Later life vocations

[ServantofMercy]

Hello does anyone know of any orders of sisters or secular institutes that would accept a widow of 50 years of age? I have a dear friend who seriously wishes to live the remainder of her life as such and do not know what to suggest to her.
AMDG
Debi

 

[Tietjen]

Hello does anyone know of any orders of sisters or secular institutes that would accept a widow of 50 years of age? I have a dear friend who seriously wishes to live the remainder of her life as such and do not know what to suggest to her.
AMDG
Debi

Here is an EXCELLENT resource. Your friend can search among the orders and/or submit an application and have the organizers assist her.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

You may like to check out this website:
thesacredcross.org/main.htm

 

[Dunmoose]

She may wish to check out Our Lady of the Desert. they do have a couple junior nuns who are well past 50 and I know that one of them has 2 kids in their 30’s.

 

[1234]

Many many orders are open to her. She would do best to go thru vocation placement at the URL offered, or do the walking herself thru:
**
Guide to Religious Ministries,** available for $10 thru Catholic News–google for info–or going to be website

www.religiousministries.com

—but the book is the most complete and is updated every year.

…and get fast access internet herself or thru the local library–easiest if she can use her own computer as the search can be very long for the right community for her.

the free magazine VISION has a lot of info and ads but is not complete.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

Hello does anyone know of any orders of sisters or secular institutes that would accept a widow of 50 years of age? I have a dear friend who seriously wishes to live the remainder of her life as such and do not know what to suggest to her.
AMDG
Debi

I* used three different searches in my journey:

a) vocationsplacement.org/* *

b) [as posted already]… " Guide to Religious Ministries, available for $10 thru Catholic News–google for info–or going to be website

www.religiousministries.com*

—but the book is the most complete and is updated every year."

c) vocations directors either for her diocese or for the various orders she might find thru the above search.

blessings of peace and good! our prayers are with her! :angel1:

 

[sine_modo]

Your friend could type in different spiritualities and see what comes up - this is what i did and it worked for me.

Things like Poor Clare nuns, Carmelite nuns, Benedictine nuns or sisters, or vocation, that kind of thing. It may seem long winded but she will get a sense of where she might be drawn by this method. Most communities put their age range up and contact addresses so she can write for more info.
I depends where she is in the world a lot of the time, there seems to be more openness to older vocations in the UK, Ireland and Europe though there are places in the USA too.

I did a questionairre on a vocations placement site and it gave me the addresses of communities that were the exact opposite of what I had ticked - i ticked contemplative, monastic, prays at least 4 times a day, manual labour, full habit -
I got - active, no habit, pray morning and evening together, etc so personally I didn't find it helpful though i am sure many have done so - maybe the site was having a bad day or something.

Your friend could do both, happy searching.

 

[Sister_MM]

We would gladly accept a 50 year old widow. The main qualification is spirituality and sincerity. Age is not a factor - it happens to all of us, sooner or later.

fsmcharism.net

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

We would gladly accept a 50 year old widow. The main qualification is spirituality and sincerity. Age is not a factor - it happens to all of us, sooner or later.

fsmcharism.net

[Sr MM…just had to put in a personal note here… what a wonderful community you have…hope you keep posting and hope you are gaining many vocations]
blessings of peace and good!

 

[1234]

Your friend could type in different spiritualities and see what comes up - this is what i did and it worked for me.

Things like Poor Clare nuns, Carmelite nuns, Benedictine nuns or sisters, or vocation, that kind of thing. It may seem long winded but she will get a sense of where she might be drawn by this method. Most communities put their age range up and contact addresses so she can write for more info.
I depends where she is in the world a lot of the time, there seems to be more openness to older vocations in the UK, Ireland and Europe though there are places in the USA too.

I did a questionaire on a vocations placement site and it gave me the addresses of communities that were the exact opposite of what I had ticked - i ticked contemplative, monastic, prays at least 4 times a day, manual labour, full habit -
I got - active, no habit, pray morning and evening together, etc so personally I didn't find it helpful though i am sure many have done so - maybe the site was having a bad day or something. Your friend could do both, happy searching.:)

Unless you go by ‘laudem’ on another forum, you’re (at least) the second person who has posted that has had this experience. Not a very good search engine, I am afraid.

This underscores my impression that this is a search that one really has to do oneself–there aren’t any easy shortcuts, tho:

guide to religious ministries, the annual book, and its website;

www.religiousministries.com with a fair search engine,

and a fast internet access

–do help.

 

[sine_modo]

Unless you go by ‘laudem’ on another forum, you’re (at least) the second person who has posted that has had this experience. Not a very good search engine, I am afraid.

This underscores my impression that this is a search that one really has to do oneself–there aren’t any easy shortcuts, tho:

guide to religious ministries, the annual book, and its website;

www.religiousministries.com with a fair search engine,

and a fast internet access

–do help.

Hi, i’m not laudem but I am ‘glad’ that I am not alone in finding this site unhelpful though it is worrying too.
I think that the only real way to find ‘your’ place is to do the leh work - you will get the important first impressions then and may be very surprised where you are drawn too - perhaps God asks that of us - are we willing to ‘waste’ some time seeking whilst being open? If we are not, are we really willing to fully embrace a relgious vocation where to the world’s eyes we are often ( especially with enclosed life) seen to be wasting our life?
pax sine modo - i chose this name because it means
without measure, that is what i am aiming for, to give myself without measure, without counting the cost.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

Hi, i’m not laudem but I am ‘glad’ that I am not alone in finding this site unhelpful though it is worrying too.
I think that the only real way to find ‘your’ place is to do the leh work - you will get the important first impressions then and may be very surprised where you are drawn too - perhaps God asks that of us - are we willing to ‘waste’ some time seeking whilst being open? If we are not, are we really willing to fully embrace a relgious vocation where to the world’s eyes we are often ( especially with enclosed life) seen to be wasting our life?
pax sine modo - i chose this name because it means
without measure, that is what i am aiming for, to give myself without measure, without counting the cost.

Just two footnotes here:

1. First to sine modo… thank you for sharing re the name you chose it is beautiful and I was wondering what it meant. [and yes isnt it amazing? maybe cause of being in the us that contemplative life styles can be so misunderstood … well so can active of course… but I thought I was the only one who had run into that… blessings to you!
2. Yes having used the two searches the vocations and the religious ministries. I will add this:

The vocations survey and resulting searches were not narrowed down as well as I would have preferred… but the survey and resulting ongoing info has been fascinating.
Yes I would say that the Religious Ministries guide is the better of the two.
That being said… using both when first contemplating religious life might at least get the ball rolling for one. And yes once one finds the way of life and rule that attracts one… “thank goodness for the internet”… It makes it so much easier to connect and explore than 20 years ago for sure.

Blessings to all who are on this wonderful journey either as an applicant or a guide]
Peace and All That is Good!