Hyde Park neighborhood of the city.
The program focuses on the core elements of religious life in partnership with the sending congregations and in conjunction with their efforts to transmit the charism of their community to their novices.
The ICCN runs on an academic year schedule (beginning in August and ending in June).
The novitiate is open to novices of women’s congregations. Application materials and criteria are listed in the "Apply" section of the website.
The program is offered in English. Exploration into bilingual programming will be made at a future date.
Novices participate weekly in the Intercommunity Novitiate (ICN) program located at Catholic Theological Union.
A Director coordinates the novitiate.
A Board of Directors serves as the governance structure for the novitiate.

Program Details

Goals

Program Elements

Program Elements (click on each header)

The Mission of the InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate (ICCN) is to provide a quality novitiate experience with peers for novices from multiple congregations.

The program will facilitate ongoing discernment in a holistic and mentoring environment that fosters relational, spiritual, intellectual, and intercultural growth and development; nurtures individual charisms and the charism of religious life; and prepares novices to live vowed apostolic religious life.

The “novitiate experience with peers for novices from multiple congregations” creates fertile ground for novices from both women’s and men’s congregations to become companion learners. A novice participates in some or all of the following activities: Intercommunity Novitiate Program (ICN) including several workshops held at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin, Pastoral Theological Reflection, days of reflection, Catholic Theological Union classes and special lectures, and social gatherings.

As an adult learner, the novice appreciates the opportunity to dialogue with peers and actively engage in other group activities such as prayer and Eucharistic celebrations. Perhaps the most important aspect of having peers is the opportunity to build relationships. These relationships result in the development of a supportive network and allow for first-hand experiences of collaboration among peers that are diverse in culture, age, gender, religious congregation and life experience.

“Ongoing discernment in a holistic and mentoring environment” occurs through both formal structures and informal encounters. Novices participate in regular one-on-one sessions with a spiritual director, an ICCN Co-director and the sending congregation’s Formation Contact Person. These sessions provide a safe space for sharing insights, integrating novitiate experiences, and reflecting on oneself. Vocational call is a focal point and discernment as a way of life is continually reinforced. Those who accompany the novice on her journey provide support and mentoring as she continues to explore global religious life and deepen her understanding of it through the lens of her own charism.

Class discussions and informal encounters offer the novice further opportunities of integration and discernment. The ICCN Co-directors create an environment that fosters holistic growth and integration of personal development, which encourages the novice to approach her novitiate experience with an open mind and challenges her to stretch beyond that which is known or comfortable.

The ICCN provides numerous opportunities for “relational, spiritual, intellectual, and intercultural growth and development”. Topics covered in classes and workshops build upon one another to create an expansive and thought-provoking curriculum. These classes and workshops invite novices to consider new perspectives, deepen their understanding of diverse worldviews, including their own, and reflect on their implications. Personal development is fostered through the input, feedback and self-reflection in which the novice engages. Similarly, spiritual growth is nurtured and valued as an essential element and framework for the integration of knowledge, self-awareness and relationships with both God and others. Each opportunity for growth and development assists the novice in discerning her call to community life and the ways in which she might contribute.

It is common for newer members to say that being with peers from other congregations deepens their appreciation, love and understanding of their own charism and that they often gain clarity of call to their particular congregation. The ICCN places great importance on how it “nurtures individual charisms and the charism of religious life.” Coordination with the sending congregation ensures that regularly scheduled classes on charism are a consistent part of the program. Regular meetings between the novice and the sending congregation's contact person for the sending congregation provide further opportunity for integration and connection. Visits from sisters of the sending congregation may also occur; offering support for the novice and insight into the novitiate environment and program. Building relationships among peers from other congregations provides a way for novices to share their experiences during this unique time in initial formation. It also broadens their knowledge about current local and global realities of religious life in relation to the Church and world.

Consecrated religious life exists to spread the Good News of the Gospel, serve those on the peripheries, and live prophetic and joyful lives. Pope Francis, while addressing a group of sisters at the Vatican in 2017, encouraged them to “be prophets of hope with eyes turned to the future, where the Spirit pushes you, to continue to do great things with you…Awaken the world, illuminate the future.”

With these challenging aspirations, the ICCN “prepares novices to live vowed apostolic religious life” for today and beyond. Preparation includes the study of religious life (history and contemporary), vows, scripture, Church, and mission relative to the current and emergent social, cultural and spiritual realities. The foundation provided by the ICCN affirms and encourages novices to develop the distinctive gifts each one brings to religious life as she discerns her ministerial call in light of these challenges and the signs of the times. As mission and ministry evolve, a newer religious woman will be equipped to live and minister in creative, collaborative and relevant ways in a spirit of joy and hope.

