Conversion And Vocation

[Laudem Gloriae]

Don't feel alone in your age problem! I am 49 and have been discerning for 14+ yrs (the kids had to grow and God called me that early!) and I am visiting and hope to enter soon - must sell the blasted house first! I know it's easy for me to say 3 yrs waiting is nothing as I've been doing over 14 now but having to wait 5 minutes seems like eternity when you are called!

I heard about that 3 yr waiting period but then I have heard of and known of women entering way under that so it may be up to each order/community? Just like age is.

[puellapaschalis]

I've just checked Canon Law (but IANAE) and there doesn't seem to be anything in the canons about admission to the novitiate (recall that postulancy isn't required by Canon Law, but a 1-year nov is) in terms of how long a new convert has to wait before entering. There certainly doesn't seem to be anything about how long he has to wait before even getting in contact - that latter doesn't strike me as something Canon Law would talk about anyway.

It does say that admission to the novitiate (and I'd guess to postulancy) lies with the Superiors. So no-one can go around saying "They didn't let me in, ooooh they're horribly unfair, bla bla bla." This isn't our game - we kneel and knock and [i]beg[/i] admission, and if they say no, they say no.

Furthermore the Law does stress that Superiors should exercise "vigilant care" in admitting candidates to the novitiate. I would guess that considerations of neophytes would come under this Canon (§642, if anyone's interested ).

Incidentally, a nun once told me that in her opinion, every religious house should have at least one community member trained in Canon Law. I'm starting to like it more and more. Maybe...God willing, if I am accepted and granted perseverance to vows....maybe just maybe I could study this further. It's just really cool!

Ok, I'm a nerd. But we knew this.

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1882366' date='Jun 4 2009, 02:33 AM']The rule I had heard was 2 years after adult Baptism/Confirmation/Conversion/etc. That's also the riot act I read to any of my Godchildren who get Neophyte Fever (it's real!) and want to run off to evangelise the savages in...the Netherlands Or anywhere else for that matter [/quote]

I can second that, although PP bears the brunt (my sole godchild is 9 and not really looking at vocations as far as I know). It's very natural for lots of people to want to do it "right" when they start something new. They turned their lives around to be Catholics, and while they're at it, they might as well do it as radically as possible!

But Catholicism and the religious life aren't things you just turn "on" and start doing. Religious life isn't simply "the next step". It is about polishing and perfecting your soul, and by definition, this takes time. You need to find the place where you can grow, and if you don't know who you are as a Catholic [i]now[/i], it will be hard to find a place that fits. Try shopping for clothes with your eyes closed

I'm not saying that those people who enter very soon after conversion don't know what they're doing. They might well be. We had a guy at the seminary here who was granted a "preparatory" year, during which he was confirmed, and he seems to be very mature in his vocation. But I also know a friend of a friend who converted a couple of years ago and in the last twelve months "found" her vocation three times, each time with perfect conviction, each time completely different (contemplative, apostolic...). Her generosity to God's will is inspiring, but her way of going on about it a bit nerve-wrecking

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1882429' date='Jun 4 2009, 03:17 AM']Incidentally, a nun once told me that in her opinion, every religious house should have at least one community member trained in Canon Law. I'm starting to like it more and more. Maybe...God willing, if I am accepted and granted perseverance to vows....maybe just maybe I could study this further. It's just really cool!

Ok, I'm a nerd. But we knew this.[/quote]

I want too! I want too!
...Maryvale doesn't have a course. Yet. But when they do we can travel together and giggle in Dutch and annoy everyone, how does that sound?

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1882805' date='Jun 4 2009, 08:45 AM']...Maryvale doesn't have a course. Yet. But when they do we can travel together and giggle in Dutch and annoy everyone, how does that sound? [/quote]

Canon Law is a fifth year module in Maryvale's BA (Div), I believe.

And it would be fun until we meet another Dutch speaker. Completely randomly. Of course.

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1882820' date='Jun 4 2009, 10:57 AM']Canon Law is a fifth year module in Maryvale's BA (Div), I believe.

And it would be fun until we meet another Dutch speaker. Completely randomly. Of course.[/quote]

Year four, fourth module, together with Mariology for some reason.

