What are the reasons for shortage of new Religious Sisters?

[NPC]

\LOL now I’m not suggesting billboards, “The Few, The Proud, The Nuns”\

**Why not? I think it’s a cool idea, myself!

Years ago there was a letter to the National Catholic Reporter answering this question. The writer asked, “What’s the purpose of going through a novitiate and making vows, and then living like a secular? You might as well BE a secular.”

So many sisters recently (though hardly most) have become “social workers that don’t date,” in the words of another observer.**

Well, I suppose at the end of the day, the only people who are accepted into religious life will be those who, in the opinion of their superior, are truly being called by God to that way of life. So, I don’t see that there would be anything wrong in openly advertising with the aim of getting people to at least think of the religious life…I think the main thing these days is actually getting people to open their hearts to the call to religious life - that is to say, God is probably calling just as many people to religious life as He was in the “boom” times, but the secular world does not encourage people to listen or be open to what God wants.

So, if an order wants to advertise, I’d say to go for it - getting people to think about it is the first step; God will take care of the rest - whatever the outcome is supposed to be…

BTW - “Social workers that don’t date”: that really sums it up! Like I’ve said before, if one can have essentially the same lifestyle outside the convent walls as they can inside, chances they’ll stay on the outside!

 

[turtle18]

BTW - “Social workers that don’t date”: that really sums it up! Like I’ve said before, if one can have essentially the same lifestyle outside the convent walls as they can inside, chances they’ll stay on the outside!

I think that hits the nail on the head. I have a friend who would make an excellent religious sister. When I asked her if she had ever thought about going into religous life, she responded, “why would I do that? I can devote my life to God and still have a family?” She is a DRE.

I asked a Carmelite sister what she thought the role of religious life in the Church was today and she responded prayer. The laity is so involved now with social justice issues that they have essentially replaced what used to be done by the religious sisters. Which is a shame because in most cases, the laity do not have the deep prayer life that religious sisters have. Yes, they may have a “vocation” to be married but few understand it as that.

In general, most Americans lack any sense of community whatsoever and you can see that in famlies as well. I think most American females today are to self-centered and self absorbed to adjust to community life. (Before I get flamed just want everyone to know I am a female.)

 

[peary]

I think that hits the nail on the head. I have a friend who would make an excellent religious sister. When I asked her if she had ever thought about going into religous life, she responded, “why would I do that? I can devote my life to God and still have a family?” She is a DRE.

I asked a Carmelite sister what she thought the role of religious life in the Church was today and she responded prayer. The laity is so involved now with social justice issues that they have essentially replaced what used to be done by the religious sisters. Which is a shame because in most cases, the laity do not have the deep prayer life that religious sisters have. Yes, they may have a “vocation” to be married but few understand it as that.

In general, most Americans lack any sense of community whatsoever and you can see that in famlies as well. I think most American females today are to self-centered and self absorbed to adjust to community life. (Before I get flamed just want everyone to know I am a female.)

My, my, my…are we an uppity European or what? The laity NEEDS to be involved with social justice issues because ALL social justice issues affect them. And what a terrible generalization you make on Catholic laity and lack of a prayer life! It may be true that many laity do not have what could be considered an active prayer life, but they nevertheless, for the most part, at least here in the Midwest, come to Mass. I disagree that most Americans lack any sense of community. Most people in the world lack any sense of community, for that matter. And yes, you need to get ‘flamed’!

 

[Cistercian]

Sister Helena,

In my opinion, I would say that Catholics overall seem to struggle with faith. I believe that part of the problem with the vocation crisis is a problem of faith. Perhaps you might find this useful:

As Catholics, our faith is composed of two parts:
1.) “*Seek *the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually!” - Psalm 105:4
2.) “*Remember *the wonderful works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.” - Psalm 105:5.

Over the last several decades, I would say that Catholics have been big on “experiencing God” or “seeking the face of God.” There is nothing wrong with this, but we must understand that there are really two aspects to our faith: seeking ***and ***remembering.

