Eudist Servant Of The Eleventh Hour

[Thijs]

for older vocations:

[url="http://eudistservants.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1"]http://eudistservant...ntpage&Itemid=1[/url]

and one of their sisters:

[url="http://sisterlillian.ning.com/"]http://sisterlillian.ning.com/[/url]

..and another inspiring story:
[url="http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=2598"]http://www.cbcpnews....bcpnews/?p=2598[/url]

[maximillion]

Wow! Never heard of them, they sound an amazing community and what a gift to the Church!

[emmaberry]

I really like their name-how it refers to the 'later vocation' element of their community. I love when communities are up front and secure in their identity. These are the communities flourishing today.

Also, thank you for the links. I loved the story of the older Sister who wanted to recover and continue teaching!

[Mary's Margaret]

Thank-you for reminding me of this wonderful community. I can't say more at the moment, but it's come at just the right time.
God's clock keeps such better time than my own!!

[Laudem Gloriae]

Thanks for posting. I've heard of this order and they are wonderful and do wonderful work.

As a reminder, while some orders are geared to older vocations (as they would take younger ones too I would imagine!), many of the "regular" orders often take older vocations too. Even though their website or IRL page might state an upper age limit, I've found over many years of discerning that they do consider older/mature vocations and have taken older.

The best is to email or write them with a long email or letter laying it right out their about your call, what's in your heart and soul and what you feel Jesus is calling you to and why their order and community, etc. I've had many orders/communities write me saying if I hadn't "spilled my guts" (my term not theirs!), they might not have considered me, etc. I've learned this after many years of the short inquiry emails and letters and often once the age is seen, they may say "no" but if you're heart is out on the page, they can read what God is doing in you and give you a chance.

I've found these orders open to and/or taking older vocations (of course some of these communities could change but give them a try!) - the ones with an asterisk I KNOW gladly consider and take older vocations:

British Columbia: Carmel of Armstrong*

US Carmels: Carmel of Cristo Rey, San Fran * - considers, when I visited Prioress at the time said she preferred older vocations
Carmel of Erie, PA* - 1990s
Carmel of Santa Fe* - wrote them, never go to visit
Carmel of Dallas, TX* - 1990s

US Dominicans: Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne - up to 50 yrs, may take older
Dominican Nuns of Lancaster (cloistered) - considers, takes older
- to shorten this list, many consider, especially if you have no kids while several others like nuns in Buffalo and
Linden will NOT take older women, especially if once married and with grown kids.

US Visitations: several take up to 50 yrs, others to 60 and older

US Poor Clares, OSCs: Poor Sisters of St. Clare (formerly Franciscan Sisters Minor?, see PM thread): they take and have older vocations

Poor Clare Colettines: PCCs of Minooka, IL* - considers and has taken older and has live-ins - founded from Rockford, IL PCCs
PCCs of Cleveland, OH - did several yrs back, may still

UK Carmels: Carmel of Kirk Edge - of course!
- pretty much all the Carmels in the UK take older vocations as do other orders like the Benedictines and PCCs

If you are attracted to an order, community, email or write and explain all you can as it pays off much better than just the short "I've discerned a vocation and am interested in your community. I am XX age. ...etc." and not much else. In writing from the heart, you may catch THEIR'S and have them give you a chance!

Sad to say many of my letters have been as long as 5-6 typed pages! But it has paid off with more opportunities to visit and be considered and be given a chance for an order you think is off limits.