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While it is theoretically possible for a 60 year-old woman to become a sister or a nun, this is rather rare. It is also theoretically possible that an older candidate may have been previously married and may have had children (provided they are properly cared for). Requirements for admission to a religious community vary from community to community, and most will be very hesitant to consider such a candidate.

Admission to an institute of religious life foremost implies that a candidate has the flexibility and ability to accept the vows of religious life, (chasitity, poverty, and obedience), which experience shows is very difficult the older a candidate is. Indeed, many 'hard core' communities have age cut-offs much lower than 60 years old, not out of discrimination or other issues, but precisely because older candidates (even 30-40 year olds) are not able to adequately make the adjustments of giving up their home and money, their 'freedom', or their families, and taking on the life of prayer, formation, and apostolate.

Another concern with older candidates is a tendency for these candidates desiring to 'run from the world' for reasons other than the legitimate reasons that one would take the habit. One never joins a religious order simply to retreat from the world... no matter how contemplative the person or the community may be.

Again, it remains theoretically possible for an older candidate to join a community. Through God's grace, even an older candidate can make an exceptional member of a religious community. If a community is willing to accept a postuant who is 60, the candidate will normally go through all of the stages of formation which their juniors would to discern the authenticity of the religious vocation... Keep in mind that the ultimate goal of joining a community is not 'becoming a nun', but becoming perfected in Christian Virtue- this can be done as a nun, as a postulant, or even in one's secular state of life... the question before a postulant is whether God is calling her to a religious community to aid and perfect Christian virtue.

In addition to the spiritual concerns, hesitancy in accepting older candidates may also be due to concerns over a candidate's health and ability to carry out a ministry as a sister, should she be allowed to profess vows. Religious orders may prudently decline applications of candidates who cannot actively serve in the mission of the order. (While communities take exceptional care of their retired sisters, their raison d'etre is not to be a retirement home.)

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AnswerAll of the above is good, so please read it carefully. Every community is different, at the first link below, it lists communities that accept older vocations, although most of these have a cut-off of between 40 and 55. The Benedictine monastery to which I am attached as an Oblate normally only accepts men up until around the age of 40 or so, but considers each applicant individually. Although it may be very hard to accept and understand, there are very good reasons why most communities will not accept a woman at the age of 60, and you would not be able to understand them until you actually lived in that community for a number of years and saw first hand what is involved in formation for a religious. It is not an easy change for a 20 or 30 year old, for a forty year old, it may be very difficult. For a sixty year old, it might be nigh unto impossible - which is not to say that it doesn't happen or that God might not give His Grace for such a thing. Look into if you feel that God might be calling you to such a life, but also look into other options, knowing that God has a plan for everyone, the big problem is that we don't usually accept His plan for us right off the bat. You need to be discerning His Will in other ways, and this will be made clear to you in His time.
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10y ago
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14y ago

She short answer: Yes. The specifics of a particular individual's situation actually dictates their ability to join a religious order of sisters and thus become a nun. Different Orders have guidelines and restrictions that will affect an individual's decision, and ability, to join them. For instance some require vows of poverty that can be difficult to accomplish for someone with vast amounts of wealth. All of this depends on the individual's situation. The best way to find out the answer to your real question: "Can I become a nun?" would be to contact a vocations director and ask them.

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9y ago

Well, there are several stages to go through, before one can become a nun! One could join a convent at eighteen, but then one must go through postulancy, become a novice, make one's first profession and final profession (by this stage, one would be a sister.) By the time one goes through all of these stages and becomes a nun, if they joined the convent at 18-20, they would probably be about thirty.

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11y ago

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It depends on each order, most have a minimum age, or education level. However, Canon Law stipulates that an Order may not receive anyone into the novitiate who has not completed the seventeenth year of age. Each order may have a higher age, depending, and all orders have an age beyond which they will not go without special consideration.

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10y ago

Most religious orders today do not accept girls this young.

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6y ago

Sure, as long as you are alive you can become a nun. I would contact your local diocese for information.

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