In my opinion, this “remembering” part has been very, very week among most Catholics. It should be remembered that when the great Mattathias was on his death bed, he called his sons to his side and said, “*Remember *the deeds performed by our ancestors…” (1 Maccabees. 2:51). This happens quite a lot in the Old Testament, where someone will recall all that God has done for Israel (Nehemiah 9:6-37, Ecclesiasticus 44-50) and even in the New Testament (Hebrews 11).

I think that remembering the past helps to give us identity and courage…two traits that are often lacking among Catholics today. If Catholics could learn about the Bible and the saints, for example, I think we would grow in faith. It is clear that the Fathers of the Church knew the Bible and the Lives of the Saints. In my opinion, St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life is a clear example of this, but how many Catholics read anything from the past?

As a new youth director, I clearly see this as a weakness among our youth. As Catholics we have not listened to wisdom, “Remove not the ancient landmarks which your fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28). Every age must seek, and every age must remember.

I should like to hear your thoughts about this. By the way, not everything is down and out. I am an atheist convert to the Catholic faith (baptized: Easter, 2007)…also…I converted while in college, which is apparently not the thing to do…I guess I missed the memo! Currently, I am a youth director (paying off some debt), but I am hoping to become a monk and priest at New Melleray Abbey in Iowa. Please pray for me! Know that the Little Flower is the one who looks over my priestly vocation!

 

[Sister_MM]

I’m the Formation Director for my community. I also have put in over 20 years in Catholic schools. Families, in general, are not nearly as strong as they used to be back when vocations were flourishing. Not only are these dysfunctional families not producing very many vocations, they are not even producing very many Catholics!
This is one of the main reasons for the shortage. Putting several factors together:

1. smaller families
2. weaker families
3. more materialism

As for retention - these are young women coming from families where materialism is rampant and committments are rare.

When discerning, look at the following:
Are they faithful to their own rule and consititutions?
Are they living actual poverty, chastity, and obedience?
Do they know how to make sacrifices?

There are some fairly affluent communities out there attracting a lot of young vocations. They put a veil on their heads right away and call them sisters, but they do not form them well. Therefore, you see a lot of turn over. There’s a core group of older sisters, very few middle aged sisters, and a constant influx of young sisters that make it into temporary vows for a year or two, then lose their way. You can’t run from the cross, though. We need to be “back to the basics.” People should be able to look at us and see evidence of our vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. If we are attracting vocations by riding around in limos and eating at the finest restaurants, we are going to have problems down the road.

We have to be committed to personal holiness. If we are faithful, the Lord will take care of the rest! He will help up to put together good, solid formation programs to help form these young women. When I think back on my own formation, I barely knew the basics of the Catholic faith (coming from public school.) My dear sisters had a lot of ground to cover with me! But, thanks be to God, they were stubborn and dedicated. They knew the meaning of hard work and sacrifice - not just for the apostolate, but in the work of personal holiness!

 

[JReducation]

I have to agree with Sister MM on the whole issue of sacrifice. Sister Helena, I recently saw you on TV, it was for a few minutes, but you spoke of what brought you and kept you. None of it had to do with the habit. Thank God. Otherwise I would have to say that you have lousy fashion sense, LOL. But back to what you and your sisters were saying. Every word that I heard pointed back to responding to a call of Love from Christ. This made perfect sense to me. I believe it was your superior who said that she first saw the sisters and the habit was the one thing that turned her off. He thought it was boring. I thought her comment was cute.

But what all of you spoke about was the same thing that Sister MM is saying. All of you spoke about courage to follow a call from Love to Love. If I were to narrow down why women enter a religious congregation and do not persevere, I would say that it has to do with Love.

Love is a very difficult thing in today’s world. Love as defined in the Gospel requires sacrifice, as you said in your TV interview and Sister MM has said here. Love in today’s world is romantic. It has nothing to do with sacrifice. Love in today’s world is contingent on romance. When the romance is gone from the relationship, the relationship can be terminated and replaced by another, hence the pattern: marriage, divorce and remarriage and the cycle can repeat itself several times. Today’s young people do not understand love as a choice. Their understanding is much more emotional.

It does not even involve the heart. Love today involves results. If the results are satisfactory and they do not require too much work, then it must be love. People who enter religious life today, must be educated on love.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ChemicalBean]

Sister Helena, since you’re playing Devil’s Advocate, I will too.

