PROBANDATO. – By p. is understood that period of time which the aspirant to religious life undergoes before postulancy (v.) novitiate (v.), when postulancy is not prescribed (can. 539 § 1). This period is also called: aspirandato, apostolic school, seraphic college, minor novitiate, juniorate, minor seminary, boarding school, etc.
The p. is connected with the already ancient practice of certain Religious Orders of receiving the aspirant first of all as a guest, in order to ascertain, at least summarily, his aptitudes for religious life before introducing him into the community. Particularly among clerical Religious Orders and subsequently among male teaching Congregations, with the full approval of the Holy See, beginning in the last century, the p. was developed as an institution for the religious and intellectual preparation of aspirants who had not yet reached the age or fulfilled the other conditions required for admission to postulancy and novitiate, and at the same time for securing good vocations among boys, as dioceses do through minor seminaries. In recent times, women’s Religious Orders have also introduced and developed it with the function described above.
The p. must be regarded as an institution proper to the Religious Order (can. 497 §§ 2-4; 599 § 2) and, according to circumstances, as an internal school of a Religious Order, in accordance with can. 587, of the same nature as seminaries. Naturally, it is not required for the validity of the novitiate and subsequent professions, and has no prescribed time limit. The male and female probationers have no formal obligation to observe
the Constitutions and Rule of the Religious Order; nevertheless, it is obvious that, as preparation for the life they will lead in the future if they persevere, they should prepare for it by becoming acquainted with them and gradually putting them into practice.