Interesting Opportunity for Women up to 55Years

[Luigi]

The Trappist nuns at St. Rita abbey in Arizona have established a Volunteer Program. One woman at a time lives with the nuns for one to seven months, April through November. She works four and a half hours per day, with days days per week off, doing whatever is needed - cooking, cleaning the monastery or the retreat house, gardening, and so forth. The rest of the time is her own. They pay a small stipend. Volunteers are welcome at Mass and Liturgy of the Hours. Click on the link for further details. It sounds like a great opportunity - kind of like a month-long retreat! http://www.santaritaabbey.org/monastic-volunteer-program/ 

 

They've also recently started a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Santa-Rita-Abbey-1401882016504354/

Edited July 12, 2016 by Luigi

[Quasar]

This is really interesting.  I wish more communities had a program like this.  I think many women would be apt to try religious life on for size in this way.  Postulancy seems to involve much more certainty that the woman is called to enter.  A live-in volunteer experience?  The woman can masquerade as a volunteer, all the while falling in love with the community and discovering her vocation. ;-)

Edited July 13, 2016 by Quasar

[Gabriela]

I agree with Quasar: There should be more of this.

[Luigi]

From the October 11 Journal posting by Santa Rita Abbey: 

We are very grateful to God for such a great first year for our new Volunteer Helpers program. Sonia, Donna, and Janie were each a great help to us, and they themselves benefited from spending several weeks in the monastic environment. The program will close for the winter, beginning November 1. Our Santa Rita Abbey retreat house gets busy in the winter months, so we’ll be needing the volunteer’s room for other guests. Meanwhile, it’s not too soon to apply to be a volunteer for the 2017 April to November season. For more information, see our Volunteer Helpers page.

http://www.santaritaabbey.org/monastic-volunteer-program/

[NadaTeTurbe]

Make me think of these widows/older womens who lived with monastery, to help them in their daily work, without being part of the monastery (in the XIXth century, and before.) 

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Most communities have live in experiences. I think Trappistine's have a 3 month live-in. The purpose of it is for you to experience the life with the view toward the initial commitment to enter.

I think the volunteer program they have established is great but probably wouldn't work in all communities. Actually, many OSB communities have something similar just not so organized.
Quasar, I understand what you are saying but you can't really "try on" religious life.

[Quasar]

I'm glad some communities offer people the chance to get a taste of religious life with live-in experiences.  In our time, nuns aren't a part of most people's lives.  My parents' generation had a familiarity with religious life that my generation doesn't have.  I hope these programs are fruitful for communities that are making the effort.