Orthodox Women's Communities Accepting Vocations Over 35

[stlmom]

The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Canton, Ohio, will accept candidates up to 50 years old.

[tnavarro61]

Servants of the Lord and Virgin of Matara

http://www.servidoras.org/englishdesc.htm

http://www.ssvmusa.org/

they have active and contemplative branches.

[Studiumecclesiae]

[b]Dear Tradmom,

[/b]The group still exists and here is the link:
[url="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delayed_vocations/"]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delayed_vocations/[/url]
Go and have a look if you are looking for a community accepting people over 35.

In Domino
[i]StudiumEcclesiae[/i]


[quote name='TradMom' timestamp='1293597733' post='2194869']
+ Praised be Jesus Christ!

This has been a subject that has been discussed at length in this phorum. I know that at [b]one time there was a yahoo group dedicated to this topic but I am not sure if it is still in existence.[/b] I also know that someone put together a website on this: [url="http://consecrated-life-org.maritzia.com/orders-in-the-us/communities-accepting-women-over-45/"]http://consecrated-l...-women-over-45/[/url]

This subject is very dear to my heart as my own (blood) sister desperately desired consecrated life as a cloistered woman and could not find a community that would accept her - she was "past the age limit" and at that time, there was not the benefit of internet searches! Many of you know she found her peace in England as a cloistered Carmelite.

I firmly believe that our loving and merciful Lord is outside of time (which is an accepted truth of our Faith); therefore - there is no "correct" time nor place to be called. We all (I hope!) experience ongoing conversion on a daily basis, and for some of us, that means we hear the call of the Lord later than sooner. I do not believe that only younger women can flourish and grow in community; Laudem wrote the most excellent post about this very topic. I am computer challenged, but perhaps someone can find it and repost it here. I couldn't possibly do her words justice, but I encourage all to read it.

Some of our most beloved saints experienced "the call" late in life - St. Augustine immediately comes to mind! - but really, there are so many, it would be impossible to name them all.

In closing, I must be honest in telling saying that I cringe when I hear of communities restricting women - sight unseen - based on age! When I see this restriction, I have to wonder what is exactly about the life and community that ONLY young women "can make it" - in a healthy environment - dedicated to leading souls to Christ with patience, kindness and common sense, ANY healthy (which obviously includes mental/emotional/psychological/spiritual health) woman should fit in. The red flag immediately rises when I hear that "older" women with "life experience" don't do well. The first thing I think about is the fact that perhaps someone with life experience (also known as common sense) would catch on to an unhealthy regime. At one time, I wrote quite a long post on questions to ask when considering religious life and this topic was covered very thoroughly. I have heard all the reasons - and the most common one is that "older women" do not adept easily to community life, the sacrifices, etc. Again - Laudem covered this perfectly - BUT I must say this is not true as many of the great Religious throughout our history and even unto today have entered extremely severe (as in strict) communities and flourished with abandon. As I type this, I wonder what would have happened had the Carthusians said, "NO!" to seventy year old (yes, that's right...70!) Thomas Verner Moore.

This cringe continues when I hear the term: "belated" vocation. No vocation is belated, for GOD HIMSELF calls in His own time, in His own way and since this is a supernatural experience/call, we cannot ever begin to understand the why's, the how's, the if's, the and's or but's. And so I say this to all reading this - most importantly for those "past" the age restrictions so many communities are placing on their vocations today: Do not give up. Live your dream and follow God's call. It may very well take you outside of the United States, but do not give up! Our God is a loving, gentle, gracious God. He will make your path known to you if it is truly His desire to claim you as His own, and the road will unfold as it should. And should you find - along the way - that living life as a consecrated religious woman in community was not meant to be - do not take it as a failure or lack of response. I have seen many Vocation Directors talk about "lost vocations" and I cannot agree with this term for we are all precious to Our Lord - and nobody else can determine whom has a vocation and who doesn't - I have come to believe that some who feel this sense of CALL (and then spend time looking for the right community) are indeed being CALLED, but not necessarily to religious life per se, but to a closer, more intimate relationship with Him. The very act of listening, of inviting Him in, of wanting to respond with a YES is a loving and generous response to Our Lord and I believe - wholeheartedly - that He rejoices with this very response - in the very moment in happens - bit by bit.

