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Ask yourself, has the Lord been touching your heart to reach out to the young women of your parish?  Do you think a Junior chapter would really benefit the girls?  Do you have the support of your clergy?  Is the time right for you and your Senior Chapter?  If the answer to these questions is yes, then prayerfully consider saying yes to God's call.

Congratulations and thank you. That may have been the hardest part. Now you want to confirm the support and approval of your clergy and bring together at least three baptized girls. Contact the Membership Coordinator at the Margaret J. Franklin (MJF) Center and ask for a Jr. Charter Kit. The Charter Kit will provide a lot of information to help get you started. She will also contact your Diocesan and Provincial Directress as well as the National Jr. Directress so they can offer their aid and support. Many dioceses require that anyone working with children must take a course in “Safeguarding God’s Children” or some other form of child sexual abuse prevention training. Please check with your clergy to find out where and when you can take this course.

Once you have the three main ingredients for starting a Junior chapter; clergy approval, a Directress and three or more baptized girls, announce in your parish newsletter that you are beginning a Junior Chapter and are having an Interest Meeting. Then have the Interest Meeting.  Once you know how many girls are participating, order their Junior Handbooks, Study Guides and a Leader's Guide from the MJF Center.  Post and distribute a notice of scheduled meetings in your parish newsletter, bulletin, announcements, etc.  The next step is to set a date for the Candlelight Service, which is the brief service to mark the beginning of their preparation period or study. Now you are ready to conduct the Study sessions.  During the last session, pick a name for your chapter, elect officers, if you have enough members, complete the Charter Application and collect fees, and then mail everything to the MJF Center.  Lastly coordinate with your Rector a date for the Services of Institution and Admission.  Congratulations and thank you for serving the Lord by serving our younger sisters.

The girls enter a 12-week Preparation period, or time of study and discernment, where they experience being a Junior Daughter before prayerfully making the decision to be admitted in to the Order. The Junior Handbook has a section called Resources for Study.  You may also download the Junior Daughter Study Guide on the Forms page.  Be sure to download the Letter for the Leader and the Leader's Study Guide to assist you with their study.  The Guides are also available from the MJF Center.  While the Study Guide is not mandatory it is there as a resource.  Directresses should feel free to follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit when leading these young sisters in Christ.

A list of Junior Chapters in your Province and Diocese can be found on the Provincial/International page.  You can also contact your Diocesan and Provincial Directress, the Membership Coordinator or the National Junior Directress to provide you further information.

Whenever you have a question about starting or maintaining a Junior Chapter, whether general or specific, other Directresses are always willing to help.   You can contact other local Directresses or your Diocesan or Provincial Directress for help.  Additionally, the National Junior Directresses' charge is to provide you with support in prayer and resource and is available to assist you in any way she can.  Also we have a yahoo group of Junior Directresses from all over the country that communicate and share ideas and concerns that relate to Junior Chapters.  We welcome all Directress and those who work with Junior Daughters. Please contact the National Jr. Chair for an invitation to join. We hope to see you there!