A Novice's Typical Week at ICCN

There is a rhythm to the ICCN week: time for personal and communal prayer, study, service, community responsibilities and recreation. The novice attends daily liturgy at nearby religious houses, CTU or the nearby parish. Each novice takes a turn preparing and leading communal prayer. Generally, the weekly schedule is followed although it may be adjusted based on other program components, such as three-day workshops, liturgical calendar season/feasts, seminars, community building opportunities with men and women in formation in the Hyde Park area, cultural events.

Monday

Class at Catholic Theological Union (CTU). Each semester the novice audits a class at CTU. Part of the day is devoted to study. The group has a weekly House Meeting in the evening.

Tuesday

ICCN class or Home Community Charism Class (alternating). The co-directors facilitate bi-weekly class with broad topics related to religious life, i.e., vows, community living, communication skills, Vatican II, prayer. On the other week, the sending congregation organizes class (usually virtual) on topics specifically related to their community such as: charism, history, ministries, traditions.

Wednesday

Volunteer ministry. Each novice participates in a day of service at various Chicago ministry sites. Some examples of ministry are jail ministry, food pantry, tutoring.

Thursday

Day of Reflection. The day of reflection is a day of quiet. There is time for reflection, prayer, spiritual reading. Each novice also meets with her assigned co-director.

Friday

Intercommunity Novitiate Program Class. The novice attends class with novices (men and women) from various formation houses in the area.

Saturday

Chores, down time, recreation.

Sunday

Eucharist Liturgy at various Chicago parishes. There are a considerable number of Catholic parishes in Chicago that reflect a variety of cultures. The novice has an opportunity to experience distinctive styles of liturgy and learn about cultural influences.

ICCN Co-Directors

ICCN Director

Nancy Gerth, SCN is a Sister of Charity of Nazareth and a native of Louisville, Kentucky. She previously served as her Province’s Formation and Novice Director. Nancy’s ministry experiences include elementary education, social service and administration at a shelter for unhoused youth and young adults and vocation ministry. She enjoys reading, art, home repair, sunshine, and exploring Chicago. She is honored to be part of this initiative.

Contact Sister Nancy at directorsiccn@gmail.com

Nancy Gerth, SCN

ICCN Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Gemma Abonge, MCM

Cordi-Marian Missionary Sisters

Chioma Ahanihu, SLW

Sisters of the Living Word

Mary Elaine Anderson, IHM

Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scranton

Mary Pat Garvin, RSM

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Nancy Gerth, SCN

Ex-officio, ICCN Director

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

Brenda Gonzales, SCN

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

Katherine (Kit) Gray, CSJ

Co-Chair

Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange

Barbara Hagedorn, SC

Co-Chair

Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Ryan Hoffmann, DMin

Ex-officio, Staff Liaison

Religious Formation Conference

Andrea Koverman, SC

Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Sallie Latkovich, CSJ

Congregation of St. Joseph

Eilis McCulloh, HM

Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Joan McGlinchey, MSC

Missionary Sisters of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus

Amy Willcott, SCL

Board Secretary
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth

Sincere thanks to those who served on the original planning committee or previously served on the Board of Directors. Your time, energy and talent helped ICCN to build a strong foundation and your contributions continue to positively impact consecrated life.

Ellen Dauwer, SC (former RFC Executive Director)
Kathryn Clauss, IHM (Facilitator)
Ellen Collesano, RSCJ
Linda Buck, CSJ
Michelle Lesher, SSJ
Lorraine Reaume, OP

History

The InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate emerged from the hopes and dreams of formators and other religious who articulated them in various gatherings of the Religious Formation Conference. In 2019 RFC Executive Director Ellen Dauwer, SC met with a grant director of the Hilton Foundation to discuss grants ideas for the Conference. Two key concepts emerged: an intercommunity novitiate and an online database of formation resources, both of which were fully funded in a three-year Hilton grant to RFC. A planning committee of women religious from various congregations, backgrounds, locations, and ages was formed to translate the grant proposal into a program. Beginning with a foundational vision and values, policies and procedures, programs and personnel, places and partnerships were built. Despite the pandemic, the committee met regularly over Zoom from mid 2020 through mid 2021 in order to open for the 2021-22 academic year. Deep gratitude to the Hilton Foundation, RFC, and the original planning committee for their generosity of time, talent, and resources.