Researching Orders

[3Kid]

Hi! I’m just starting to look into different vocations (I’m in college), and I’m really not sure where I’m called, but feel called to look into different religious orders, at least.

I have a lot of questions, but for now:

Do any of you know of any orders where it would be possible to be a research scientist?

I know that sounds kind of weird, but I’ve started working in research (in biology), and am interested in it, and am just wondering if that would be a possible field in religious life. I was trying to find orders involved in science, but most religious-scientists seem to be Jesuit, and there aren’t women Jesuits.

Thanks for any help or ideas.

 

[nunsuch]

You might begin by looking into women’s orders that sponsor colleges or universities. There have been sister-scientists on their faculties for over a century. Indeed sisters were some of the first women to earn doctorates in many disciplines, precisely because their communities needed qualified faculties.

 

[catholicscot]

There are actually women’s orders that base themselves on the same spirituality as the Jesuits. Check out the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary for example. You might be interested in their founders Mary Ward.

 

[3Kid]

Thank you both for your answers–I’ll look into them.

 

[DaughterOfMary6]

Hi! I’m just starting to look into different vocations (I’m in college), and I’m really not sure where I’m called, but feel called to look into different religious orders, at least.

I have a lot of questions, but for now:

Do any of you know of any orders where it would be possible to be a research scientist?

I know that sounds kind of weird, but I’ve started working in research (in biology), and am interested in it, and am just wondering if that would be a possible field in religious life. I was trying to find orders involved in science, but most religious-scientists seem to be Jesuit, and there aren’t women Jesuits.

Thanks for any help or ideas.

There are two professional Sister orders that I know of:

Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI

Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in Meriden, CT

In both of these communities, the Sisters work in a professional capacity, often earning Masters degrees and/or PhDs. There are even Medical Doctors in the RSMs. I discerned with RSMs, so if you have any questions, I could try to answer them.

 

[MPSchneiderLC]

I know a member of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi got her doctorate in physics recently. A large number of them work in schools but I don’t think there are too many other scientists. (Plus, it is consecrated lay life, not religious life.)