Older Vocations

[gloriagurl]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1620692' date='Aug 7 2008, 08:22 PM']Another overlooked order for older vocations is the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified.

[url="http://www.benedictinesjc.org/"]http://www.benedictinesjc.org/[/url]

They were founded in 1920 in France specifically for those with physical disabilities or frailty. There were two houses in the US, now one; the other houses are in France. They wear a nice habit and live in Connecticut.

I think that they would certainly be open to older vocations, seeing age as a sort of 'disability', at least in entering religious life. Their website does not include anything on requirements for entrance. Unfortunately, their website is not very extensive, and from one small picture, they do appear to have a number of sisters in wheelchairs. Their life is monastic and they have retreats.

Has anyone here visited them or know more about them?[/quote]

I met their superior, she was quite nice. I think a fair number of the nuns are French. I know the superior I met is, she speaks English but French is her first language. I met her when she was translating for the visiting Abbott President of the Subiaco congregation who at the time was Abbott Thierry, a Frenchman. I believe that the Petersham community assisted them in affiliating with a Benedictine congregation...Subiaco, English Province. I do not believe they were founded as a Benedictine congregation per se, but that certainly has been their spirituality and not too long ago they were seeking to make that "official" by affliating with a Benedictine congregation like Subiaco. I don't know if the affiliation was ever carried out, but I THINK it was....evidenced by the change in their name.

Their Divine Office is a bit shorter than many "traditional" Benedictines - they pray 150 Psalms on a two week cycle instead of in one week (though others are moving to that schema) and I don't think they have Gregorian Chant...but I could be mistaken about that.

I do believe they accept older vocations, at least they did at one time.

Edited August 8, 2008 by gloriagurl