Becoming a nun?

[sushierror]

Hi everyone,

I am 17 years old and am currently high school senior. There have been quite a few times in my life that I have thought of becoming a nun, but never really took it seriously. I admit I am not the greatest Catholic out there. I don’t go to Mass as often as I should nor do I pray, but I realized that I am always attached to God in my daily life in one way or another. I have been going through very personal problems in my life and there are many times where I basically push aside God, but then something always pulls me back.

Obviously, becoming a nun is the biggest decision in a Catholic woman’s life and it cannot be taken lightly, at all. However, it is something that I am kind of considering, but I still will attend college and all of that. I am just wondering if there are any people my age who are kind of in a similar boat or if there are any young women in vocations or will be? I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance.

 

[datingtrappists]

I am a few years older than you (I’m 23) but when I was your age, the desire to become a nun that I’ve experience all of my life was starting to become deeper and… “louder”, if you will. Like you, I’ve not always been the best Catholic (or even Catholic for that matter… I’m a convert), and I still struggle with that quite often, but I hope I’m cooperating better now than last year this time.

My advise for you would be to get a spiritual director to futher discern whether you have a calling to religious life… and when/if you discern there is a true call, where you are to fulfill that calling (ie, what type of spirituality fits you best, whether active or contemplative or somewhere in between).

Also, just so you know, some convents do require a bachelor’s degree minimum, but I have come across a some that only require a couple of years “life experence” past high school graduation (ie, a couple of years of either college or work). I also know the Nashville Dominicans have their postulants attend classes at Thomas Aquinas college in Nashville as part of their formation, and that they require that a postulant have a minimum of a high school degree.

I will keep you in my prayers as you are starting this process of discernment.

 

[dashso40]

Maybe you should go on a retreat at a convent(is that possible?)to see what it is like…get in touch with the orders, ask questions…I think it is wonderful when young people go into religious life…It’s so nice to see that instead of kids getting into trouble with partying and such…like I did when I was in my teens and 20’s…God Bless you! I found my religion later in life after my troubled youth…thank you, Lord, for saving me…

 

[GilChrist77]

I am also seventeen and a senior in highschool. I have known since I was twelve that I’m going to be a nun. In recent years, there has been a huge increase in young vocations. Two orders that I know of, and I’m sure there are many more, are the
Nashville Dominicans and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor MI. They are both bursting at the seems with young women.
I am hoping to enter the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in August, which is why I know more about them then the Nashville Dominicans. The SMME were founded in 1997 with four Sisters from Nashville, with the current postulants they now have 99 women the average age of which is 26, I believe. A great website for finding out more about nuns, and “meeting” other discerners is the vocation forum and Sister Julie IHM’s blog anunslife.org There are many young women on there, also here is a great place to ask your questions and get prayers etc. Speaking of which, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as you start this incredible exciting journey of finding out what God wants you to do with your life!

JMJ+
~Betsy

Totus tuus Maria!