The chapel prepared for the ceremonyThe bell calls the sistersThe sisters enter the church in processionThe sisters have their places behind the altarThe abbés, priests, canons, and sacred ministers enter the churchOur Reverend Mother leads the four sisters who will be professing their vowsAll kneel to invoke the Holy Ghost in singing the Veni Creator.Monsignor Gilles Wach, Prior General of the Institute, pronounces an exhortation addressed to the four sisters as well as to all in attendanceEach sister states her intention: “I ask, for the love of God our Savior, to be received in the sacred engagements in the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest… by obedience, chastity, and poverty.”Monsignor asks: “Have you firmly established in your heart, under no obligation, but with the liberty of your will, to keep obedience, chastity, and poverty for Our Lord Jesus Christ?”“We have voluntarily stripped ourselves of worldly habits; with help of God, we will never return. We have turned away from vanity, and having washed our feet of it, we will never return.”The crosses are blessed: “Almighty and everlasting God, who consecrated the sign of the Cross by the Precious Blood of Your Son. . . . we beseech Thee, with great supplication, deign to bless these crosses by Your bounty, and grant them virtue and heavenly grace”Monsignor blesses the black veilsEach sister kneels before Monsignor with a lit candle and professes her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience“O Heaven, listen to what I say; may the earth hear the words from my mouth. It is to Thee, O Jesus, my Savoir and Sovereign Priest, to whom my heart speaks, even though I am but ashes and dust. O my God, I vow to you to live in chastity, obedience, and poverty. . . .”After the profession of vows, the sisters pray for God’s grace. “Receive me, O eternal Father, in the arms of your very merciful paternity, so that I constantly carry the yolk and the burden of your holy service, and so that I abandon myself forever and totally to your divine love, to which I dedicate and consecrate myself.”“O very glorious, very sacred and very sweet Virgin Mary, I beseech thee, by the love and the death of your Son, to receive me under your maternal protection.”The sisters then receive the Cross of profession. “Receive, my very dear daughter, the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ. . . so that, being crucified to the world, you may. . . . triumph forever with Our Lord Jesus Christ.”The black veil is placed upon the head of each sister: “so that you shall never receive any other sign of love than that of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”The sisters now return, wearing the cross and the black veilEach sister signs her vows.The sister then gives her vows to Monsignor and receives his blessing. The signed vows will now be placed upon the altar.All stand to chant the Magnificat in thanksgivingHoly Mass follows the ceremony.The schola sings the Gregorian chant for the MassElevation of the Body and Blood of Our LordThe newly professed sisters hold lit candles during the Canon of the MassThe sisters receive Holy CommunionFinal blessingProcession out of the churchFamily, friends, and honored guests rejoice together in the interior courtyard
