How old is too old?

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Hallam

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Hi,
a vocation has been on my mind recently. My question would be, however, is am i too old? I’m 40, be 41 this October coming.
God bless,
Hallam
 
You are never too old to be called to the priesthood/consecrated life!🙂
 
Hallam said:
Hi,
a vocation has been on my mind recently. My question would be, however, is am i too old? I’m 40, be 41 this October coming.
God bless,
Hallam
Click to expand...
Um, no, you are not too old. There is a specially dedicated seminary for older vocations, in Philadelphia I think, or maybe Boston.

I just watched “The Journey Home” the other night and it was a former BAPTIST who ended up as a Catholic PRIEST. He didn’t say but I think he was at least 60 when he was ordained, and he said there was one guy even older than he was. He was married but his wife died.
 
Not too old!👍

You’re still young enough to bring the average age of whatever diocese or religious oder you join down:p
 
Nah, my uncle was ordained at 55 - he’s just celebrated his silver jubilee 🙂 He went to the Beda college in Rome for 4 years… Tough, eh? 😃
 
If you have a vocation, then age should not be a factor. You need a spiritual director to help you in the discernment process and look for a seminary.
 
One of the priests at my church was ordained in his 50’s …he is awesome
 
I find these replies most encouraging, thank you all. I’m new to these forums, so thank you again. Reckon i’ll ring my spiritual director tomorrow and have a chat with him. I’ve been praying for so long that God would let me know how he wanted to utilize me for His will, and often struggled against whatever signs He sent me. Things from my former life (i’m a convert, incidentally)just wouldn’t let go. Concerns for family and friends, career, dreams of a former life. However, i feel like these past months the Lord has put me apart, isolated me so i could hear what He has to say, and now i finally feel like i’m ready to give in to victory. I love Him so much, He’s where i begin and where i seek to end, and i’ve felt so empty not knowing how best to serve Him. I just want to live for Him. Least i could do considering what He did fo me.
 
Facite said:
You are never too old to be called to the priesthood/consecrated life!🙂
Click to expand...
No, you absolutely can be too old.

Manyy diocese have a cut off age of 50 for entering seminary and an upper limit of 65 for entering formation for the diaconate. Most religious houses have a cut off age of 50 and while some are more flexible than others, there is a point where you are simply too old.

The Vocations Director of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Conyers Georgia applied to twelve monasteries who told him that at 54 years of age he was simply too old, before he was eventually accepted. He speaks about it, and encourages those who are in their 40’s to get off their butt and start looking into their vocation ASAP, because you can be too old.

trappist.net/thecall

-Tim-
 
Hallam said:
I find these replies most encouraging, thank you all. I’m new to these forums, so thank you again. Reckon i’ll ring my spiritual director tomorrow and have a chat with him. I’ve been praying for so long that God would let me know how he wanted to utilize me for His will, and often struggled against whatever signs He sent me. Things from my former life (i’m a convert, incidentally)just wouldn’t let go. Concerns for family and friends, career, dreams of a former life. However, i feel like these past months the Lord has put me apart, isolated me so i could hear what He has to say, and now i finally feel like i’m ready to give in to victory. I love Him so much, He’s where i begin and where i seek to end, and i’ve felt so empty not knowing how best to serve Him. I just want to live for Him. Least i could do considering what He did for me.
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You will be in my prayers.
 
I was watching “The Journey Home” yesterday on ETWN, and the guest person on the show was a priest. The same question came up. He said that older men are great candidates for the priesthood if that is truly where God wants them to be. He said that older gentlemen bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and worldly experience that some younger seminarians lack. If God calls them, they should respond and follow.
 
One of our priest did not become a priest until he was almost 50. As others have said, it is never to late.
 
There is a priest in my diocese that was ordained when he was 72! That was 4 years ago and he is still serving at a nearby parish. 👍

My pastor is a “belated” vocation as well. He was studying to be a lawyer but had always felt the call to be a priest. He just pushed it aside until his younger brother called him and said that he was enrolling in the seminary. My pastor was ordained at 38 years old. 🙂
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Um, no, you are not too old. There is a specially dedicated seminary for older vocations, in Philadelphia I think, or maybe Boston.

I just watched “The Journey Home” the other night and it was a former BAPTIST who ended up as a Catholic PRIEST. He didn’t say but I think he was at least 60 when he was ordained, and he said there was one guy even older than he was. He was married but his wife died.
Click to expand...
I saw that same show.😃
 
Hallam said:
Hi,
a vocation has been on my mind recently. My question would be, however, is am i too old? I’m 40, be 41 this October coming.
God bless,
Hallam
Click to expand...
Just realised that you a brit, and, judging by your tag, based in the North East? Haved a chat with your PP, who’ll refer you to the Vocations Director for your area. I know that a couple of the seminarys in the UK cater for older men, but there’s also a college in Spain as well as the Beda in Rome you could be trained at! Let us know how you get on?
 
Everyone who says “You are never too old”, keep in mind that many dioces and religious houses have a cut off age.

We hear of priests being ordained in their 50’s, and that’s because 50 is the cut off age in most diocese. A priest ordained in his 70’s is extremely rare.

It bears repeating. As I posted previously, there is a cut off age. Anyone considering a vocation should do something about it now. Don’t wait. The chances of you being accepted go way down after 50 years of age.

-Tim-
 
Greetings and thank you once again, folks,
having a chat with me Parish priest, who is my spiritual director also, on Thursday evening after Mass. Nice to hear there are certainly options.🙂
God bless,
Hallam
 
TimothyH said:
Everyone who says “You are never too old”, keep in mind that many dioces and religious houses have a cut off age.

We hear of priests being ordained in their 50’s, and that’s because 50 is the cut off age in most diocese. A priest ordained in his 70’s is extremely rare.

It bears repeating. As I posted previously, there is a cut off age. Anyone considering a vocation should do something about it now. Don’t wait. The chances of you being accepted go way down after 50 years of age.

-Tim-
Click to expand...
No doubt you’re right, tim. So, maybe, the answer is to shop around? I’m sure that if God is behind the call, then it will be so!
 
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