Reread what you just wrote here… It seems like you think you have all the answers and calling a carefully discerned decision “very silly” isn’t the best way to demonstrate that you are not formed in your own ways. This whole post is about what you want and what you think. No where is there a word about discernment or God’s call… You are “looking for” a traditional order, habit, and to be accepted regardless of any other factors. It isn’t a right to enter a convent but a privilege and gift. I suggest you start realigning your thinking more with the will of God than with what you want when and how you want it. You will not get far in religious life with this perspective. God won’t call you to a place that you cannot go.
There are many reasons communities choose to place an age limit… You listed three but there are infinitely more. 1- can you imagine how difficult it would be for an older woman to have companionship in formation when all the other women are ten, fifteen, or twenty years younger? In most communities, especially traditional ones, communication with professed sisters is limited while in formation so your only “equals” would be these younger women for three or four years. Could it be the community knows that their formation would be unhealthy for an older woman? 2- a community that does a ministry that involves a college education would effectively have to delay your ability to minister for another 5 or more years while you study. You can’t study full time during the first three years of formation in most communities. Then, what happens if during your studies you realize you aren’t suited to nursing, teaching, social work…? Plus all this time you haven’t been able to live the charism of the community which is experienced partially in the work of the apostolate. 3- maybe the community already knows that in the next five years they will run out of resources to provide for their older and infirm sisters. What an injustice it would be to those already committed members and to the older woman entering that the community ignored their financial situation. What if the woman entering became ill? They would have to dismiss her in formation because they don’t have the money to pay for her medical care. Now you have no community, no job, and an illness… No community would do that to someone so they might have an age limit to try to manage this possibility. 4 - work may not seem essential to you but how do you think community’s pay for food, clothing, housing, medical care, etc? Working together in the apostolate is part of community life and the money earned there supports the sisters who are unable to work so, yes, it is important to work. It’s also part of the way one grows in holiness.
There are infinitely more reasons a community might decide to impose an age limit based on their years of experience in religious life (which you don’t have), their understanding of the community’s financial, emotional, and religious picture (which again you don’t have), and their experience with formation (which you don’t have). Communities are not in the business of creating silly rules. They make mature and thoughtful decisions for the benefit of the community.
I’m sure you will see this as a harsh response but read again what you wrote… How do you think that attitude would be received within a community? In formation? If you want to enter religious life you will need to work on this and I wouldn’t want you to continue not realizing this stumbling block. I hope you do find the place to which God is calling you and I will keep you in my prayers.
