A Benedictine monastery is not only a school for the service of the Lord (RB prol.), a school of contemplation, it is also a community gathered, by the mysterious call of the Lord and by the response of faith of each member, into the unity and stability of a FAMILY closely bound by the ties of CHARITY. Through FAITH, the sisters see Christ in one another and very specially in the mother of the family who holds the place of Christ in the monastery (RB 2), and they sustain one another in the pursuit of the same spiritual goal. Therefore, in order to join this family, one must be truly seeking God (RB 58) and have an open and responsive heart. This is why each vocation is studied individually with the greatest care and respect, and is tested over a long period of time. It takes at least six years to be admitted to solemn or perpetual profession: one to two years as a postulant, two as a novice, and three under temporary vows.