Eight Vietnamese Women Begin Postulancy with Lovers of the Holy Cross of Phan Thiet

Eight young women began their postulancy with the Congregation of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Phan Thiet on October 1, the feast of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, marking a new stage in their journey toward religious life.

The Rite of Entrance into the Postulancy was incorporated into the congregation’s Morning Prayer at its convent in Phan Thiet.

During the ceremony, Superior General Sr. Mary Theresa presented each postulant with the insignia of the Holy Cross, symbolizing their journey of following Jesus Christ along the Way of the Cross and their call to surrender themselves more fully to God.

Sr. Mary Theresa encouraged the young women to remain dedicated to their vocation and listen to their formators, saying, “Be faithful to your calling and listen to your formators, who will guide you on the path to holiness.”

The eight women bring the congregation’s total number of postulants to 32. Their entrance coincided with the beginning of the month of the Holy Rosary and the feast of St. Thérèse, whose spirituality emphasizes doing ordinary things with extraordinary love.

The congregation described the newcomers as “little flowers” called to follow the saint’s “Little Way,” growing in love and holiness through simple daily acts.

The ceremony was followed by a Mass presided over by Fr. Alphonsus, with the congregation joining in thanksgiving for the new vocations and praying for the women’s perseverance.

In his homily, Fr. Alphonsus reflected on St. Thérèse’s path to holiness, explaining that she did not seek extraordinary achievements but learned to love God through the ordinary experiences of daily life.

He highlighted the saint’s “Little Way” as an example for the eight women beginning their formation, saying, “Follow Christ with love and trust.”

One of the new postulants, Anna, expressed gratitude for being called to postulancy. “I was so excited about this milestone that I could not sleep until 1 a.m. last night,” she said.

The congregation hopes that St. Thérèse will accompany the eight women throughout their formation and help them remain faithful to their vocation, deepen their love for Christ Crucified and prepare to serve the Church and its people.

The postulancy is an initial stage of religious formation in which women begin a more focused period of discernment and preparation before proceeding to the novitiate.