Late/older or disabled vocations

[josefamaria]

All the young vocations on this board are absolutely beautiful---God be praised!!!!!! I am keeping all of you in my prayers that you will continue to hear His call and pursue it. I am also wondering if there are any others on this board that would be considered a "late" vocation (45 or older). I am 51 and just wanted to know if there were any others like me.

[AlterDominicus]

You know its so funny though, b/c everyone says you should cherish you youth/childhood, but for me I am abnormal I cant wait until I turn 19 in 08' I will be answering my call to religious life as a Dominican Sister of Mary - I wake up every morning saying, "yes Lord!" I cant wait til I am older, haha.

[passionheart]

[quote name='josefamaria' post='1011924' date='Jun 25 2006, 01:00 PM']
All the young vocations on this board are absolutely beautiful---God be praised!!!!!! I am keeping all of you in my prayers that you will continue to hear His call and pursue it. I am also wondering if there are any others on this board that would be considered a "late" vocation (45 or older). I am 51 and just wanted to know if there were any others like me.
[/quote]


Hello,

I am in the same boat. I will be 44 on July 12. After many years of closed doors I will be entering the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary. I will enter when I have cleared my debts and so as true mendicant, I am learning how to beg :

Yes, the order is making an exception in my case because I am over their age.

[josefamaria]

[quote name='AlterDominicus' post='1011954' date='Jun 25 2006, 01:11 PM']
You know its so funny though, b/c everyone says you should cherish you youth/childhood, but for me I am abnormal I cant wait until I turn 19 in 08' I will be answering my call to religious life as a Dominican Sister of Mary - I wake up every morning saying, "yes Lord!" I cant wait til I am older, haha.
[/quote]
Ah, I remember those days well (wishing I were older). It comes all too fast, though. It is wonderful to hear about your call to religious life and I pray that you will continue to persevere towards it.

[josefamaria]

[quote name='passionheart' post='1012038' date='Jun 25 2006, 04:56 PM']
Hello,

I am in the same boat. I will be 44 on July 12. After many years of closed doors I will be entering the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary. I will enter when I have cleared my debts and so as true mendicant, I am learning how to beg :

Yes, the order is making an exception in my case because I am over their age.
[/quote]
Passionheart: God is wonderful and He must want you in religious life as He has provided an open door for you. He will help you to pay off those debts at the exact time He wants you to enter so that you can (not one moment sooner or later). I am hoping to enter the Visitation Monastery (if it is God's will). I felt called to them back in the mid-1990s but was needed at home to care for my parents. As God knows all things He knew I would not be able to enter then so He led me to be intoduced to an order that accepts late vocations--in fact, that is one of several reasons they were founded. I also have an obstacle--I have painful knees due to my weight so I will have to work on that first (replacements). I have investigated a couple of other orders that accept late vocations (not visited them though) but my heart keeps going back to the Visitandines so I feel that is where our Lord wants me. Please pray for me as I will for you. God's blessings on your vocation. I thought I better add an edit to this. I did visit a couple of other orders back in the mid-1990s but knew I was not called to them after the visits. Since my father's passing in January I have investigated several cloistered orders (websites) but not visited but my heart does not have the same feeling as it does with the Visitation order.

Edited June 26, 2006 by josefamaria

[jkaands]

re older vocations:

[url="http://consecrated-life.org/"]http://consecrated-life.org/[/url]

for women, check out the site--this forum is for more mature vocations--women, mainly, (no offense ) but y'all are young)--but this site maintains excellent links to communities and retreats.

[jkaands]

re older vocations:

[url="http://consecrated-life.org/"]http://consecrated-life.org/[/url]

for women, check out the site--this forum is for more mature vocations--women, mainly, (no offense ) but y'all are young)--but this site maintains excellent links to communities and retreats.

[brandelynmarie]

From time to time I mention St. Emma's (Benedictine nuns in PA)...Here is a blog that features a link to a news article about a 61 year-old grandmother making solemn profession! I only went on retreat once there & they really did make a deep impression on me...


