Is there an age where you get told "sorry ,you cant join" for sacramental orders? I very often feel I want to enter a religious Order (specifically the divine verb missionaries) or a monastic order, but right now I have to finish studying, do courses, investments and managements. It will take a lot of years + stuff I want to do that requires years of time (courses and trainings in hiking, adventure tourism guide etc) if for example Im ready at 40 years old, can I do it by then? Im already trying to go to mass more than on sundays and started reading spiritual books and practicing mini-penances.
There are orders and dioceses who take "late" vocations here in the US. Not sure about other countries.
I was just listening this morning to a programme from Rome about a Belgian multi millionaire who is a Deacon and is due to be ordained in June. He mentioned that the oldest student at his Seminary is 68 years old which is amazing. It's a case of horses for courses ,some will let them in in younger or older than others. I would say for someone in their 40's they'd be good to go just about anywhere. But don't make any decisions yourself. Let God make them for you. It's just a matter of listening.
When my husband left, I realized that my original calling my whole life was to be a religious, which I had run away from. Everything it seemed was pulling me into the Carmelite Order. BUT I was sacramentally married of course and not able to so joined a 3rd Order. But they did say that had I been single with no other professed vocation I could have probably found a cloister that would have accepted me as a noviate and I was 34. So maybe schedule a visit to some of them where you feel called to, and go from there. Another thing you could do is join a 3rd Order or Secular Order and see how that goes. I love mine, the Rule is wonderful and really gives me a spiritual guidance and order to my prayer life.
https://archive.org/details/TheReligiousState/page/n11/mode/1up For better discernment, St. Alphonsus Liguori's "The Religious State" receives my highest recommendation if you're even only somewhat serious about discerning a call to the priesthood/religious life. His counsels and practical advice are pure gold. It's a short read too and broken up in short and manageable sections. I wish I had known about this little book when I was in the diocesan seminary but thankfully God has steered me to where He wants me to go. To answer your question, I had fellow seminarians who were in their 60's and many in their 40's. The one who was 64 had been married and even presided over his daughter's wedding as a deacon. Many monastic orders do not allow anyone interested in the priesthood to be over 40 years old (others are more strict like the Carmelites in Wyoming you mentioned, 30 years is their max).
I have read that book, but thanks!and also ,by the same author, "dignities and duties of the priest" for now, I still live "in the world". ill just try to say rosary, attend mass, give alms. I consider I have a social duty towards family, my city,etc given that I can help a lot
