New Ways of Vocational Accompaniment for the Legionaries of Christ

In recent years in Europe, the Legionaries of Christ have had three novitiates: Germany, Italy, and Spain, but since Fall 2021, the three centers will unify into one, with Madrid as its headquarters. Additionally, implementing new formation criteria, the Congregation is opening itself to new forms of accompaniment, such as postulancy, a period of discernment lasting several months that will precede the novitiate. To address these changes, we have spoken with several responsible persons for priestly and religious formation of the legionaries, such as Father Gerardo Flores, LC, responsible for Vocational Centers and Novitiates in the general government, Father Konstantin Ballestrem, LC, until now a novitiate trainer in Germany, Father Sylvester Heereman, LC, responsible for vocational promotion in Germany, and Father Nikolaus Klemeyer, LC, upcoming novitiate instructor in Madrid.

Proximity to the Regnum Christi family and its apostolates

Father Gerardo explains that this decision to unify the three European novitiates aims “to offer young men requesting admission to the novitiate a larger community that contributes to the formative environment needed in this first and crucial stage of formation”. Furthermore, “it will give us the possibility to offer them the accompaniment of a trained team of formators, in a novitiate that, due to its proximity to Madrid, can give them the experience of the entire Regnum Christi family”, since in this locality there are groups of young people and adults, as well as various apostolic works, schools, and a university.

Fostering an environment of universalism in the novitiate

The new novitiate instructor in Madrid will be Father Nikolaus Klemeyer, LC. Throughout his priestly ministry, he has experienced a wide variety of apostolic and cultural experiences, including several years in the novitiate in Germany and in Spain, as well as work with university students in Mexico. Based on his experience, he hopes to “ignite in these young men the desire to find happiness and fulfillment in the beauty of the legionary vocation”. For him, the unification of the three novitiates points to “renewal and evangelization in Europe, a continent proclaimed by Saint John Paul II as a land of mission, distinguished by its ecclesiastical sense and openness to the diversity of cultures within the Catholic Church””.

In this globalized society, “los young people feel more and more part of the whole world than of a specific country. Bringing this environment of Catholicity to the novitiate, something that is an essential part of the vocation to Regnum Christi y de la Legión, creo que puede ser una gran aportación a la formación y también a la promoción vocacional”.

And in this context, Father Nikolaus points out that “I have been positively surprised in Mexico by the enthusiasm that young people have for not settling for complaints about the world and its constant changes”.” And specifically, he highlights that “there is a desire to engage in dialogue to offer a path of authentic happiness and deep fulfillment in life. A religious and priestly vocation, in a sense, begins with God’s invitation, channeling this desire into a concrete path. The attraction to a life dedicated to God ‘radically’ and in community remains very present among young people, who want to dedicate themselves to bringing Christ’s message to the world”.

Changes in the formation process of the Legionaries of Christ

This unification of the novitiates is not the only novelty. Soon, a period called postulancy will be implemented, lasting about nine months. Father Konstantin Ballestrem, LC, who has been a novitiate trainer in Germany for 11 years, refers to this and shares that “the reason is learned from experience and the passage of time: “In the 25 years since my own formation, many things have changed, even in the culture of our society that shapes young people. For example, young people take longer to consider whether they really want to join a congregation, whether they want to be bound forever by the three evangelical counsels, or whether they can remain faithful. That point has come up again and again.” Additionally, current young people have “areas in the psyche and heart that have not yet matured or healed.”

Furthermore, within the congregation, “we have changed a lot in priestly formation in recent years.” Father Konstantin specifies that “above all, it has become more personal. Their methods have been revised, which positively requires a greater differentiation from the novice master, but also makes it more challenging on a human level.” He points out that “the focus is on personal conviction, which must generate good and deep habits and continue to nurture them in all areas of religious and priestly life.”

A broader experience before the novitiate

In addition, the Legionaries’ candidate course, the preparatory course before entering the novitiate, “has traditionally been very short, lasting two months, while the novitiate lasts two years.” This disparity in timing leads him to reflect on living “a period before that in which young people can live in an apostolic community, for example.” Young people should “have an experience of life in a community of religious and priests directly in an apostolic house, accompanying them in pastoral service and prayer life, thus tasting religious life.” Along with this experience, young people will be able to “have a regular prayer life, receive spiritual guidance, and help discern their vocation.” During this period, they could also continue their studies or work in the apostolate. This is what is called in religious life a “postulancy” period.

Father Sylvester Heereman, LC, responsible for vocational pastoral care in Germany, delves into a key aspect: “We need to keep asking ourselves if we are helping young people find the depth and freedom of a discipleship life with Jesus Christ and to experience fellowship in faith.” Until now, the Legionaries of Christ have offered young men considering the priestly vocation pastoral work with them, the minor seminary, and the possibility of collaborating in some apostolic work, “but the step toward the novitiate is a profound turning point. The novice lives a completely new style of life for which one must prepare progressively on one hand, and on the other hand, it does not entirely correspond to the later life as a priest, which is very active and involves much cooperation with the consecrated and laypeople.” Conversely, far from this apostolic experience, “a novitiate — continues Father Sylvester — is more monastic because it should allow an experience in the desert that truly tests the vocation.”

The postulancy

Returning to the idea of postulancy, Father Sylvester explains that this “will be a period of about nine months, during which interested individuals can live, for example, in one of our apostolic communities, so they can participate in an active community and experience the real life of a Legionary of Christ, which could be the ‘final result of training,’ so to speak.” The young men will still live as laypeople, without religious discipline and without renouncing regular contact with their environment. Certainly, “the postulancy will have its own form, with more prayer times, participation in the apostolate, time to study vocational topics, special experiences such as pastoral trips, getting to know communities in other countries, because we are international. Of course, regular support also plays an important role in addressing the issue of appointment.” After this experience, young people “can enter the novitiate with good foundations and inner security.”

That following Christ becomes attractive again for young people is a matter that concerns all Christians: “Only in this environment can the Lord’s invitation be recognized, valued, and freely chosen as a gift for a special form of following in religious life and, if God wills, in priestly service,” concludes Father Sylvester.

You can read here an interview with Fathers Konstantin Ballestrem, LC, and Sylvester Heereman, LC, about the new paths of accompaniment for vocations.