This all being said, I know many of our Phatmassers have had good luck finding religious communities in England that will accept them - especially Orthodox Carmels - like my sister. I also know that MANY communities will consider someone who is sound, persistent and holy - even if they have a strict age limit. I recommend that one looks and writes - and then writes again. I also recommend (as Thomas Moore did) that one does NOT announce their age immediately! Remember, you are looking at THEM also. No need to get everybody in a panic if you end up not feeling good about the community. I can say for certain that Our Lady of the Rock, Shaw Island, the Benedictines in Vermont - Immaculate Heart Monastery, Abbey of Regina Laudis (CT) are all very Orthodox, fully habited communities that are willing to consider/accept (with joy!) women who are more mature. The ones I just mentioned are Benedictine. The Carmel in Des Plaines very openly accepted a widow with a large family (a socialite from San Francisco) and though they say that was a special case, I believe they would be willing to consider an older woman. There are more - contact Mother Prioress at the Philadelphia Carmel. She's lovely and I believe she does not discriminate. Please feel free to PM for more information.

One last word: 35 is very, very, very YOUNG!

Pax,
TradMom
[/quote]

[Debra Little]

[quote name='TradMom' timestamp='1293597733' post='2194869']
+ Praised be Jesus Christ!

This has been a subject that has been discussed at length in this phorum. I know that at one time there was a yahoo group dedicated to this topic but I am not sure if it is still in existence. I also know that someone put together a website on this: [url="http://consecrated-life-org.maritzia.com/orders-in-the-us/communities-accepting-women-over-45/"]http://consecrated-l...-women-over-45/[/url]

This subject is very dear to my heart as my own (blood) sister desperately desired consecrated life as a cloistered woman and could not find a community that would accept her - she was "past the age limit" and at that time, there was not the benefit of internet searches! Many of you know she found her peace in England as a cloistered Carmelite.

I firmly believe that our loving and merciful Lord is outside of time (which is an accepted truth of our Faith); therefore - there is no "correct" time nor place to be called. We all (I hope!) experience ongoing conversion on a daily basis, and for some of us, that means we hear the call of the Lord later than sooner. I do not believe that only younger women can flourish and grow in community; Laudem wrote the most excellent post about this very topic. I am computer challenged, but perhaps someone can find it and repost it here. I couldn't possibly do her words justice, but I encourage all to read it.

Some of our most beloved saints experienced "the call" late in life - St. Augustine immediately comes to mind! - but really, there are so many, it would be impossible to name them all.

In closing, I must be honest in telling saying that I cringe when I hear of communities restricting women - sight unseen - based on age! When I see this restriction, I have to wonder what is exactly about the life and community that ONLY young women "can make it" - in a healthy environment - dedicated to leading souls to Christ with patience, kindness and common sense, ANY healthy (which obviously includes mental/emotional/psychological/spiritual health) woman should fit in. The red flag immediately rises when I hear that "older" women with "life experience" don't do well. The first thing I think about is the fact that perhaps someone with life experience (also known as common sense) would catch on to an unhealthy regime. At one time, I wrote quite a long post on questions to ask when considering religious life and this topic was covered very thoroughly. I have heard all the reasons - and the most common one is that "older women" do not adept easily to community life, the sacrifices, etc. Again - Laudem covered this perfectly - BUT I must say this is not true as many of the great Religious throughout our history and even unto today have entered extremely severe (as in strict) communities and flourished with abandon. As I type this, I wonder what would have happened had the Carthusians said, "NO!" to seventy year old (yes, that's right...70!) Thomas Verner Moore.

