Communities Accepting Candidates Over 50

[By His Grace Alone]

[quote name='Gemma' post='1457519' date='Feb 8 2008, 11:21 AM']Toledo accepts older vocations. When I was discerning with them many years ago, I remember the Novice Mistress told me she had something like two 60 year-olds; two 50 year-olds; and two 40 year-olds at that time, and that the majority of the applications they were accepting were those well over 35. Toledo was gaining a (good) reputation for being a haven for late vocations.

Blessings,
Gemma[/quote]

That's interesting. From their website, I was under a different impression as they said they consider those over 40 or 45 (I cannot remember at the moment) only exceptionally. At the time, I found that expression to be a bit odd but thought that it meant if you were beyond that age it would be extremely unlikely that they would consider it, so thanks for clearing that up!
Praise be to God!
Deborah

[Guest 4Godalone]

+JMJ

This is a very helpful thread! Thanks to all who have posted websites and religious communties who may be willing to initially consider those of us in the "way late" vocation category.

May Mary, Seat of Wisdom help us!

God bless!

[linnie]

The Benedictines that I'm associated with (mbmutah.org) have always encouraged younger women. They don't really advertise older vocations. However, they also recognize that many older women are called to religious life and are anxious to hear from these women. They welcome all to correspond and invite many women, young and old, to come visit. come and see visits can be arranged by contacting Sr. Marilyn on the website.

linnie

[HollyDolly]

[quote name='the_rev' post='1457540' date='Feb 8 2008, 11:12 AM']If you want a liberal religious order that is dying out in my diocese but is open to older vocations because it isn't fair to accept someone young when the entire order will die out soon.[/quote]


What community are you talking about? I'm just curious who they are.Are they a diocesan community or one of papal approval? What diocese are they in by the way?
I think eventually many communities will start taking older vocations.In the Middle Ages and that,many monasteries
took older women in,whether widowed or single.

[HollyDolly]

[quote name='the_rev' post='1457540' date='Feb 8 2008, 11:12 AM']If you want a liberal religious order that is dying out in my diocese but is open to older vocations because it isn't fair to accept someone young when the entire order will die out soon.[/quote]


What community are you talking about? I'm just curious who they are.Are they a diocesan community or one of papal approval? What diocese are they in by the way?
I think eventually many communities will start taking older vocations.In the Middle Ages and that,many monasteries
took older women in,whether widowed or single.

[Sister Rose Therese]

Thanks to everyone for their help.
Sorry for not replying sooner, I was out of town.
I'll see if I can compile this information shortly.
As far as that community that seems to be dying out, sure give me the name of that one too. We should always have hope.

[Veritas]

[quote name='Sr. Kathleen Marie' post='1457803' date='Feb 8 2008, 05:09 PM']My name is Sr. Kathleen Marie and I am the co-foundress of a new community that is forming, a "Project" (this is what the church calls it) in the Archdiocese of Chicago. We are, The Sisters of The Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We will have no upper age limit for those women that enter. We also are willing to receive women that have certain health issues but are still able to function on their own. Our Apostolate of prayer and active evangelization will be lived out in a monastic way by living together in a convent, praying the entire Divine Office Daily, The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, etc. We will be missionary in our apostolate of evangelization by proclaiming the truths of our Catholic faith by using the Arts (Sacred Arts) to give conferences, talks, etc. Women who want to use the arts, such as Fine arts, Visual Arts, Music, Performance, Acting, Writing, etc. will be welcome. We attend both the Novus Ordo and the Latin Rite Masses. We will wear a long black habit with veil. If you would like to talk please call, 1-773-984-8725, email: SRPOLJC@catholic.org or write to: P.O. Box 587 Summit, IL 60501. We have been and will continue to work closely with the Archdiocese of Chicago on our formation as we aspire to become canonically approved as Consecrated Religious Sisters in the Archdiocese someday. God Bless You.[/quote]

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Sounds lovely! It would be nice to include beauty some where in the title in conjunction with the apostolate, e.g. "Sisters of the Beautiful Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ" or something like that. Many blessings! (It would be worth starting a new thread about this new community -do you have a website?"

[Veritas]

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I think Sisters in Jesus the Lord may be open to older vocations as well.

[url="http://www.cjd.cc/"]http://www.cjd.cc/[/url]

[Guest Sr. Kathleen Marie]

[quote name='Veritas' post='1459645' date='Feb 12 2008, 01:10 AM']+

Sounds lovely! It would be nice to include beauty some where in the title in conjunction with the apostolate, e.g. "Sisters of the Beautiful Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ" or something like that. Many blessings! (It would be worth starting a new thread about this new community -do you have a website?"[/quote]

Thank you for your kind words, we do want to stress the "Real" Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ to teach everyone that Jesus is truly here with us in the Blessed Sacrament consecrated by our Priests. Like all Sisters our main apostolate is prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to pray for others and their needs, especially our Priests. Our futher apostolate to evangelize teaching the truths of our Catholic faith, and to do that by using the arts. I am meeting with someone on starting a website soon. We have waited because we are doing everything with the approvals of our superiors in the Archdiocese of Chicago, because one day we hope to be approved as a diocesan order of consecrated religious Sisters. We are awaiting more news this week on our future plans, so keep checking back here and I will let you know our next steps. God Bless you, Sr. Kathleen Marie

[Laudem Gloriae]