It has been suggested that many young women are not attracted to religious life because of weak family support, weak faith formation, more lifestyle choices, and materialism, and that many of those who are attracted to religious life are looking for the “perfect” congregation to “fall in love with” in a romantic sense (ie: habit, ministry, professed b&w adherence to magisterial doctrine). Perhaps it is safe to say that most young people could look at their deepest dream right in the face and never recognize it because they do not know what they are looking for: that which is ultimately best for them?

Could this phenomenon be equally true from the side of recruiting and retaining new members? I have heard many stories of gifted, passionate young people rejected from religious life by vocations/formations teams/directors because they didn’t meet certain nebulous “criteria.” Maybe they were attracted to traditional spiritual practices and were labeled “too rigid” when they were really just expressing their orthodoxy and love for God. Maybe they asked too many difficult, persistent questions about everything and were labeled “disobedient” when they were really just expressing their capacity and desire to learn, reflect, and experience metanoia. Maybe the very people that these communities and dioceses should be wanting were dismissed because these communities, relying too heavily on secular psychological tools and “professionalism training”, were looking for a “perfect” candidate. Would it also safe to say that many communities who are struggling to recruit and retain new members also do not know what they are looking for: that which will be ultimately best for them?

 

[Sister_Helena]

I have to agree with Sister MM on the whole issue of sacrifice. Sister Helena, I recently saw you on TV, it was for a few minutes, but you spoke of what brought you and kept you. None of it had to do with the habit. Thank God. Otherwise I would have to say that you have lousy fashion sense, LOL. But back to what you and your sisters were saying. Every word that I heard pointed back to responding to a call of Love from Christ. This made perfect sense to me. I believe it was your superior who said that she first saw the sisters and the habit was the one thing that turned her off. He thought it was boring. I thought her comment was cute.

But what all of you spoke about was the same thing that Sister MM is saying. All of you spoke about courage to follow a call from Love to Love. If I were to narrow down why women enter a religious congregation and do not persevere, I would say that it has to do with Love.

Love is a very difficult thing in today’s world. Love as defined in the Gospel requires sacrifice, as you said in your TV interview and Sister MM has said here. Love in today’s world is romantic. It has nothing to do with sacrifice. Love in today’s world is contingent on romance. When the romance is gone from the relationship, the relationship can be terminated and replaced by another, hence the pattern: marriage, divorce and remarriage and the cycle can repeat itself several times. Today’s young people do not understand love as a choice. Their understanding is much more emotional.

It does not even involve the heart. Love today involves results. If the results are satisfactory and they do not require too much work, then it must be love. People who enter religious life today, must be educated on love.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

That interview was part of our DVD that I posted on you tube and can also be found on our website. the issue of the habit was not really an issue with many of the Sisters in the interviews. But the habit with most of the Carmelites really goes beyond the witness aspect although it is that. The habit of Carmel for a Carmelite has a sacramental devotion attached to it because we associate the habit with Mary’s Habit (the brown scapular) even though historically it did not start off that way. even though it was not explicitly mentioned , our Sisters feel passionately about our Carmelite habit. When I was discerning, I was particularly looking for a community which wore the Carmelite habit. But I agree with the statements that religious habit will not make one stay in religious life. It is the grace of God which supports one’s efforts to give back the love that was first given to us. It is the same love which allows one to embrace sacrifices which come our way. Religious life is not embraced for the sake of making sacrifices. That would make it almost masochistic. But the sacrifices that are part of following God are freely embraced because one loves. When love is firm and strong, we attempt to find a reason for staying. When love is weak, we make up reasons for leaving. Every little obstacle which challenges us is seen as a sign that 'I do not have a vocation." Love and sacrifice definitely go together.

And yet, love is not perfect in the beginning. God draws us according to our tastes and inclinations. Our younger generation is a very visual generation, and interestingly enough, sticklers for orthodoxy. I think that is because we are now living in a world where it is so pluralistic that the truths about life, relationships and faith are water-washed or completely obliterated. There is a hunger for what is true, noble and pure.

