The religious orders that are growing so fast that they are running out of room. One of a leading Catholic newspaper's top 10 stories of the year

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That’s very interesting. I think it would be interesting to see what these orders do that seem to grow and stay strong while other orders fade away. I know in the case of the order founded by St. Katherine Drexel, it was primarily directed towards educating and helping African-American and Native American children at a time when social welfare resources weren’t as available through the state. Nowadays there is less need for that in the USA and the order has mostly shifted its work to other countries where there a lot of poor minority people needing help. They also didn’t need the big property outside Philadelphia any more which was likely a tax burden too because it’s in a well-off area.
 
The article speaks to some great total numbers, but it doesn’t actually talk about growth as the title suggests. I’d be interested in seeing how many sisters have joined the orders/congregations in the last 10-20 years. I think it may be, in part, painting a false picture.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
The article speaks to some great total numbers, but it doesn’t actually talk about growth as the title suggests. I’d be interested in seeing how many sisters have joined the orders/congregations in the last 10-20 years. I think it may be, in part, painting a false picture.
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The article mentions that the Dominican Sisters of Mary have an average age in their upper 20s. If that’s the case then it’s pretty clear that a lot of sisters have joined in the past 10-20 years.

Why would you assume the Catholic Herald is painting a misleading picture? It doesn’t have a reputation for doing such things to my knowledge.

Edited to add, this NPR article from 2010 also mentioned the Nashville Dominicans as having a boom back then and that their average age at that time was 36, four decades younger than the average age of sisters generally.

 
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Thanks for pointing out the part I missed; I wasn’t trying to assume anything. The article was basically titled “religious orders growing so fast their out of room” but didn’t really demonstrate that in any way.

I think the point of the text is wonderful! Any and all thriving congregations should be celebrated.

I’m just saying that they’re drawing conclusions in the final paragraph and attempting to link it to the title, but their own article doesn’t bear that out with any substantial proofs. I’ve seen other reports and numbers that counter their causality claims. The orders that are thriving are doing so, in my opinion, because of their unique charism and efforts - not some formula that any group could copy without fail. (That’s how the article seemed to conclude - do x, y, and z, and your order “booms”.)
 
I do think there’s something to the argument that traditional habits (even if modified to be street length dress with a veil) and living in community get more interest from young people these days. Most of the young people I meet nowadays who are discerning vocations tend to be into traditional practice. The more modern types are not seeking so much to join religious orders as to join some sort of lay apostolate or ministry group.
 
This is such marvelous news … so glad I happened upon it … thank you for posting it.
 
Maybe it’s just me. But I’m of the opinion that those cloistered contemplative nuns, who spend their whole lives within the walls of a monastery, with many, many hours in deep prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, could very well be the glue that holds the Church together in these very troubling times we find ourselves in. May God Bless these holy women!
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I do think there’s something to the argument that traditional habits (even if modified to be street length dress with a veil) and living in community get more interest from young people these days. Most of the young people I meet nowadays who are discerning vocations tend to be into traditional practice.
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This. IMHO it’s attributable to a desire for a sense of identity fostered by things like a clearly defined charism, community life and a distinctive habit. These things are however absent amongst some of the orders I’ve regularly encountered and so it’s not surprising that they’re declining given they’re not offering what young people want.
 
I think for many reasons the habit is important. My children (age range: late teens to early 20s) think they’ve never seen a religious sister (or brother). They probably have but they wouldn’t have been in a habit. A habit makes them instantly recognisable, reminds people they exist and I believe may help foster vocations.
 
The only problem with the habit is that many are outdated, especially for male religious. When I was a Friar I wanted to wear the brown Dickies work shirt and pants. The robe was showy and in the way, even a safety hazard for some work.
 
Shakuhachi said:
The only problem with the habit is that many are outdated
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In what way outdated?
Shakuhachi said:
The robe was showy
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What does that mean?
Shakuhachi said:
even a safety hazard for some work.
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I do not think anyone would propose religious wear a habit when doing so would expose them to danger. Either appropriate protective equipment is worn, a modified form of the habit should be used or entirely different and appropriate clothing is worn for such work.
 
Shakuhachi said:
The only problem with the habit is that many are outdated, especially for male religious.
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It’s not the particular form of the habit that’s the issue, I think.

The habit is a distinctly visible outward sign of that person’s vocation and commitment.

An abbreviated headpiece for women, or a large stylized rosary for men (or women), or whatever would likely serve the same purpose as the full habit.
 
It will be wonderful to see the nuns back teaching in Catholic schools. Fresh and uninstitutionalised. Now that the flaws and scandals have been exposed and we can continue to do penance for those failures, we can start afresh in a new and open way. The young nuns that I’ve come across lately give me great hope for the future.
 
I know a community in which the monks wear habits unless they are doing construction or other hazardous work, then it is Dickies overalls with a neon t-shirt or sweatshirt (again for safety). But they love their habit, and they wouldn’t give it up.
 
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