“It is in the consistency of submission that the soul finds its truest freedom, far from human expectations.“
One of the impactful occasions in the religious missionary formation within the Society of the Divine Word is the so-called Acceptance Ceremony. This ceremony, carried out silently within the postulancy stage, marks the seminarian’s initial and voluntary entrance into the Society. It is during this phase that the seminarian’s willingness to participate in the Church’s mission is formally acknowledged under the guidance of the Society of the Divine Word.
As the postulants discern with sincerity and conviction, they stand before the altar, expressing their intentional “yes” to the Lord, who has called them by name from the very beginning. Though this “yes” may not be proclaimed loudly, it stands as a profound gesture, an initial vow to the mission-oriented life they hope to embrace.
Thus, the significance of this ceremony transcends mere formality or ritual. It leads to an intimate encounter with the paradox of freedom and grace. The postulants come to understand that their freedom, in a certain sense, ends when they freely offer themselves to be formed by the Society, but in that surrender, they find fulfillment.
Furthermore, this stage of formation carries a serious mandate: acceptance flows in two directions. Not only are the postulants accepted by the Society, but they also, in turn, accept the values, spirit, and mission of the Society itself.
Ultimately, in this quiet yet solemn moment of acceptance, the postulants do not merely cross a threshold; they indeed begin a sacred pilgrimage. It is the beginning of a journey not measured by distance, but by depth, a pilgrimage of the heart shaped by surrender, carved by grace. It is in the consistency of submission that the soul finds its truest freedom, far from human expectations.
By Post. Clint Escoton
SVD Postulancy 
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