 

[redrosetea]

There is no shortage in the convent near me…It has grown and grown and they are refusing new postulants because they have run out of room

These are beautiful young women on fire for God…I heard one of them sweetly say she didn’t want to own anything because she wanted Christ to be her only treasure

They are Dominicans and wear the habit with pride…It is a joy to see them around town

 

[JReducation]

There is no shortage in the convent near me…It has grown and grown and they are refusing new postulants because they have run out of room

These are beautiful young women on fire for God…I heard one of them sweetly say she didn’t want to own anything because she wanted Christ to be her only treasure

They are Dominicans and wear the habit with pride…It is a joy to see them around town

There are mahy communities of men and women who thrive. I don’t think it’s all the habit. If we rmember, when Mother Teresa left the Sisterso f Loretto the first thing that she did was to put aside the Religious Habit. the Sair was not reconized as a hbit. She wore a simple tiny cross on her shoulder. Durign the fist year she word solid write and later adopeted the blue stripes.

When she founded her Missionary Brothers of Charity and her missionary Fathers of Charity they were fobidden to wear habits. They never have to thid day. But in their areas of massion,they are well know as is their foundress. It is her foundress that attracts men to share their call. Mother Elizabeth Seton also attracted followers by her fiery spirit, not a habit. She had none. The babits developed long after the community. But the magnetic personality of the founder or foundress was there before teh community. This attraced the new members. Before I became a Franciscan Brother of Life I was a Capuchin Franciscan Friar. The habit did nothing for me. But he charism of the founder just blew me away.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[redrosetea]

There are mahy communities of men and women who thrive. I don’t think it’s all the habit. If we rmember, when Mother Teresa left the Sisterso f Loretto the first thing that she did was to put aside the Religious Habit. the Sair was not reconized as a hbit. She wore a simple tiny cross on her shoulder. Durign the fist year she word solid write and later adopeted the blue stripes.

When she founded her Missionary Brothers of Charity and her missionary Fathers of Charity they were fobidden to wear habits. They never have to thid day. But in their areas of massion,they are well know as is their foundress. It is her foundress that attracts men to share their call. Mother Elizabeth Seton also attracted followers by her fiery spirit, not a habit. She had none. The babits developed long after the community. But the magnetic personality of the founder or foundress was there before teh community. This attraced the new members. Before I became a Franciscan Brother of Life I was a Capuchin Franciscan Friar. The habit did nothing for me. But he charism of the founder just blew me away.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

I don’t think it is all the habit by any means…However Fr Groeschel has said something intersting more than once

Orders wearing the habit seems to experience growth…The Ann Arbor Dominicans started 10 years ago with 2 sisters, they now have 100

They also have lots of land…

I just bought some Mystic Monk Coffee for our priest for Christmas…This order is also thriving and they are Carmelites and seem to be a thriving new community

I hope the springtime of the church might have started…I heard Fr Groeschel and Bishop Dolan saying they were cautiously optimistic this was the case on Sunday Night Live

 

[JReducation]

I don’t think it is all the habit by any means…However Fr Groeschel has said something intersting more than once

Orders wearing the habit seems to experience growth…The Ann Arbor Dominicans started 10 years ago with 2 sisters, they now have 100

They also have lots of land…

I just bought some Mystic Monk Coffee for our priest for Christmas…This order is also thriving and they are Carmelites and seem to be a thriving new community

I hope the springtime of the church might have started…I heard Fr Groeschel and Bishop Dolan saying they were cautiously optimistic this was the case on Sunday Night Live

Heck the Franciscan Brothers of Life announced a week ago that we are looking for a few good men. We’ve already had three inquiry letters and one looks very intersting.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

Make no mistake about it. The habit helps. In addition, you must have something on which to hang up the habit. Young people today are looking for the very things that the Baby Boomers threw out:

1. The common life
2. Prayer
3. Shared vision and mission
4. Discipline
5. Asceticism
6. Obedience
7. Poverty
8. Service to the vulnerable and poor (notice that the fastest growing communities are these)
9. Fidelity to the Church’s teachings
10. Distance from the conflicts of the world and of the Church
11. Manual labor
12. Contemplation
13. Freedom from roles (You enter the convent to be a nun, not a nurse).
14. Union with God
15. A religious tradition

These are just the tip of the iceberg

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[redrosetea]

