Age limitations for monasticism?

[Guest user]

Hello, for a couple of years now I have been aware that I am out of place in the world and as such I have considered that monasticism may be my vocation.

For now I am unmarried and without children and in a relatively well paid job. Although I have no children I nevertheless have an elderly parent who is dependent upon me, my first duty is naturally to continue to provide for this person for as long as they need me.

At some point in the future ( hopefully many years away as of yet ) I will no longer have this obligation in the world and may be free to investigate monasticism further. I would think that by this time I will be in my mid 40s or older and am wondering whether there are age restrictions on those looking to eventually take monastic vows?

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

To answer such questions one must first establish a bond with a monastery (or monasteries) through having visited there. Visit an Orthodox monastery & see what God gives.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Irene]

Dear Guest, I can't tell whether you are male or female. I am not in the same position as you as I do have children. However...

I have asked this question before. Years ago (14?) I spoke to our Bishop and told him of my wish to become a monastic when my children had grown up and he seemed to think it was a very good idea. Now that my children are nearly all grown up and I actually am in my 40's I asked my Spiritual Father the same question and he told me that monasteries are often not interested in women over 40 for various reasons - ties to family, difficulty in becoming totally obedient after having a responsible career or being a parent, having a role of some sort of authority in the world.

He suggested I gradually get rid of worldly things around me and work towards living monastically in my own home. Eg get rid of the television, have a small, simple, "cell-like" living area and ... well that sort of thing...

So, if on talking to your Spiritual Father he agrees, (if you don't already live like this) you could start working towards the monastic life in this way....

I think anyone who is trying to live the life we are called to as Christians finds they are out of place in the world.

In Christ...i

[nurse-aid]

In the pride of my own...in the cage of my dream, I’m all set and I’m glad, oh yea…I’m heavy fed….I have nice place to be and even song to sing, my cage is golden one…come on into that, real to see…And I’m in so glad, my feathers is clean, my toy is all set and plenty of everything, to healthy to be…And I do my job and sing the song, and I’m glad, I’m glad of my own such a nice bird to be and all set…

But one day I looked outside, ooh my what a bird, it is fly so high and have no home at all…It is free and fearless, it is restless and strong, it is fly south or north, doesn’t meter, just it such a mighty she is in her own…And I sit and think what a dummy I’m being such a well and such heavy fed…I cannot even fly, cannot even move, I become a fake bird, with old record to play, for my lonely mood…My living space is such small, but she got whole world! O my Lord! My Lord! I’m such an old…Such a heavy and constant in my dream life to be, locking myself into, life of my dream…
And my feathers or my song is no one to see, or hear, or to enjoy, I’m doing all of this for my boring my own…How blind and how foolish I’m making whole world such a small as my own self in that cage, my hell, were I now belong…And I thought I do good, and I knew I’m a doll, the beauty to enjoy in the golden farm…not even farm, but little box, my imaginary world without trace of all of us…By myself I cannot sing that song of Love…I cannot sing to myself, sitting in the golden dust…Dust of my own dirt, my own mess, how small was my world, me in that little box…
And then I saw other bird…with such a feathers and song, wow, I thought, to were she belongs? Were and how all of those birds came from…They come to visit me in my own home…they come to show me the Way of Free Life , take me out of my dream…my own old dusty will…And I saw and I knew, this is real life, take me out of that cage, I screamed, let me brake my will! Let me be one of you, and with you…Let me fly south or north and by you…By being one of your clan, part of Whole! When song is so strong, because of many of you sing that song….And in every that bird I see something new…which I never had, or simply never knew…And when whole flock is together fly…ohh my, LORD! How beautiful that mighty Fly! It is moving slowly, it is care by the Wind! It is Whole and Secure, following trace of Your Mighty Will!It is many in One, and lead by YOU, that is why it is called Flock, and… my Lord, now I’m one of YOU!