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Orders That Still Have Dowries?


Queen'sDaughter

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Queen'sDaughter

Are there still many orders that require dowries? I don't want to know how much, but I am curious to see how many orders still do this.


And yes, the Benedictines of Mary do request a dowry, though they will accept an aspirant without it, and no, I am not telling how much it is!

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I know you wanted orders that do, but I only know of orders that don't! or orders that say a dowry is certainly encouraged but not required. I know Poor Clares often say that.

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PhuturePriest

What on earth is a dowry? I've never crossed an Order that asks for one, whatever it is. Men must be given special treatment because the Orders are just so thankful that they are even thinking about it as opposed to marriage or something.

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I'm curious if St. C's do now.

I don't know much about dowries for religious life. Is it used straight away or only once a sister takes perpetual vows?

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OnlySunshine

[quote name='Queen'sDaughter' timestamp='1338491804' post='2438824']
Are there still many orders that require dowries? I don't want to know how much, but I am curious to see how many orders still do this.


And yes, the Benedictines of Mary do request a dowry, though they will accept an aspirant without it, and no, I am not telling how much it is!
[/quote]

The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of the Church in Baltic, CT ask for a dowry.

Edited by MaterMisericordiae
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LaPetiteSoeur

Many times, dowries are used to pay for things like health insurance for the first few years and as "just-in-case" money if you leave. Men don't typically have to pay them for seminary (but maybe for religious orders? I am unsure), but I think if they leave seminary they may have to pay the diocese back. This was the practice in my former diocese around 20 years ago; it might have changed.

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PhuturePriest

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1338500331' post='2438927']
Many times, dowries are used to pay for things like health insurance for the first few years and as "just-in-case" money if you leave. Men don't typically have to pay them for seminary (but maybe for religious orders? I am unsure), but I think if they leave seminary they may have to pay the diocese back. This was the practice in my former diocese around 20 years ago; it might have changed.
[/quote]

It depends. The Vatican has given dioceses full permission to ask for all the money back if men leave seminary, but they don't have to. It's getting to where it's so expensive ($32,000 a year where I live) that dioceses are crazy if they don't ask for it back now, though.

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mantellata

A true dowry - where religious life is concerned is a fixed amount that the religious community [b]is not[/b] allowed to utilize until after the Sister's death. The point is so that if you leave the community or are asked to leave, you have something to get you started. My dowry was only $500 so I was grateful that my former community gave me a bit more to get started again, on top of my dowry when I left after 8.5 years.

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The Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit, NJ, asks for $500, but will offer entrance to a postulant even if it's not financially feasible. Interestingly, this was the same dowry at the monastery's opening.

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[quote name='mantellata' timestamp='1338503641' post='2438953']
A true dowry - where religious life is concerned is a fixed amount that the religious community [b]is not[/b] allowed to utilize until after the Sister's death. The point is so that if you leave the community or are asked to leave, you have something to get you started. My dowry was only $500 so I was grateful that my former community gave me a bit more to get started again, on top of my dowry when I left after 8.5 years.
[/quote]

This! I had a similar experience, as well.

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OnlySunshine

I'm not sure if the order I am discerning with requests that an aspirant bring a fixed amount with her. I think I remember Sister Superior saying something but she also said that if I couldn't bring it, they would not deny my entrance on that basis alone.

I've heard from a few convents and monasteries the same. My friend entered the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of the Church and told me that the dowry was required. I would hope that they would waive it if someone wasn't able to raise the funds.

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