And yes, beware for Belgians

sorry

[Marieteresa]

I guess it depends on the community, Iam a convert and I have been told by a few communities to wait 2 years before pursuing a vocation. On the flip side many communities are willing to accept a newbie to the church. I was told by one community that the reason why they don't accept newbies is because they haven't become grounded in their faith yet and need to experience full participation in the church for a few years. Thats what I was told....Anyway, if you feel that God is leading you to pursue your vocation now...By all means pursue it. Don't let those communities who have this policy discourage you. Prayers for you

[the lords sheep]

I wouldn't let vague rules determine your vocation discernment. If God is calling you to be open to this life, do everything you can to be open and prepare yourself to respond to His call, should it come (or continue).

In the meantime:
1. Get a spiritual director if you don't already have one. Hopefully, a good SD will help you mature in your faith and prepare to embrace fully the consecrated life
2. Look into communities/spiritualities which tug at your heart. Read the lives of saints of the order or the order's founder. Read books like "the courage to be Chaste" By Fr. Benedict Groeschel and "And you are Christ's" by Fr. Thomas Dubay.
3. With your SD's permission, contact a few communities and see if you can make a retreat/come and see- just to get a taste of the life. This can greatly help in discerning what spirituality is right for you and whether you're called to active life, contemplative life, or something in between.
4. Pray, pray, pray, pray! And trust that God will reveal His will to you in His time. Mother Theresa once said "You don't need clarity. You just need to trust." So trust that He'll take care of all those little details!

God bless you for your openness to the will of the Lord in your life!

In Christ,
Lauren

edited: grammar

Edited June 4, 2009 by the lords sheep

[MithLuin]

There is no reason to wait to follow God's call. Prudence probably requires [i]some[/i] waiting time before actually joining an order, but as you pointed out, circumstances require that any way.

My advice will be what everyone else has said:

[list]pray and receive the sacraments frequently

find a spiritual director for guidance

begin to seek out and contact communities, and be respectful of whatever requirements/restrictions they have
[/list]

It is true that some communities will require a waiting period for new converts, and that some will not welcome older vocations. But not all, so do not be discouraged. Not every community is for everyone, which is why there is such a variety! Just think, in the first millenium of the Church, the only choice would have been Benedictine (contemplative), but now in the third millenium...we have options .

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='MithLuin' post='1882854' date='Jun 4 2009, 03:54 PM']There is no reason to wait to follow God's call. Prudence probably requires [i]some[/i] waiting time before actually joining an order, but as you pointed out, circumstances require that any way.

My advice will be what everyone else has said:

[list]pray and receive the sacraments frequently

find a spiritual director for guidance

begin to seek out and contact communities, and be respectful of whatever requirements/restrictions they have
[/list][/quote]

Very good advice!

[quote]It is true that some communities will require a waiting period for new converts, and that some will not welcome older vocations. But not all, so do not be discouraged. Not every community is for everyone, which is why there is such a variety! Just think, in the first millenium of the Church, the only choice would have been Benedictine (contemplative), but now in the third millenium...we have options .[/quote]

*waits for her sister to pound on this*

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1883244' date='Jun 4 2009, 09:54 PM']*waits for her sister to pound on this* [/quote]

Are you kidding? I saw it, I remembered my homework assignment (see blog) and I kept my trap shut

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1883326' date='Jun 5 2009, 12:34 AM']Are you kidding? I saw it, I remembered my homework assignment (see blog) and I kept my trap shut [/quote]

I... I am so... *pinks away a tear* ...proud...

[osapientia]

[quote name='walburga' post='1882385' date='Jun 3 2009, 08:53 PM']NB The Benedictines in Westfield, VT have an age limit of 40yrs. and it's pretty firm - under 40, no divorces, no children.[/quote]

I apologize for the misinformation. When I discerned with them they did not have a hard and fast rule and said they would discern with a woman of any age but did not encourage women over the age of 60...not saying they wouldn't discern with a person of that age but they didn't encourage it at that point either....but things change.

Peace
osap

[Saint Therese]

I, too, experienced my vocation immediately after my conversion.
The communities that told me I had to wait were ones that I found I wasn't called to anyways.

[WisdomSeeker]

Most of the orders I have been in contact with have told me that they look at each applicant (sorry if that is the wrong word ) on an individual basis and don't have a rigid fixed age limit.

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='WisdomSeeker' post='1885543' date='Jun 7 2009, 05:44 PM']Most of the orders I have been in contact with have told me that they look at each applicant (sorry if that is the wrong word ) on an individual basis and don't have a rigid fixed age limit.[/quote]

Applicant is a fine word. Inquirer would do as well.
You tend to see fewer age limits in Europe for whatever reason. I think some of it is healthcare and liability, but each community has their own reasons why they set an age limit. There are many MANY old threads about it if you have the desire to look it up...

and by the way, WELCOME!