The first holy profession is the nun's wedding day, for it is on this day that she is espoused to Jesus Christ. The profession of vows takes place within the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  After the Gospel, the nun states her desire to make vows as a Poor Clare Nun of Perpetual Adoration. 
Then after the homily,  she declares her resolve to live in poverty, chastity, and obedience.  The priest then petitions the Lord on behalf of this nun, asking that her life always give glory to God. 

The nun then professes her vows to Almighty God and into the hands of the abbess.  She makes these vows for the term of one year.

She then receives a copy of the Constitutions of our Order, a profession crucifix, a montrance pendant, and the black veil.  The monstrance pendant replaces the medal worn during her postulancy and novitiate.  The monstrance is worn to show her love for the Most Holy Eucharist.

The black outer part of the veil is a sign that the nun is dead to the world.  Inside the veil is white— this represents the glory of Heaven.  This white part is partially hidden by the black to symbolize that those who are "of the world" cannot see the reward that is to come.  Wearing this veil is the nun's witness to that reward. 
The nun renews her vows each year on the same day for a total of five years.  During this time, she is known as a junior professed.  Her formation in the spirit of the Order continues as she lives her vows as a Poor Clare Nun of Perpetual Adoration.  She then makes her solemn profession of vows, which is a lifelong commitment to God and to this Religious Community.
 

At the investiture ceremony (which immediately follows the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass), many exciting things take place!  It begins with a Scripture reading from Genesis then the nun is asked again what her heart desires.  To this she responds, "Reverend Mother, I desire to spend my life at the Feet of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament."  
A reading from Philippians follows this dialogue between the abbess and the nun.  Then, after the holy habit is blessed by the priest, the abbess proceeds to cut the nun's hair.  This symbolizes her total renunciation of the vanities of the world. 

After the abbess does this, she then clothes the nun in the holy habit of our Order.  The habit is an exterior sign of our commitment and total consecration to Jesus Christ.  Each part of the holy habit, even its colors, has deep spiritual meaning.

Underneath the white veil, the nun wears a white head covering.  This is a symbol that her mind is not on "the world" but on the Kingdom that is to come. No part of her mind, intellect, memory, or will is to be  part of the world, part of darkness, or part of anything that is contrary to Jesus Christ.

 The white collar is a symbol that the nun is surrounded with "community", the religious life lived in common.  She wishes to live in goodness, in love, and in poverty of mind and heart. She puts at the very top of her body, which is consecrated to God, something white as a constant reminder that she is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  That temple must be ever clean and pure. All the white parts of her habit are a symbol of her desire to exemplify the awesome purity of God Himself in the Most Holy Eucharist.

The earthly color of the brown Franciscan habit reminds the nun of the Scripture passage used on Ash Wednesday: "Remember thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return".  It also is a remembrance for her that - without Him - she is absolutely nothing. 

The white Franciscan cord, with three knots in it, symbolizes the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience that this new novice hopes to make at her first holy profession.  Over the habit is placed a brown mantle, which is worn at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  It is a symbol of the nun's love for Our Lady and also of the Blessed Virgin Mary's maternal protection. 

After the nun receives the holy habit, she chants Psalm 40 — Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will.  Then after the Holy Gospel is proclaimed, she receives a new name.  Each nun is privileged to have the Holy Name of Mary as part of her own religious name.  In addition to this, she is given a title (example: Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation).

The ceremony concludes as the Community greets its newest novice.  Of course, we know, that this is not an ending, but actually a beginning.  The novice will spend two years in the novitiate learning about the religious life and being formed in the spirit of the Order.  After this blessed time of formation, the nun will profess her first holy vows.
 

A young woman begins her religious life as a postulant.  Here at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, the entrance ceremony begins by having the young woman knock on the enclosure door.  This door is opened by our Mother Abbess.  
The abbess asks the young woman what her heart desires.  She replies:  "I desire to begin the time of discernment — the time of listening to God as He speaks in and through the Community.  I ask for your prayers that I may spend the rest of my life in His Eucharistic Presence and prepare my soul for the great day of union between bride and Bridegroom."

To this statement, the abbess responds:

 "Enter into the joy of the Lord."

The postulant is then accompanied by the Community to the Chapel where she receives her postulant veil and medal.  On the medal is found the Miraculous Medal and an image of Saint Francis, our Seraphic Father. 
 
Her term of postulancy usually lasts for one year.  During this year, the nun fully participates in Community life and learns the "ins and outs" of every day monastic living.  After this year of discernment, she is admitted into the novitiate.  This ceremony is known as an investiture.  

The rite of solemn profession also takes place during the Mass.  The Gloria is always sung at the Mass of Solemn Profession.  After the Gospel, the nun states her desire to make solemn vows.  Following the homily, she is examined in this resolve by the priest.  He asks her a series of questions regarding the vows and the life of holiness, to which she responds: "I am so resolved." 
Then as the Litany of the Saints is chanted, the nun lies prostrate beneath a pall.  This is to represent her death to the world.  The nun then rises to symbolize her new life in Christ.

She then proceeds to profess her vows to Almighty God and into the hands of the abbess.  These vows are made for the term of her entire life. 

After the newly professed nun receives a blessing from the priest, she receives a blessed profession ring.  This ring is to symbolize her contract of virginity and perpetual chastity.  The ring is the seal of the Holy Spirit.  Through the reception of this ring, she is espoused forever to Jesus Christ.
 
 
She will be known for all eternity as the spouse of God. The nun is then commended by the priest to the abbess.  In this commendation, the priest states that this nun is entruste

to the care of the abbess to be guided, protected and preserved by her. Finally, the nun is admitted fully as a member of this Religious Community. 
Solemn profession is at one and the same time both an ending and a beginning.  The years of discernment have passed, the commitment has been made, and the definitive choice has been sealed.  And so in this way it is an ending of sorts.

But it is also a beginning.  In scaling the mountain of holiness, the highest peak is not reached until we gaze upon His Holy Face in the eternal embrace of Heaven. The religious life is a a mirror, a prelude, and a preparation for the eternal adoration of God in His Kingdom.  Solemn profession marks a definite beginning in scaling this great mountain. 

All of this can be summed up by the words of Saint Clare: 

"I have learned, O most dear sister, that, with the help of

God's grace, you have fled in joy the corruptions of the world.  

I rejoice and congratulate you because of this and, again, 

I rejoice that you are walking courageously the paths of virtue... 

Remain faithful until death, dearly beloved, to Him to Whom 

you have promised yourself, for you shall be crowned by Him with 

the garland of life.  Our labor here is brief, but the reward is eternal ... 

Offer faithfully what you have vowed to God and He shall reward you."