Yes, a woman can become a nun if she has children, but it usually depends on the children being grown and independent; most orders require no dependent children, so mothers whose kids are adults or self-sufficient often qualify, though requirements vary by order, with some accepting widows or older women with children already in religious life.
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.
Vow of celibacy
After making such a vow, nuns will not marry.
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.
You must be Roman Catholic and a woman to meet the requirements for becoming a nun. You must be single or widowed. (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.
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.
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.
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 early stages - postulant, novice - a woman can leave whenever she feels it's not working out. After first vows, a woman can leave just by informing her superior (who in all likelihood has already figured out that it's not working).
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).
She could act on it in secret. That's happened plenty of times throughout history. Or she can renounce her vows and go into private life , like anyone else. Vows aren't a legally enforceable contract with no way out.
Physical virginity is sometimes defined as the absence of any sinfully experienced lustful sensation. But, strictly speaking, a person is physically a virgin unless he or she has had sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex.
The morning is spent in prayer, intercession, and solitude. We also have time for exercise, spiritual reading or Bible study. The rest of the day follows our regular schedule, but we eat lunch and dinner on our own in silence.
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.
In our convents every Sister has access to a telephone. There are some ministries that come with a cellphone. These Sisters are given a cellphone, because it is necessary to their service. In Arizona, our ministry on the Indian Reservation requires us to each have a cellphone because of safety reasons.
During the four visits permitted each year, the nuns and their loved ones are separated by a metal grille and are are not supposed to reach through the bars to touch one another. They give family members one final hug during the ceremony when they make final vows.
Yes. We have a lovely wide-screen TV in the Community room where we can quietly watch the news or a video in our free time or days off.
(3) As regards their juridical condition, we distinguish (a) nuns properly so-called, having solemn vows with papal enclosure, whose homes are monasteries; (b) nuns belonging to the old approved orders with solemn vows, but taking only simple vows by special dispensation of the Holy See; (c) sisters with simple 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.
Yes, nuns can have tattoos.
Nun refers to a “contemplative religious” who lives a cloistered life of devotion and prayer, and sister to an “apostolic religious” whose community does direct service in the outside world. Both are addressed as “Sister.”
As of Dec 30, 2025, the average annual pay for a Nun in the United States is $54,791 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.34 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,053/week or $4,565/month.
In our Convent's menu, we give preferences to dishes from local products or ingredients from our farmsteads. During fasts, our diets are egg- and milk-free. We eat vegetables, grain, fruit, and nuts. Outside of fasts, our meals include dairy products, eggs and fish.