If you are actively discerning religious life or the priesthood, or if you are simply curious, feel free to contact our Vocation Director, Fr. Sarath Perera, OMI (070 634 4438), who will be happy to speak with you. Alternatively, you can simply fill out the form found on this web page. You will eventually be invited to participate in a vocation camp, which serves as an orientation session to help you understand what it means to be an Oblate in the future. Apart from contacting the Vocation Director, it is also a good idea to meet and speak with any other Oblate brother or priest you may know, as he can advise you on how to navigate this process of discernment.

If, after the first step, you feel a growing interest or attraction to the Oblate life, you can apply to join St. Joseph’s O.M.I. Juniorate in Kohuwala. Once accepted into the Juniorate, you will be introduced to our Oblate way of life to see if it is a right fit for you, all while pursuing your Ordinary Level (O/L), Advanced Level (A/L), or higher studies.

Our Pre-Novitiate, situated in Mannar, is the next step in formation following your Advanced Level studies. There, you are given an opportunity to deepen your knowledge about religious life, and the Oblate life in particular. For the first time, you will begin living in a multicultural community alongside brothers from the Jaffna Province as well as other Oblate units around the world.

Through prayer and discernment to further explore life as an Oblate, you may apply to enter the Novitiate year. This year is at the very heart of the Oblate formation process, focusing deeply on our spirituality, the life and charism of our founder St. Eugene de Mazenod, our history and traditions, and the vows we profess.

Upon completion of the Novitiate year, once you have made a public commitment to live out the vows, you will begin your formal studies for the priesthood or brotherhood. Every year, in dialogue with the Oblate community, you will be invited to renew your vows for another year. After several years, you may apply to make your Final Vows, which makes you a full member of the Congregation. In addition to academic studies, you will be given a variety of ministry experiences—whether preparing for the priesthood or brotherhood—to develop your skills and prepare you for missionary life.