[quote author=sandrahanna link=board=4;threadid=1231;start=30#msg24753 date=1116042909] I THINK YOU CAN START IN ANY AGE BECAUSE WHEN JESUS STARTED HE WAS NOT IN SPACIFIC AGE??????
I don't think u can start monaticism in any age if that's what u meant...I think u have to be mentally and spirtually mature in order to even think of monasticism, Jesus is God...which is different than any of us...ya we should follow Christ in what He did...but even jesus didn't start preaching and walk among the crowds until 33 or 31 (i am not really sure how long He began preaching and serving before the crucifixtion)...tht's despite the time He spent at the altar teaching when He was 12 and St. Mary and St. Joesph were looking for him. I mean ya...u could have been thinking about monasticism for a long time...but maybe u are gonna change ur mind later...that's why u have to be mentally and spirtualy mature to began anything that is going to affect u and change u for the rest of ur life..
The keywords are mentally and spiritually mature... but really the age does not matter... I met a monk who was became a monk when he was 19... And I met a monk that became a monk at 30 some years old... abouna fanouse became a monk when he was only 16 maybe younger... I am not sure... also there were monks in the early years that became monks when they were only children 13, maybe less.... their remains were found at the monastery of the mahharak... so age does not matter if you are ready... now a days the pope likes them to be in their 20s... but is there a special age to become a monk? NO...
hi my brothers, i also want to b a monk but believe me i'm lost i dont know what to do and where to go and no body to listen , also i heared that the monasteries now r very difficult to join.. please pray 4 me sooooo much
Is it the same for monks and nuns, becuase I heard that they have to have an education in order to join the monastery, and in the old days, anyone could join the monastery at any age, but now they have to be graduated from a college or something, so that is like older than 20, so nowadays it's not permitted at any age.
the degrees are being added by the pope... because many people use to just escape the world and go to the mon. just because they didnt have a career, rather than wanting to be christ's children... but there is some cases like that mon that was ordained at age 19... he became a monk in the late 90s... so if God wants you to become a monk... it does not matter how old you are... or a nun...
That is not the only reason why H.H has instituted the new ideal of a degree before one becomes a monk
1) Not everyone who thinks they can be a monk can be one, many people are dismissed from the monastery for several reasons. You need something to fall back on.
2) I believe you are supposed to make some sort of sacrifice between you and God, i.e. you give up a good life, you should be working at the time of desire to leave. I know a friend who has thought about being a monk, but he won’t even consider it yet because he doesn't have much to give up, he wants to buy many expensive things, then comes the real test of whether or not to leave the world. Anyone can say I want to be monk if they don't have much but, if you have a good life and still leave then you’ve passed one of many tests.
A degree is just the beginning of a good life, it is the starting point of a good job and a good income, that’s why you have to be at least at the beginning of starting a good life to enter the monastery.
3) A college education can help a monk in everday life. I recently visted St. Antony's Monastery and they were building gazebos, there was a priest who was directing the building of all the gazebos, and saying were everything is put and telling the carpenters how to build it. His engineering education helps him accomplish certain things. Another priest is into agriculture so he has plants and gardens and an entire irrigation system set up.
Besides that if God blesses a monk with honor of serving as a Bishop he definitely needs a college degree. Most Bishops have like 5 degrees, I know of one Bishop who is going for his like 3rd Masters degree currently and already has a PhD or something like that.
There are a couple more which I can’t remember right now.
But about age, someone mentioned age doesn't matter, your right! But lets get serious, can you compare yourself to some of these saints who became monks at such a young age? It all depends on the person. but remember that were all human, and that everyday we think of something new, Don’t people change careers and majors. Aspirations change as a person matures, thats why on the other hand age does matter, i think the appropriate age is in your late twenties thats when some should be working or close to it and should be on the verge of a good life thats when you sit down and asses yourself and look at what you should do.
BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER, TO ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO. IF SOME OF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, I HOPE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK ABOUT IT YOU PRAY ABOUT IT.
well, u hv to hv finished education adn then u can join at any age after finishing education.
btw, if you think about being a monk/nun try and practise it at home dont just say, oh when i grow up like fasting and matanias (worshiping), praying from the agpya {yes cos u'll hv to pray the 7 prayers at the monastery!!!} (omg :o)
and God protect us all from the devil and his evil. pray4me
Comments
I THINK YOU CAN START IN ANY AGE BECAUSE WHEN JESUS STARTED HE WAS NOT IN SPACIFIC AGE??????
I don't think u can start monaticism in any age if that's what u meant...I think u have to be mentally and spirtually mature in order to even think of monasticism, Jesus is God...which is different than any of us...ya we should follow Christ in what He did...but even jesus didn't start preaching and walk among the crowds until 33 or 31 (i am not really sure how long He began preaching and serving before the crucifixtion)...tht's despite the time He spent at the altar teaching when He was 12 and St. Mary and St. Joesph were looking for him. I mean ya...u could have been thinking about monasticism for a long time...but maybe u are gonna change ur mind later...that's why u have to be mentally and spirtualy mature to began anything that is going to affect u and change u for the rest of ur life..
God Bless,
Marianne
1) Not everyone who thinks they can be a monk can be one, many people are dismissed from the monastery for several reasons. You need something to fall back on.
2) I believe you are supposed to make some sort of sacrifice between you and God, i.e. you give up a good life, you should be working at the time of desire to leave. I know a friend who has thought about being a monk, but he won’t even consider it yet because he doesn't have much to give up, he wants to buy many expensive things, then comes the real test of whether or not to leave the world. Anyone can say I want to be monk if they don't have much but, if you have a good life and still leave then you’ve passed one of many tests.
A degree is just the beginning of a good life, it is the starting point of a good job and a good income, that’s why you have to be at least at the beginning of starting a good life to enter the monastery.
3) A college education can help a monk in everday life. I recently visted St. Antony's Monastery and they were building gazebos, there was a priest who was directing the building of all the gazebos, and saying were everything is put and telling the carpenters how to build it. His engineering education helps him accomplish certain things. Another priest is into agriculture so he has plants and gardens and an entire irrigation system set up.
Besides that if God blesses a monk with honor of serving as a Bishop he definitely needs a college degree. Most Bishops have like 5 degrees, I know of one Bishop who is going for his like 3rd Masters degree currently and already has a PhD or something like that.
There are a couple more which I can’t remember right now.
But about age, someone mentioned age doesn't matter, your right! But lets get serious, can you compare yourself to some of these saints who became monks at such a young age? It all depends on the person. but remember that were all human, and that everyday we think of something new, Don’t people change careers and majors. Aspirations change as a person matures, thats why on the other hand age does matter, i think the appropriate age is in your late twenties thats when some should be working or close to it and should be on the verge of a good life thats when you sit down and asses yourself and look at what you should do.
BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER, TO ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO.
IF SOME OF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, I HOPE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK ABOUT IT YOU PRAY ABOUT IT.
-mina
btw, if you think about being a monk/nun try and practise it at home dont just say, oh when i grow up like fasting and matanias (worshiping), praying from the agpya {yes cos u'll hv to pray the 7 prayers at the monastery!!!} (omg :o)
and God protect us all from the devil and his evil.
pray4me
GBU