Editing Postulant (section)

== Purpose, duration and formation ==
[[file:Georg-pettendorfer-fronleichnamsprozession-nonnen-1915.jpg|thumb|Nuns at a procession in 1915. The postulants in their garbs are walking in front of the professed nuns.]]
The length of time that a prospective candidate remains a postulant may vary depending on the institution or the postulant's situation. Among active religious institutions, it typically lasted 4–6 months. At present, many monasteries have a candidate spend 1–2 years in this stage. In the [[Catholic church]], the implementing instruction ''[[Vultum Dei quaerere#Instruction Cor Orans|Cor orans]]'' determines that a postulancy in a contemplative community has a minimum duration of twelve months, but it must not exceed two years.<ref>''Cor orans'', Implementing Instruction of the apostolic constitution ''Vultum Dei quaerere'' on women's contemplative life, No. 275</ref> During this time, the postulant generally participates as fully as possible in the life of the community, joining the novices and professed members and living with the community. Usually, the postulant joins the formal education that is given to the novices. Some communities prefer the postulants to wear a specific garb (as this was rather common until the release of ''[[Perfectae Caritatis]]'', the decree on the adaptation and renewal of religious life, in 1965), in other communities, they wear their plain clothes until the formal investiture ceremony.

Since postulants, as novices, are not members of the institution at this stage, it is easier for a man or woman not fully certain about [[religious life]] to re-examine his or her intentions and commitment before making any vows. Likewise, should the person be determined to be unsuited to the life, he or she can be dismissed by an institution without the need for a formal procedure.

The term is also sometimes used to describe the ecclesiastical status of a person who has discerned a call to the [[priesthood]] or the [[diaconate]] and has received parish and diocesan endorsement. The candidate retains postulant status throughout [[seminary]], until [[Holy Orders|ordination]] to the transitional [[diaconate]] takes place. The postulant who will not pursue ordination into the priesthood is ordained into the vocational diaconate.