Older Vocations

[TheRealJuliane]

I understand that…I am just thinking ahead. Thanks and God Bless.

You could start exploring some orders, you might look into lay orders - I have heard there are several that have no upper age limit.

I hope you come home soon!

 

[giasone]

Wstein -

I am curious what makes you want to become a Catholic -

Also tell me is there anything in particular that Baptists in general dislike about the Catholic faith?

God Bless.

 

[bilop]

Hi, I have a question for here that is a little different. I was raised as a Baptist and have even pastored a mission and a church. Yes, I was a Baptist minister. All this time though I have been interested in the Catholic Church. Now I seemed to be ready for this change. Instead of the priesthood though I feel led more toward a religious life. I have always admired the Franciscans but now I am going to be 57 years old in a few weeks. Too old to be accepted? Thanks for any help.

Converts, including many Protestant ministers, have been ordained as Catholic priests, so it is definitely possible.

The issue with religious life is that the order pledges to care for you financially as long as you live. Because of that, many are unable to accept late vocations, b/c your productive years would be short relative to your retirement years.

However, the diocesan priesthood or diaconate does not have that limitation. The individuals are employees, and are responsible for their own support. So, that might be a more promising avenue.

God Bless

 

[JohnSFO]

The Franciscan Brothers Minor had a great response/rejoinder online to the question of late vocations(it doesn’t seem to be on their updated web page). Simply put, they don’t turn older vocations away simply because of age.

 

[Lamentation]

The question wasn’t meant to be about being accepted to the seminary at an older age. I am in my 40’s and I have been accepted twice. That isn’t the issue.

Yes I was accepted twice and I left twice shortly after entering.

Of course there are exceptions, some people who enter at an older age will succeed and go on to be priests.

I know 4 older people who did not. As well as being told that most leave and therefore an age limit is applied to prevent that happening.

I would really like to hear from people who entered at an older age and have left and their reasons for leaving. So that I get try and get a real picture as to why this is happening.

A lost vocation is a terrible loss both for the person involved and for the Church.

Why do you assume there is a “lost vocation”? If anything, the person may have found that there was no vocation to the priesthood to begin with, or that going to the seminary was a stepping-stone to where they are really called.

I would suggest you have an incorrect understanding of the concept of “Vocation” if you think someone leaving can be equated to a “lost vocation”; by which I assume you mean that someone said “no” to God. We are free to say “yes” or “no” to God’s call… Whether leaving the seminary is wise or not is between that person and God, but the choice is, in fact, ours.

…and, for completeness, saying “yes” to a “vocation” that is not in fact from God is almost worse than saying “no” to a proper Vocation. One does not (or, at least, should not) decide on their own to enter the priesthood; rather, they are called. :compcoff:

 

[Cloisters]

Generosity is the name of the game in any vocation.

My question for older vocations – you’re comfortable where you are, are you not? What is the motivation towards what you’re perceiving to be a vocation?

Can you take a person younger than yourself issuing “judgmental” assessments of yourself? That’s the main biggie – not being able to be ‘formed’ into the new lifestyle.

Or, more commonly, “Being set in one’s ways.”

Generosity conquers mountains. Jesus said, “DENY YOURSELF, take up your CROSS, and follow ME.”

Can you do that?

True Littleness comes from not giving God any lip about whatever situation you’re in, and being joyful even while things might be depressing.

I have found that when working with older vocations, building on what they’ve already established is more helpful than tearing them down, and trying to build from the ground up. If they’re already familiar with the LOTH and frequenting the sacraments, then there is just a little adjusting they have to do to be able to accommodate the intentions for the same within the charism.

The Dark Night of the Soul is a good starting point for assisting the Holy Ghost/Spirit with correction. If they’ve already read it, then, under obedience, they are to read it again–slowly. They’re in another context now, and St John of the Cross’ words will take on new meaning.

My advice to older vocations is to ask the Holy Ghost/Spirit for the purification of intentions. A cloistered Dominican vocation directress advised me to pose this exercise to those who are on our discernment groups. Doing so is a huge help.

Blessings,
Cloisters

 

[KCT]

Entering seminary or a convent is not a done deal. It’s a time of discernment for people of any age. If someone discerns religious life is not for him or her, it’s not a ‘failure’. It means the system works.

Hopefully the time spent in formation will be beneficial for the person in the long run.

 

[Rosebud77]

Please do not underestimate the power of what i called " mid life crisis" in folk leaving communities etc. Or " seven year itch" even. I know sisters who suddenly came face to face with advancing middle age and what they saw as lost opportunities and quit. Would love to see actual statistics on this. One I know said " the order./ life was no longer feeding,e " after 30 years. I wanted to ask whether SHE was feeding her order?

 

[InThePew]

Generosity is the name of the game in any vocation.

My question for older vocations – you’re comfortable where you are, are you not? What is the motivation towards what you’re perceiving to be a vocation?

As an older vocation (currently in my mid-30’s) the motivation for entering the seminary wasn’t about whether or not I was comfortable where I was but rather it was about whether I was comfortable with where I saw my life going and what I felt God was calling me to do with my life. Believe me when I say it takes a lot of motivation to turn your back on a job and career.

Can you take a person younger than yourself issuing “judgmental” assessments of yourself?

Well at the moment one of the priests I’m living with in (slightly) younger than me but I know others who are older than me and who have accepted this. If anything, it’s actually fairly common in any number of workplaces - increasingly so the older a person gets.

That’s the main biggie – not being able to be ‘formed’ into the new lifestyle.

Or, more commonly, “Being set in one’s ways.”

This description could also equally apply to young vocations as well - many older vocations have had the experience of adapting to a new lifestyle following shifts for education, work or other reasons. In a nutshell - that’s what older vocations bring: experience. In fairness, I’m not saying that all older vocations work out swimmingly - I’ve seen first hand what you’re talking about when you refer to an inability to adapt - although that man in question was in his 60’s. What I am saying though, is don’t tar us all with the same brush but instead recognise the very real benefits we bring as well as the fact that younger vocations are definitely not without their own set of problems.