This cringe continues when I hear the term: "belated" vocation. No vocation is belated, for GOD HIMSELF calls in His own time, in His own way and since this is a supernatural experience/call, we cannot ever begin to understand the why's, the how's, the if's, the and's or but's. And so I say this to all reading this - most importantly for those "past" the age restrictions so many communities are placing on their vocations today: Do not give up. Live your dream and follow God's call. It may very well take you outside of the United States, but do not give up! Our God is a loving, gentle, gracious God. He will make your path known to you if it is truly His desire to claim you as His own, and the road will unfold as it should. And should you find - along the way - that living life as a consecrated religious woman in community was not meant to be - do not take it as a failure or lack of response. I have seen many Vocation Directors talk about "lost vocations" and I cannot agree with this term for we are all precious to Our Lord - and nobody else can determine whom has a vocation and who doesn't - I have come to believe that some who feel this sense of CALL (and then spend time looking for the right community) are indeed being CALLED, but not necessarily to religious life per se, but to a closer, more intimate relationship with Him. The very act of listening, of inviting Him in, of wanting to respond with a YES is a loving and generous response to Our Lord and I believe - wholeheartedly - that He rejoices with this very response - in the very moment in happens - bit by bit.

This all being said, I know many of our Phatmassers have had good luck finding religious communities in England that will accept them - especially Orthodox Carmels - like my sister. I also know that MANY communities will consider someone who is sound, persistent and holy - even if they have a strict age limit. I recommend that one looks and writes - and then writes again. I also recommend (as Thomas Moore did) that one does NOT announce their age immediately! Remember, you are looking at THEM also. No need to get everybody in a panic if you end up not feeling good about the community. I can say for certain that Our Lady of the Rock, Shaw Island, the Benedictines in Vermont - Immaculate Heart Monastery, Abbey of Regina Laudis (CT) are all very Orthodox, fully habited communities that are willing to consider/accept (with joy!) women who are more mature. The ones I just mentioned are Benedictine. The Carmel in Des Plaines very openly accepted a widow with a large family (a socialite from San Francisco) and though they say that was a special case, I believe they would be willing to consider an older woman. There are more - contact Mother Prioress at the Philadelphia Carmel. She's lovely and I believe she does not discriminate. Please feel free to PM for more information.

One last word: 35 is very, very, very YOUNG!

Pax,
TradMom
[/quote]




This is Excellent!

[Yaatee]

[quote name='Visitation Sisters' timestamp='1293616887' post='2194895']
Good morning and a blessed Christmastide from England!
I do not think there is any such thing as a 'late' vocation - one responds when God calls whatever one's chronolgical age. Our Order, The Visitation has always been open to older women discerning religiious vocation. From my lived experience in this monastery I must say they bring such a weatth of life experience with them. Our community is composed of Sisters who have entered young eg early 20s right through until late 50s and the four women with whom we are discering at the moment are all 'late' vocations and so sincere and fervent in wanting to give God their all - it is for us to provide the right soil, understanding and respect. for all that they have lived previously. I understand that if communities have many elderly Sisters it may be a real challenge to them to accept older women because of concerns over health, etc. However, let God be God in our lives and let us respect every person who comes to us in discernment as unique and 'walk' with them as God's Will unfolds for them and for us. For us this 'walking with' has sometimes meant that a woman has not entered with us but become a 'Daughter' of the international Society of St Francis de Sales. With her group she has met here every month and has found consecration and community that she had hitherto not imagined. I suppose I just want to endorse what TradMom has said and encourage those seekers after Truth to continue their seach - and to let themselves be found.

With blessings and thanks to you all. The forum is so helpful and your fervour and desire so palpable. We hold you in prayer always. Sr Jane Margaret
[url="http://www.visitationmonastery.co.uk"]www.visitationmonastery.co.uk[/url]
[/quote]


[url="http://www.visitationmonastery.co.uk/"]http://www.visitationmonastery.co.uk/[/url]

Check out the bell ringer videos at the end.

Full Visitation habit. Seems like a charming bunch.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Yaatee

[Yaatee]

[quote name='Studiumecclesiae' timestamp='1294758244' post='2198967']
[b]Dear Tradmom,

[/b]The group still exists and here is the link:
[url="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delayed_vocations/"]http://groups.yahoo....ayed_vocations/ [/url]
Go and have a look if you are looking for a community accepting people over 35.

In Domino
[i]StudiumEcclesiae[/i]



[/quote]

I couldn't find delayed_vocations in Yahoo! groups. Can someone else? This is one of Gemma's groups, I think.

