I have not heard anything about this topic for some time. One men's order promises to help pay off debt if the candidate perseveres--a tricky think to do, I think.

re debt I think that if one is truly determined to enter religious life, one can pay debt off fairly dxpeditiously, depending, of course, on the size of the debt! Thousands owed for education are much harded.

i visited Regina Laudis a lo-oong ago, in 1957 to be exact, and met a postulant there. The dowry was $1000., a substantial amount of money in those days. She sold encyclopedias door-to-door and sooned earned the money. As far as i know she is still there.

Yes, I'm probably one of the oldest ones on this list --I'm 66!

It's been my experience that monasteries usually want the candidate to bring sufficient funds to return home should she prove to not have a vocation. Every monastery I wrote (quite a few!) said they didn't require a dowry.

The community trying to form in SW Missouri asks the candidate to have either a dowry or a sponsor.

If the monastery is very established, and has a good customer base for their remunerative work, they are usually not as particular about this as "younger" communities would be.

I'm not sure whether or not you'd receive it back.

Blessings,
Gemma

the dowry depends on the community, but it is best to have a dowry to return home with....I know for my community that dowry isn't that much!!!!

I don't know exactly which communities do or don't require a dowry, but I think if they do, it's generally with the intent of helping the person return into the world if they discern away from the community, particularly during the first couple years of formation.

My first question to the community in Buffalo was "do you have a dowry?" Money is struggle for me but they said no.

i rather have the dowry just incase if one where to choose to leave the community and return to the world. It just helps that way you're not relying on your family to help "pull" you out or anything like that, although I'm sure the families will want to help "pull" you out either way. But the dowry is kinda like starting over money or begining a new life.