Yes, women can become nuns after having children, especially if the children are grown or independent, but specific requirements depend on the religious order, with most Catholic orders requiring freedom from dependent children and marital commitments, often meaning widowhood or an annulment, to fully commit to a life of service. While traditional rules focused on no dependents, modern orders sometimes accommodate mothers, though they must discern a true call and meet criteria like good health and financial stability, with some communities even having specific support for "Sister Moms".
You must not have any dependent children. There are many women who have children who become nuns. The children, however, must no longer be dependent.
Specific order requirements may vary but often they require that you have no debt, no dependents, are in good health, can have a priest vouch for you, and are under 30. You may have to spend time as an initiate and a novice before taking final vows.
Yes, you can become a nun even if you are not a virgin, as the requirement is a vow of chastity, not physical virginity, meaning no sex after vows; past sexual experiences are generally acceptable if confessed and repented, and widowed women often become nuns. Religious life focuses on a future commitment to celibacy and dedication to God, with past life choices being less critical than one's present spiritual journey and ability to embrace the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
(If you are divorced, you will generally need to petition for annulment before you can become a nun.) You must not have any dependent children. (If you do, your first duty is to them. If they are grown up and able to lead independent lives, there is no problem.)
It depends on a lot of things, but for the most part, Catholic nuns, as decreed by Pope Francis, are not allowed to marry, use social media or smartphones. They can't own property or engage in sexual relationships. In fact, a married woman cannot become a nun unless her marriage is annulled legally.
The Carthusians (Order of Carthusians) are widely considered the strictest Catholic order, known for their extreme solitude, silence, and austerity, combining eremitical (hermit) and cenobitic (community) life with most members living in secluded cells for prayer and manual labor, minimizing contact with the world. While other orders like the Trappists and Victims of the Sacred Heart of Jesus are also very strict, the Carthusians are renowned for never having reformed because their life, rooted in the Rule of St. Bruno, has remained essentially unchanged for centuries, emphasizing deep contemplation and detachment.
Final vows in most orders are renewed every 1-3 years, but if a sister is feeling like she should leave the order, she can meet with her superior, who would more than likely assign a period of intense discernment to ensure that leaving is correct.
This means that God chooses to no longer remember our past transgressions (Jeremiah 31:34), including losing virginity before marriage. Our sins are as far away from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). There is absolutely no doubt that God will forgive sex before marriage.
What does a nun earn? Nuns devote themselves to lives of poverty and simplicity. Unless they perform an additional job, such as working as a teacher or doctor, they do not collect a salary.
What about college loans and other debts? Educational debts and student loans are considered separately, but debts other than student loans must be satisfied prior to candidacy, if possible. However, we encourage women to not let financial debts prevent them beginning the discernment process.
Normally between the ages of 18 and 35; some orders prefer the entrant be 21, others will accept older women on a case-by-case basis.
They rise at 5:30 a.m. and pray in the chapel at 6:00 am. The sisters then spend their day praying, working, and in community. They pray the Divine Office, attend daily Mass, work, and eat in silence. Their day is also very centered on community life.
On her 118th birthday in February 2022, Randon received a birthday note from the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
Although usage has varied throughout church history, typically "nun" (Latin: monialis) is used for women who have taken "solemn" vows, and "sister" (Latin: soror) is used for women who have taken "simple" vows (that is, vows other than solemn vows).
Yes, you can become a nun even if you are not a virgin, as the requirement is a vow of chastity, not physical virginity, meaning no sex after vows; past sexual experiences are generally acceptable if confessed and repented, and widowed women often become nuns. Religious life focuses on a future commitment to celibacy and dedication to God, with past life choices being less critical than one's present spiritual journey and ability to embrace the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
The average age at death is 81 years. Only one nun died younger than 67, and she was 25. Thirty three nuns lived longer than 75 years and seven died in their 90s.
You must take a vow of chastity, which means you cannot get married or have sexual/romantic relationships. You must take a vow of poverty, which means you must live a simple life. In most cases, this means giving up your personal possessions (and any sense of 'ownership') and share what you have with your community.
For a nun, we vow to be celibate and so we choose to express union and love in other ways, such as through our community life, our relationships, and our ministry (Check out my post Do nuns know how to love? for other ways we express love).
In the standard list, the seven deadly sins according to the Catholic Church are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. In Catholicism, the classification of deadly sins into a group of seven originated with Tertullian and continued with Evagrius Ponticus.
A nun's outfit is called a habit. It typically includes a tunic or gown, veil, scapular, and sometimes a belt. The habit symbolizes a nun's devotion, humility, and separation from worldly distractions, signifying her commitment to God, prayer, and service within her religious community.
Yes, Nicole Kidman is a practicing Catholic who was raised in the faith, considers it integral to her life, attends Mass regularly with her family, and has stated she receives confession and wears a crucifix given by her grandmother, even though she explored other beliefs during her marriage to Tom Cruise. She emphasizes raising her children in the Catholic Church, despite her husband Keith Urban having different beliefs.
The Church doesn't have a precise rule for when, how, and how much a Catholic may kiss his love interest, just as the Church doesn't have a rule about how many peanut butter sandwiches a Catholic may eat in one day.