postulants
Religious order applicants
Postulants are people seeking admission to a religious order, typically during a trial period before becoming novices.
The term extends to anyone formally requesting entry or consideration: Three postulants applied for the position.
The word carries a sense of humble petition—one doesn't demand membership but requests it.
Inexperienced newcomers
- aspirantsThose seeking advancement
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- initiatesStarts or new members
- probationersThose serving trial periods
neophytes · acolytes · oblates · seminarians · monastics · clergy · vows · habit
Those seeking selection
- applicantsThose seeking acceptance
- aspirantsThose seeking advancement
- entrantsThose who join in
- petitionersThose making formal requests
seekers · pledges · inductees · recruits · probationers · admission · screening · sponsorship
Developing abilities through practice
- novitiateReligious training period
- instructionGuidance for action
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- guidanceAdvice for decisions
preparation · discipline · study · obedience · formation · rule · superior · director
novices
Inexperienced newcomers
- aspirantsThose seeking advancement
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- initiatesStarts or new members
probationers · neophytes · acolytes · oblates · seminarians · monastics · clergy · vows · habit · cloister
candidates
Those seeking selection
- applicantsThose seeking acceptance
- aspirantsThose seeking advancement
- entrantsThose who join in
petitioners · seekers · pledges · inductees · recruits · probationers · admission · screening · sponsorship · interview
training
Developing abilities through practice
- novitiateReligious training period
- instructionGuidance for action
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
guidance · preparation · discipline · study · obedience · formation · rule · superior · director · spiritual
- monasticismabbeys, abbey, abbots, abbot, cloister
- Catholicsparishioners, parishioner, communicant, archbishops, lapsed Catholic
- monasticsmonk, nun, abbot, nuns, abbess
- nunsnun, nuns, sister, sisters, convent
- newcomersnewcomers, newcomer, new arrivals, new arrival, newbie
- Catholic OrdersFranciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Benedictines, Carmelites
postulantsabbots
Male monastery superiors
abbesses · mother superiors · priors · prioresses · superiors
postulantslifers
Those serving until death
veterans · incumbents · laypeople · emeriti · seculars