[url="http://www.penitens.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_penitens_archive.html"]http://www.penitens.blogspot.com/2006_03_0...ns_archive.html[/url]

Edited June 26, 2006 by brandelynmarie

[memory-singer]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' post='1012318' date='Jun 25 2006, 11:15 PM']
From time to time I mention St. Emma's (Benedictine nuns in PA)...Here is a blog that features a link to a news article about a 61 year-old grandmother making solemn profession! I only went on retreat once there & they really did make a deep impression on me...
[url="http://www.penitens.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_penitens_archive.html"]http://www.penitens.blogspot.com/2006_03_0...ns_archive.html[/url]
[/quote]

Dear Brandelyn,

THANK-YOU so much for the link to pictures of Sr. Petra's solemn profession.

What a joy during a busy and demanding day!!

pax,

Dare

[passionheart]

Thanks for your prayers.

Tell me, which Visitation Monastery are looking at??

[josefamaria]

[quote name='passionheart' post='1012674' date='Jun 26 2006, 06:13 PM']
Thanks for your prayers.

Tell me, which Visitation Monastery are looking at??
[/quote]
The one in Toledo, Ohio. It is a wonderful community.

[brandelynmarie]

You're welcome Mercy's child! What can you tell us about the Toledo Visitaion ? Are they like the ones in Tyburn, Massachusetts? Just being curious.... Hi Passionheart!

[alicemary]

I just love Visitation spirituality,isn't it awesome? Do you all read the Visitation monastrery's blog "Live Jesus!"? It is so interesting and gives alot of ideas for meditation

[josefamaria]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' post='1013269' date='Jun 27 2006, 04:36 PM']
You're welcome Mercy's child! What can you tell us about the Toledo Visitaion ? Are they like the ones in Tyburn, Massachusetts? Just being curious.... Hi Passionheart!
[/quote]
Well, I checked the other Visitation Monastery websites and it appears that the Monasteries in Tyburn, Rockville and Mobile wear the same habits as the sisters in Toledo. I did not see a daily schedule listed on the Tyburn website but the Monasteries in Mobile and Rockville listed their daily schedule (rising, prayer, work, etc times) [url="http://www.sistersofthevisitation.org/dailylife.htm"]http://www.sistersofthevisitation.org/dailylife.htm[/url] if you would like to see what their daily life is like. The Toledo schedule is very similar except for a few slight variations. I know the Toledo Monastery does not really have a website (there is one "under construction" [url="http://www.desales.org/Visitation/visitation.htm)"]http://www.desales.org/Visitation/visitation.htm)[/url] so that is why I referred you to the other website. I have not been to the Tyburn Monastery but from looking at it you could pick them up and place them in Toledo and not be able to tell the difference....but, again, that is just from looking at the Tyburn website). I know the sisters in Toledo are fully loyal to the Magisterium. All Visitation Monasteries are autonomous. The order was founded by St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal. The were also founded to accept "older" women as well as the "younger" ones. They also TRY to accept women that have some (not all) health issues that would prevent them from joining other orders (it is best to check with the Vocation Director at each Monastery) but they still have to be able to live the life of a cloistered nun. I have two friends in the Toledo Monastery (both have been there 8+) and they are so happy and have grown so deeply in their love for our Lord and His mother. Gemma, if you are reading this maybe you can add anything that I have forgotten...... Sorry, that 2nd link doesn't work. Try this one....http://www.desales.org/ and then click on the bottom of the page where it says Visitandines.

Edited June 28, 2006 by josefamaria

[josefamaria]

[quote name='alicemary' post='1013283' date='Jun 27 2006, 04:56 PM']
I just love Visitation spirituality,isn't it awesome? Do you all read the Visitation monastrery's blog "Live Jesus!"? It is so interesting and gives alot of ideas for meditation
[/quote]
I love the spirituality of the Visitation order. Here is another link you might enjoy (in case you haven't seen this before)... [url="http://www.oblates.org/spirituality/daily_with_desales/"]http://www.oblates.org/spirituality/daily_with_desales/[/url]