master of novices

In Western Christian churches, a novice master or master of novices (Latin: magister noviciorum), is a member of an institute of consecrated life who is responsible for the training and government of the novitiate in that institute. In religious institutes for women, the novice mistress, lat. Magistra noviciorum, is the equivalent. Sometimes the person in this position is called the novice director or director of novices. The direction of the novices is reserved solely to the master of novices, under the authority of the major superiors. The master of novices must be a member of the institute; he must have taken perpetual vows and be legally appointed. The novice master is often assisted by a zelator (second or deputy novice master). The novice master's duty is to see that the time devote...