I the Visitation nuns in Snellville, GA are open to older - actually maybe no limit. I wrote to them a while back and the brochures/info they sent by snail mail stated - and I quote - "Strength of mind and generosity of heart are the prerequisites, and health sufficiently good to observe the Rule. St. Francis de Sales believed that those communities who showed charity in admitting a certain number of older women, would be blessed by God with young subjects whom He would attract to "Live Jesus" in the Visitation". If only ALL orders would realize this about accepting older vocations! They have no website but there are a few links ate: IRL [url="http://religiouslife.com/vocsearch/search.phtml?view=d&my_id=36&criteria=d"]http://religiouslife.com/vocsearch/search....&criteria=d[/url] and an article at [url="http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/1975/05/22/a/?s=visitation%20sisters"]http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/1975/...ation%20sisters[/url] and another article with a picture at [url="http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/1999/06/03/h"]http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/1999/06/03/h[/url] and then a diocese link to them with numerous articles at [url="http://www.georgiabulletin.org/search/?s=visitation+sisters&m1=1&y1=1963&m2=10&y2=2007&sec=l"]http://www.georgiabulletin.org/search/?s=v...=2007&sec=l[/url] . They are in a pretty secluded area and they only take in a few women for discernment purposes only - no retreats or large groups. They wear the traditional habit - praise God!

Another order with numerous monasteries in the US, Canada and Japan and Cuba are the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, Mother Catherine Aurelia is the foundress. I love this order but don't love the modified habits - really wish they'd return to the foundresses habit. I ordered the book on Mother Catherine Aurelia's life and I read it in 2 days! She was a mystic, had the stigmata, etc - read this book!!!. One site in Watertown is [url="http://www.sisterspreciousblood.org/"]http://www.sisterspreciousblood.org/[/url] in Canada a few links to them are [url="http://www.adoratricesps.net/application/content_en/voc_adoratrices.html"]http://www.adoratricesps.net/application/c...doratrices.html[/url] and a link with a picture of the Ottawa Sisters Adorers of the PB at [url="http://www.wordofgodhour.ca/gallery/1y.htm"]http://www.wordofgodhour.ca/gallery/1y.htm[/url] and another at [url="http://www.adoratricesps.net/application/content_en/orig_dev.html#18"]http://www.adoratricesps.net/application/c...rig_dev.html#18[/url] and their monastery in Brooklyn, NY at [url="http://hometown.aol.com/infants1/sisintro.htm"]http://hometown.aol.com/infants1/sisintro.htm[/url] .

Another order that takes older vocations are the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Alaska (2 sites, 1 site has more info) [url="http://monestaryoftheblessedsacrament.com/index.html"]http://monestaryoftheblessedsacrament.com/index.html[/url] and [url="http://www.blessedsacramentmonastery.com/"]http://www.blessedsacramentmonastery.com/[/url] and their monastery in Ashbury-Haight San Fran [url="http://adorejesus.org/english/"]http://adorejesus.org/english/[/url] and there is a monastery in San Antonio, TX with no website but address page at [url="http://www.yellowpages.com/info-LMS57079275/Sisters-of-Perpetual-Adoration/maps?from=qpibp"]http://www.yellowpages.com/info-LMS5707927...maps?from=qpibp[/url] .

The Poor Clare Colettines in Dublin, Ireland at [url="http://www.pccdamians.ie/index.htm"]http://www.pccdamians.ie/index.htm[/url] and the Carmelites of Loughrea, Ireland [url="http://www.carmelitesisters.ie/loughrea/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2"]http://www.carmelitesisters.ie/loughrea/in...=1&Itemid=2[/url] accept older/ have no age limit pretty much.

I will be visiting the Carmelites of Springfield, Missouri - no website but listed in this link [url="http://www.carmelitenunsstjoseph.org/monastery.htm"]http://www.carmelitenunsstjoseph.org/monastery.htm[/url] - but they take older and wear the full, traditional Carmelite habit - praise God again!

The wonderful Poor Clare Colettines of Cleveland, OH at [url="http://www.poorclarecolettines-cleveland.org/"]http://www.poorclarecolettines-cleveland.org/[/url] - who I have visited twice and am still writing after 3-4 yrs or so and am still deciding between Carmel and PCCs, they take up to 45 yrs and will probably consider a bit older. These are wonderful true daughters of St. Clare and St. Colette - go barefoot, perpetual adoration,

I have more orders I have collected over the years (but will be writing all night!) and as I am now 48 yrs old, was married/divorced/have annulment and have 2 independent grown kids I have contacted these orders so I know they were open to me and my "background" of age, kids, etc. and so take my age and older. As I a for traditional orders that keep their founders rule and habits, I haven't kept info on the modified or no habit orders I found or wrote to (when I didn't know they wore no or modified habits).

[Veritas]

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The Congregation of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master

"Honoring and serving Christ in the Eucharist, Priesthood, and Liturgy of the Church"


[url="http://www.pddm.us/"]http://www.pddm.us/[/url]

[Vocation to love]

Hi there just to let you know there's a new community starting in the UK for older women (36+), widows and those with certain disabilities. 

[Sister Leticia]

Hello Vocation to Love - and welcome to Phatmass!

Your site has some lovely images on it, but there was nothing to tell us who or where the community are, or about your spirituality, inspiration and hopes for the future. As someone based in the UK I'd be very interested to know more, as I hadn't heard of any new communities starting up.

Your site also doesn't say whether your community has received official Church approval. One of the rules of Vocation Station (in the introduction, pinned at the top) is that only communities which have Church approval can be promoted here. In your case that would be diocesan approval. Perhaps you could add something to reassure people.

[Vocation to love]

Hello Sister Leticia, thank you for your post.  This is a community which is beginning and is known. Please private message me for more information. 

Please could you tell me which religious order you belong to? 

With kind regards 

[Sister Leticia]

Happy to PM you for more info, but in the meantime, I think you need to post something on here to reassure everyone that your community can be promoted here, and ensure you don't fall foul of the moderators.