Becoming a Catholic nun is a long process that requires a strong desire to serve God and a lot of time to think about the decision. There are many different orders of nuns, and each has its own goals. Nuns are usually those who don't work outside of the convent, while sisters are those who do work outside of the convent but are not cloistered.
Since there are many orders, each person should choose the one that fits their ideas about how to serve God the best. Some women want to become nuns, so they can stop being in the public eye and quietly serve God. Some women want to do things to change the world. Some of the most well-known nuns are Mother Theresa, who died in 1997, and Sister Helen Prejean, who has worked tirelessly to eliminate the death penalty.
Some nuns teach in Catholic schools, while others work as nurses in Catholic hospitals. Almost all nuns take a vow of poverty, which means that any money they make goes toward running a convent or helping the order do its work.
To become a nun, you have to be Catholic, female, never married, and in your right mind. Nuns can be women who have been married before. Women who have been married before and are divorced can't become nuns unless the Catholic Church gives them a divorce or an annulment. For an annulment to be granted, they must show that the marriage was in some way not valid or that it was made under false pretenses.
A widow may decide to become a nun. Usually, a nun can only take vows once she has raised any children under the age of 18. This is because her vows come before taking care of her children.
Some nuns are religious scholars, and it may be necessary to have gone to college. One may need training in these areas if the order teaches children or takes care of people in hospitals. Some nuns also work as psychologists or doctors.
Women who want to become nuns are told to look into the different orders and spend some time in a convent while working in the outside world. Living in a convent can help a woman decide if she wants to serve God as a nun. Women who choose not to become nuns are not shamed because of their choice. Most orders are happy to have people who take their time to make a commitment that will change their lives.
After thinking about it, a woman who wants to become a sister may spend one to two years as a novice in a convent. After the woman's time as a novice is up, she can make short-term vows of chastity and poverty. At the end of the temporary vows, the person makes final and permanent vows and becomes a full member of the convent. Any woman can stop trying to become a sister at any time. When marriage vows are made, leaving is seen as the same as getting a divorce.
Some people still find it fulfilling to become nuns, but it's not as popular as it used to be. Some women feel like they are called to serve God as priests because of rising feminist concerns about the church. The Catholic Church doesn't allow this, and some women don't like serving God in what they see as a lower and unfair position. This is not true for all nuns or all women who think about becoming a sister. Being a nun is a spiritually rewarding job for many women who accept the calling, but for some, it's a barrier that reminds them of how women were treated when people thought they were heretics.
