I just wondered if theres such a thing outside of catholicsm as you do need to be single to be a nun or monk but at from what I know there is no special housing provision for celibate christian singles who are not lcatholics like the catholics have with their convents and monasteries.
Some traditions have them but there are far fewer of them. Religious orders (a formal term referring to monks and nuns) tend to be most common in Catholicism, but like
@TX_Matt said, there are some communities in Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism and Lutheranism.
As far as monasticism being practiced in other branches of Protestantism, not so much. There are, however, other religions that practice it like Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, some sects of Judaism and even Islam.
Also, within Catholicism one doesn't necessarily have to take on the monastic life in order to embrace some of the principles that a particular order focuses on. For example, I know this extraordinary woman who is a Third Order Carmelite, which is meant for lay people. Carmelites are very prayer focused and this friend of mine prays like nobody I've ever seen, it's definitely a gift.
Here's more info about it in the Carmelite context, I'm not sure if other orders offer the same thing but maybe
@Rhamiel can clear that up?
To me if someone want to stay single and focus on God, just do it. There is no need to announce to the world or take a vow. You are staying single for God and not the world. So why does the world even need to know. If you are showing off, isn't this part of your sinful nature?
I don't believe there is a need to "decide" to not marry. If you are single, God wants you to be single right now. If you do find someone eventually, God brought that someone to you. Do not try to guess or predict God's will for you in the future. Instead work with what you have today out of love for God and others.
If you want to stay single for God, then you should be lovingly serving others and bringing the Gospel to non-believers. Reading the bible all day isn't doing much for God. Knowledge is important, but if that knowledge doesn't (or never) transforms you to love God and others it is useless. You cannot possibly love God if you do not love all others. (1 John 4:18-20)
A Christian can build a God centered loving family. This also builds God's kingdom.
You make it sound like they're standing on the rooftops declaring their celibacy, they're not, and the monastic life involves much more than simply living celibate. There are plenty of laity who live the celibate life. They don't join a monastery or a convent because they don't want to marry, they join a monastic community because they want to embrace the entire lifestyle of that particular order, and sometimes the 'outside world' isn't conducive to that end.