If you look under

[url="http://cmswr.org/member_communities/membercommunities.html"]http://cmswr.org/mem...ommunities.html[/url]

you'll see quite a few habited communities which accept so-called older vocations. In the following link from Institute of the Religious LIfe

http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/wa?OpenForm&Count=1000

you'll see a number of habited Carmels and the Poor Clare Collettines who accept older vocations. Even if they say they don't , I would check. They may not all keep up their information on the web. There are some habited Discalced Carmelites which are in small Carmels who would probably also, especially after Mobile and Kensington CA, both traditional Carmels, have dissolved because of their dwindling, aging numbers.

Many of the CCA Carmels have modified habits and I am sure would consider older vocations. They observe the traditional Carmelite vocation of long periods of private prayer, solitude an saying the office.

I would just ask. No harm in trying.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Yaatee

[Studiumecclesiae]

The delayed_vocations yahoo group has been deleted. But there are still lots of other interesting yahoo groups to join.

[HopefulBride]

http://ourladyofgracesisters.org/ (they are a private association of the faithful and have no age limit)

There are also the other 4 sisters who left CMRI with my sisters (can't recall their name at the moment) they don't have a strict age limit either. Will find their contact info and post later.

[Santa Cruz]

[quote name='krissylou' timestamp='1293673130' post='2195065']
The Cistercians (Trappistines) of Mount St Mary's Abbey in Wrentham say their age limit is 40. I have no idea how flexible they are about people older than 40, but 35-40 would be entirely routine.


[/quote]

Hm.

I do not know if the Cistercians of Mount Saint Mary's Abbey would consider themselves to be Orthodox? I know them rather well and that is not the word I would use to describe them. They do accept vocations up to age 40.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Santa Cruz

[Yaatee]

[quote name='Studiumecclesiae' timestamp='1298892998' post='2216396']
The delayed_vocations yahoo group has been deleted. But there are still lots of other interesting yahoo groups to join.
[/quote]

There is Gemma's womenindiscernment, which is mainly for older discerners, which contains info on communities and could provide sources for information in its members.

There is also Gemma's group, the religious habit (maybe run together), which also includes information on trad orders (thru its discussions on habits) and has interesting asides, for ex, about Stanbrook Abbey's (UK) Benedictine nuns moving to their new monastery. This is an aging abbey which had to give up its gorgeous very expensive conventional abbey and moved into a new eco-abbey which apparently it loves. I suspect that this abbey, like many in the UK, would be open to 'older' discerners.

I want to reiterate that there is nothing lost by an inquiry. There is new research by CARA of final professions in 2010 (women) with 68/75 responding, that relatively few communities had any final professions last year and only a minority had more than one or two. This is distinctly opposite to the impression that women are 'flocking' to religious life and getting finally professed. Communities are going to be looking and raising their age limits, even if they don't acknowledge it publicly.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Yaatee

[Yaatee]

[quote name='Santa Cruz' timestamp='1298902768' post='2216411']
Hm.

I do not know if the Cistercians of Mount Saint Mary's Abbey would consider themselves to be Orthodox? I know them rather well and that is not the word I would use to describe them. They do accept vocations up to age 40.
[/quote]

Why would they[i] not[/i] be orthodox?! They are the mothership of the Cistercian (Trappistine) women's communities in the US, the women's equivalent of Gethsemani for men. They have consistently had so many vocations that they have founded several other daughter houses.

[Santa Cruz]

[quote name='Yaatee' timestamp='1298924095' post='2216526']
Why would they[i] not[/i] be orthodox?! They are the mothership of the Cistercian (Trappistine) women's communities in the US, the women's equivalent of Gethsemani for men. They have consistently had so many vocations that they have founded several other daughter houses.
[/quote]

Greetings Yaatee,

I have known the Wrentham Sisters for over 4 years. They are dear to me. What you mention does not make them "orthodox". The Cistercians of Wrentham get a little creative and obedience to the Magisterium is not a top priority. No, they are not way far off, but neither are they orthodox either.

God Bless

[Studiumecclesiae]

There's also Gemma's [i]Ecclesia Dei[/i] yahoo group but I don't think there are much traditional communities that accept women over 35.