For religious life, the Novitiate period is of great importance; it is a special and canonical time. For us, the 24th cohort of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Madagascar, our canonical year began with a six-day retreat led by Fr. Docellin TOTOMALAZA, OMI. We were 9 novices entering novitiate life on the evening of September 7, 2023, under the formation of Fr. Gildas BEARIVOZAFY, OMI (our Novice Master) and Fr. Docellin TOTOMALAZA, OMI (his socius).

The novitiate is located in Ambinanindrano, a remote area with challenging access due to poor roads. Reaching Ambinanindrano was a test for everyone: a 70 km journey from Mahanoro, which could take between 4 to 8 hours by motorcycle taxi, a full day on foot, or even a day and a night using a combination of walking and canoeing. Despite these challenges, we safely arrived in Ambinanindrano.

During our canonical year 2023/2024, we were delighted by the visits of our Delegation Superior, Fr. Alphonse RAKOTONDRAVELO, OMI. He came to Ambinanindrano first in October 2023 for the installation of the new Novice Master, Fr. Gildas. His second visit was in March 2024, when he accompanied Fr. ASODO Henricus, OMI. His third visit occurred in June 2024 during his canonical visitation.

The visit of Fr. ASODO Henricus, OMI, Assistant General for the training of March of this year also left an indelible mark on the history and formation of our novitiate.

At the novitiate, we are initiated into living the religious life of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Our two formators (the Novice Master and his assistant) gave us instructions on oblate religious life, focusing on the constitutions and rules, spirituality, and the charism of the congregation. We are also called to imitate Christ, which is why spiritual and human life are truly at the heart of our life. As Saint Benedict said: "ORA et LABORA" (Pray and Work), novitiate training is a time of prayer and work.

In prayer, we engage in the prayers of the Church, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, Adoration, and more. Each of us also dedicates personal time for prayer and visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer fosters oblate fraternity among us. At the novitiate, each novice must choose a spiritual director. For me, this period was a time to deepen my spiritual life. Prayer helped us respond to God's will and, above all, live the canonical year with love. The novices also participated in pastoral ministry alongside the responsible priest during key liturgical seasons, such as Christmas and Easter.

On the human level, novitiate training shapes us into becoming a good religious person. The Novice Master emphasizes "cleanliness, order, and quality." As religious, we are witnesses to the Christian community. We also practice sports for physical health and well-being.

Additionally, manual labor is integral to our novitiate life. Mondays are entirely dedicated to work, along with two hours each afternoon (Tuesday to Friday) and Saturday mornings. During our canonical year, we worked with logs (cutting trees in Bekoveta and transporting them back to the house by cart) and cultivated vegetable gardens. The latter required patience but yielded good results, providing us with food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This also contributes to the community's self-sustainability projects.

As each year concludes, we apply for admission to our first vows. Once admitted, we undertake a week-long retreat. This year, Fr. Lucien RAKOTOARISOA, OMI, was our retreat director, focusing on "Motivated and convinced religious in service to God." This was a valuable time that helped us discern our vocation.

In conclusion, we give thanks to God, who guided us through our canonical year.

All of us were admitted to profess our first vows on September 8, 2024.

Scholastic NY AINA Andriamandroso Paul Stevie OMI