Make no mistake about it. The habit helps. In addition, you must have something on which to hang up the habit. Young people today are looking for the very things that the Baby Boomers threw out:

1. The common life
2. Prayer
3. Shared vision and mission
4. Discipline
5. Asceticism
6. Obedience
7. Poverty
8. Service to the vulnerable and poor (notice that the fastest growing communities are these)
9. Fidelity to the Church’s teachings
10. Distance from the conflicts of the world and of the Church
11. Manual labor
12. Contemplation
13. Freedom from roles (You enter the convent to be a nun, not a nurse).
14. Union with God
15. A religious tradition

These are just the tip of the iceberg

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

One thing you didn’t mention is this is the JPII generation…I think the seeds of love and piety he planted are starting to sprout, and Pope Benedict seems to be watering them

The student chapel I am attending has had 4 young men enter the seminary in the last 2 years…pretty impressive huh?

 

[Sister_Helena]

I think our brother JR really captured many of the reasons why we have a shortage. Though it may sound to be better to create a new thread, I think it won’t be "out of thread’ if we start talking about “what steps can we take to reverse the trend of shortage?”

 

[redrosetea]

If you will allow a gabby old girl to give an opinion…I think World Youth Day has been a great gift to our church

 

[JReducation]

If you will allow a gabby old girl to give an opinion…I think World Youth Day has been a great gift to our church

I believe that WJDs have exposed younger people to the Church, liturgy and to the spiritual life. This is a good thing. That being said, we have a right wing conservatism creeping up in the Church who has made it its job to bash world youth days as Catholic rock concerts and nothing more. This is an unfortunate assessment of the situation. These people are getting an audience among the young. Instead of feeding the excitement that the young are beginning to feel for Catholicism, this group is pouring water on the flame of spiritual enthusiasm. I can’t understand, for the life of me, why people want to do this.

I understand that many of these people are struggling for a return to traditional ways of celebrating the mass, the traditional ways in which the papacy engaged in ministry and pastoral care, traditional music and devotions and more traditions. The search for tradition is not a bad thing. But we must also recognize that the Holy Spirit is not bound by our rules.

Sister asks a good question. “What can we do?” I think that the first thing that we can do is to quiet down the negative rhetoric. Even if I don’t appreciate World Youth Day or Youth Congresses, etc, I should see the possible gains for the religious life and support them. Afterall, isn’t that what we want in the end? Don’t we want to see our youth respond to Christ’s call? Or must they answer to a call that is made on our terms and they answer on our term? We need to show the world that there are different ways of being called and responding. Marketing the effects of something like World Youth Days and a person like John Paul II is important to quiet the voices of disbelievers.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[turtle18]

If you want to be frank about, the overall state of the Catholic Church today is not going to produce a lot of religious sisters. The vast majority of Catholics don’t know their faith or even attempt to follow it. On just sheer numbers alone, if 90% of Catholics were faithful, you would probably have a lot higher number of vocations.

 

[redrosetea]

Our church does something quite wonderful, at least I think it is…Every Tues after the 12;15 mass the college kids have lunch with our priest who is a PIME…

People like me buy the food and prepare it…I am doing this Tues agape lunch…I have made booklets for the kids about the feast of the Immaculate Conception…I am going to decorate the table with pine boughts and pine cones and candles

The kids will get beef ravioli and salad and rolls, with Christmas cookies for desert…and what is most important one on one time with Fr

This chapel has a dynamic youth ministry, there is something going on all the time and the amount of kids attending daily mass is impressive

 

[JReducation]

If you want to be frank about, the overall state of the Catholic Church today is not going to produce a lot of religious sisters. The vast majority of Catholics don’t know their faith or even attempt to follow it. On just sheer numbers alone, if 90% of Catholics were faithful, you would probably have a lot higher number of vocations.

That’s part of the problem. The other part is the fact that we (the faithful) do very little to promote religious life. If the young are exposed to constant criticism of the Church, from their elders, they are not going to be inspired to look at religious life with a sense of awe… Where I’ve worked, we have a nice flow of novices. However, the faithful in those places dearly love teh brothers are very supportive of our life and work. Most of our novices come from families who have direct contact with us.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF