Looking for religious female order that allows medications

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Hello, my name is Amy. I feel I am called to the religious life but I know that several orders that I have looked into do not allow anyone taking medications. I take medication for a low thyroid ( runs in the family.) Does anyone know of any orders that allow people to enter who take medication?

God bless,
Amy
 
Why wouldn’t you be able to take necessary medications? I would call an order or ask them personally. Our Catholic faith teaches us that we need to go to the doctor and take medicine as well as trusting in God’s power to heal us.
 
twixy16 said:
Hello, my name is Amy. I feel I am called to the religious life but I know that several orders that I have looked into do not allow anyone taking medications. I take medication for a low thyroid ( runs in the family.) Does anyone know of any orders that allow people to enter who take medication?

God bless,
Amy
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Without wanting to give you some kind of guarantee in the matter, I would have to say that I’ve never heard of a religious institute refuse to accept candidates just because they were taking medication. Some kinds of illnesses and disabilities may restrict admission, but I wouldn’t think hypothyroidism would be one of them.

Once you’ve discerned the right path for you - perhaps with a spiritual director - try contacting institutes that you’re interested in and see what happens.

Best wishes in your journey.
 
Having a low thyroid is quite different than having a mental illness. With medication, one is able to live a normal life, whereas those with mental illnesses can have difficulties while on medication (I have a past history of depression). I know of two orders off the top of my head that will consider applicants with medication needs:

Religious Sisters of Mercy in Alma, MI

Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Milwaukee, WI (St. Louis’ province is different)

But what I would encourage for you is to not just look at orders simply because they allow medication, but find the order that you feel is right for you and then ask what their allowances are. Their answer may surprise you. 😉
 
I don’t know of any order that excludes members who must take medication daily as long as the underlying condition being treated (diabetes, low thyroid etc) is not one that would impede her ability to carry out the normal duties and work of the order.
 
I know that many religious institutes require a health examination, because the institute wants to make sure that you can live their life and do their work. Is that the kind of discrimination of which you’re speaking?

Like Br. Mike, O’Carm, I have never heard of a religious institute that is opposed to medication. Many institutes have certain physical requirements. My community does not accept any candidate who cannot sleep on cold surfaces, walk long distances, lift heavy objects, or have certain nutritional needs. When we can’t afford beds or the poor need beds, we sleep on boards. Unless someone donates a car, we walk or hitch a ride. We often work with hospice patients and that may mean lifting. We fast during the three lents. So, I imagine that each institute has its own physical requirements of those who postulate for admission.

I have never heard of a prohibition on meds. But as someone said, find a community where you feel at home, then discuss your health needs.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
As an aside, I feel that it should be emphasized that not all religious orders, especially not men’s orders, have such a severe lifestyle as the Franciscan orders that JREducation describes, including his own. I have observed that, because JR posts so often, would-be discerners, especially men, might get the idea that to join a men’s order means that assuming a considerable amount of asceticism. This does not appear to be the case outside of the newer mendicant communities of Franciscan friars.

There is a blog by Tom Gibbons, who is very smart and funny, which started as Kicking and Screaming, and then was included in Busted Halo, which describes his experiences as a Paulist.

bustedhalo.com/category/kickingandscreaming/

They include eating well, drinking ditto, two flat-panel TVs at his formation house, a lot of traveling his first year, and his generally having to fight weight gain. His blog makes good reading, especially the earliest sections, when he describes learning to serve at Mass was akin to learning Klingon.

The Benedictines, also, aside from the Trappists (Cistercians) and Carthusians, two ancient Benedictine branches, don’t appear to focus on asceticism. It’s all about balance. There’s plenty of denial in religious life anyway, what with the three traditional counsels and their Benedictine equivalents of conversion of life, obedience and stability.
 
Thank you for your responses. The order that I really love, the Tor’s of the penance of the sorrowful mother in steubenville, told me that they do not accept anyone on medications, probably because they don’t have health insurance.
 
twixy16 said:
Thank you for your responses. The order that I really love, the Tor’s of the penance of the sorrowful mother in steubenville, told me that they do not accept anyone on medications, probably because they don’t have health insurance.
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that would make sense
also as another poster said if the condition for which you are being medicated is one that would inhibit you from fully embracing their manner of living, diet etc. I don’t know that the medical insurance thing is the rule. What other orders have you investigated?

If I was a young lady looking for an order these TORs would be my first choice, too.
 
twixy16 said:
Thank you for your responses. The order that I really love, the Tor’s of the penance of the sorrowful mother in steubenville, told me that they do not accept anyone on medications, probably because they don’t have health insurance.
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The TORs of Penance are a mendicant Franciscan community, that’s why they don’t have medical insurance. We don’t either. I beleive that the Franciscans of the Renewal, men and women, don’t have medical insurance either.

But you should keep looking for a community where you feel at home and where you can fit with your health needs. There are sure to be some.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
IWhen we can’t afford beds or the poor need beds, we sleep on boards. Unless someone donates a car, we walk or hitch a ride. We often work with hospice patients and that may mean lifting. We fast during the three lents.
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Br. JR, I have long been impressed by the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your posts. When I see a response by you, I know its going to be excellent, and a must-read. I know I am off-topic, but I wanted to say that you, and your order, truly are amazing. And very Christian, too.

Thank you for spending so much time with us.
 
Dale_M said:
Br. JR, I have long been impressed by the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your posts. When I see a response by you, I know its going to be excellent, and a must-read. I know I am off-topic, but I wanted to say that you, and your order, truly are amazing. And very Christian, too.

Thank you for spending so much time with us.
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You’re very welcome. This is supposed to be one of my ministries, but I actually find it fun. I know that I have shared this before, but some people don’t know it. I have diabetes, leukemia and congestive heart disease. There is a big question as to how long I’m going to be around. Though I’ve told God that I’m very busy lately; therefore, I don’t have time for funerals, not even mine. Just joking.

I do communications ministry, Respect Life, pregnancy centers, youth, religious education, retreat talks, parish talks and I go where ever there is a need for the Gospel of Life to be taught and defended, because I’m not supposed to be very active. The Vatican has been talking about the importance of the means of communication for a very long time. Mother Angelica certainly understood that and made good use of them. So, when I became sick, I asked if I could have a laptop so that I could do ministry via the internet and it was approved. The long and the short of it is that it has been more fun than work.

As to our work and our brothers, I’m very proud of the entire Franciscan family. Someone once said that we Franciscans were very proud of our humility, which I found very funny, because it’s true. But we’re not proud in a bad way. I believe that we’re proud of our spiritual father whom we all love very much. We’re very proud of is our diversity. St. Francis founded three orders and gave each order its own rule. Each order has branches. These branches follow the rule of their order, but they focus on different ministries, different aspects of the Franciscan life, without deviating from the rule of their order.

Today the Franciscan family is going through a renewal. Renewal always means that you go back to your roots. There are smaller communities being carved out of the larger ones. These communities are driving the entire family to recover the Gospel Life as it was lived by the first brothers and sisters. We are going to see many changes among Franciscans. The best part is that the Holy Father is very supportive of recovering the traditions of the 13th century Franciscans without suppressing the spirit and creativity of the 21st century man.

As a result of my own health problems, my superior and our local bishop have given permission to begin the process of discernment for another branch of the Franciscan family, the Franciscans Brothers of Life. Every situation results in an opportunity to get closer to God and to do more beautiful things for God. When speaking about vocations, we must always speak about listening. Only when we listen can we know what to do.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
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