Are people still allowed to retire to Monastic Life?

GoingByzantine

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I know that it has long been a Christian practice to spend ones final years in a monastic setting, praying and getting ready to meet God, but I can find scant evidence that this practice continues into the modern day. I think I have even read somewhere (forgive me, I cannot remember where) that some monasteries have a age limit set on who can join them.

Therefore, my question is straightforward, can and do people still retire to monastic life?
 

~Anastasia~

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People do, but I think a major issue is that the monasteries take care of their own, and an old person in frail health will be nothing but a financial drain since they can't contribute work-wise and will likely have health care costs. So monasteries have to consider that too.

I can't speak for what percentage decide how, but age limits are common from what I've seen.

There may be the option of living at the monastery, joining in prayers, Church, etc. but not actually coming under their complete responsibility for a person. I've seen that done, but I can't say how common it is either. The person is not tonsured in that case.

I'm curious to hear the answer. Though if I live to be old, I hope to live with my daughter but near a Church, or better yet, monastery. I can dream anyway. ;)
 
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Unveiled Artist

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I know that it has long been a Christian practice to spend ones final years in a monastic setting, praying and getting ready to meet God, but I can find scant evidence that this practice continues into the modern day. I think I have even read somewhere (forgive me, I cannot remember where) that some monasteries have a age limit set on who can join them.

Therefore, my question is straightforward, can and do people still retire to monastic life?

At our diocese is at age 75 in Virginia. It is probably the same in Virginia.
 
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GoingByzantine

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If I were to make it to old age, I am of the opinion that I would rather be at a monastery than a nursing home...but if I were to be a burden, that would be a problem too, so I can see both sides of it. :)
 
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~Anastasia~

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If I were to make it to old age, I am of the opinion that I would rather be at a monastery than a nursing home...but if I were to be a burden, that would be a problem too, so I can see both sides of it. :)

I'd definitely take a monastery over a nursing home, given a choice. And if my daughter's children (if she has any) we're grown, I'd probably prefer a monastery in that case too. I just don't know if I'd ever get that chance. But it would certainly be wonderful to be able to do.
 
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Unveiled Artist

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Hello, and welcome to TAW! :)

Thanks! I just realize the thread is othorodox. In RC here its 75. Dont know of others. Id think of it as life long devotion to christ and one of a few sacraments one can take as lifelong. Only from my outside experience.

Edit.... cute sig icon by the way
 
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~Anastasia~

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Thanks! I just realize the thread is othorodox. In RC here its 75. Dont know of others. Id think of it as life long devotion to christ and one of a few sacraments one can take as lifelong. Only from my outside experience.

Edit.... cute sig icon by the way
Thanks. :) I had a much clumsier one but one of our Traditional Theology members made me a clean one ... in several colors. :)
 
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