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plato3
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What’s the problem with young people and religious vocations today? Even this thread, which discusses vocations, moves very slowly with fewer views than the other threads.
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Miserys_Fence
Guest
I think that in this day and age, young people aren’t interested in a life without marriage. I certainly wasn’t, when I was a teenager/young adult.
The problem as I see it–at least with convents/religious orders for women–is that they generally have a cut-off age. I would LOVE to become a Sister, am praying very hard for it, but very few orders will accept women over 40–much less the 55-ish that I’ll be when I’m ready to go.
So they set their sights on giggling young girls, who don’t want to give up marriage/sex/babies/clothes/cell phones/exciting careers, and overlook those of us who’ve gotten all that out of our systems and are mature, settled, and understand exactly what we’re giving up–and still eager to do so.
Miz
The problem as I see it–at least with convents/religious orders for women–is that they generally have a cut-off age. I would LOVE to become a Sister, am praying very hard for it, but very few orders will accept women over 40–much less the 55-ish that I’ll be when I’m ready to go.
So they set their sights on giggling young girls, who don’t want to give up marriage/sex/babies/clothes/cell phones/exciting careers, and overlook those of us who’ve gotten all that out of our systems and are mature, settled, and understand exactly what we’re giving up–and still eager to do so.
Miz
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barb_finnegan
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I agree with you, Misery…there are not many Orders that will accept the ‘over 35ers’…especially the more ‘traditional’ ones.
The only ones that do are the liberal ones because they’re hurting for vocations-and I a’int touching them with a ten-foot pole!
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mahalia
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The problem is - before, families used to be the springs of vocations. Nowadays the instutution of family is less appreciated, people have less children, not to mention that family prayer life is poor.What’s the problem with young people and religious vocations today? Even this thread, which discusses vocations, moves very slowly with fewer views than the other threads.
I don’t think the problem is in the older vocations - religious life shouldn’t serve as a spiritual shelter for people who lived in the world for half a century. Vocation discernment should primarily be done in the younger years, as it is now - because formation itself is much easier when people are young, healthy, eager to learn, ready to give their best years to the Church. I think that, with the renewal of true catholic families, we will have a renewal of vocations.
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jimcav
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There are so many problems it’s hard to know where to start.
The first obvious problem I see is there are less parents going to Church, which means that less children are going to Church. No brainer that that will really hurt vocations. These same parents don’t even talk or expose their children to Faith, God or the Bible, so how would a child ever know that he has a calling?
Second is how society looks at success. Many would deem a young man or woman as a failure if they went into religous life. It’s all about college, money, fame and stardom. It’s all about instant gratification. We are a sick society.
Third is the problem of family. Divorce is way to high and the number of children families are having is way to low. The baby boomers were a huge generation, where the parents were proud that one or two of there 5 or 6 sons became priests. That is no longer the case where a family only has 1 or 2 sons.
There are certainly more problems, but IMHO, those are the biggest hurdles…
The first obvious problem I see is there are less parents going to Church, which means that less children are going to Church. No brainer that that will really hurt vocations. These same parents don’t even talk or expose their children to Faith, God or the Bible, so how would a child ever know that he has a calling?
Second is how society looks at success. Many would deem a young man or woman as a failure if they went into religous life. It’s all about college, money, fame and stardom. It’s all about instant gratification. We are a sick society.
Third is the problem of family. Divorce is way to high and the number of children families are having is way to low. The baby boomers were a huge generation, where the parents were proud that one or two of there 5 or 6 sons became priests. That is no longer the case where a family only has 1 or 2 sons.
There are certainly more problems, but IMHO, those are the biggest hurdles…
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Sancta_Rosa
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Um… I don’t know if I entirely agree with the ‘spiritual shelter’ theory of religious life for those of us who’ve passed our 50th birthday by. I know when I was still working in the Mental Health Service and studying Psychology & etc as a 40 something I found that depth of life experience was a very valuable thing to have when it came to understanding what one was reading and studying. One or two of the younger health professionals on our team confirmed this for me when they told me that when they were studying what I was studying back in their young university days they didn’t really have a clue what any of it really meant in real world terms.
I know I’m awfully pleased I brought my two now adult grown up children into the world even though I have to admit that marriage for me was a total disaster. Sometimes faith journeys plain just don’t work out nice and tidily so that formation into religious life happens while we still have the bloom of youth on us. I can imagine that some orders might want the young and healthy so they don’t get stuck with the medical care of the holy but infirm before they can get some work out of them. Cynical I know, but I’m sure that it has more than a grain of truth in it.
The answer for us older ones is to gather ourselves together into our own small communities in our own parishes where age limits/marriage/widowhood/infirmity isn’t a problem, but now I’m wandering right away from the topic altogether and I apologise for that.
I know I’m awfully pleased I brought my two now adult grown up children into the world even though I have to admit that marriage for me was a total disaster. Sometimes faith journeys plain just don’t work out nice and tidily so that formation into religious life happens while we still have the bloom of youth on us. I can imagine that some orders might want the young and healthy so they don’t get stuck with the medical care of the holy but infirm before they can get some work out of them. Cynical I know, but I’m sure that it has more than a grain of truth in it.
The answer for us older ones is to gather ourselves together into our own small communities in our own parishes where age limits/marriage/widowhood/infirmity isn’t a problem, but now I’m wandering right away from the topic altogether and I apologise for that.
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kib
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I think part of the problem is that religious education has been so watered down that many young people haven’t fully encountered Christ. I don’t want to devote my entire life to the Jesus Christ I was shown during my 11 years of CCD classes- that “Jesus” is a dry, stale, boring wimp. By the grace of God, I found Jesus Christ and His vibrant universal church while in college.
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LARSCOUT0311
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I think aot of the problem has to do with modern lifestyles. We are no longer in an era of extended families and for the most part there are many who only know one of their parents. The world is fast paced and alot of people want things now…and don’t want to work for it or put any time or effort into it. A religious vocation takes time and dedication. We are also currently in a world where communication is no longer face to face and alot of people prefer it that way…as a religious you are coming into contact with people all the time and have to show compassion. Unfortunately, the world has changed for the worse and its more difficult to get younger people interested in religious vocations.
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anode
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Many of the ‘updated’ orders accept older vocations and many of them are structured: they have daily Mass, divine office, live in community, especially the Benedictine orders. I think many will accept a modified habit as the older sisters often wear them-(in order to wear a habit decently, it’s best not to have to make it yourself). The attitudes regarding these orders are stereotyped. If you are really interested in religious life, you should consider them. I, for one, would think it to be very difficult for a ‘mature’ woman to war a full habit, after a lifetime of not wearing one.
Miz
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anode
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There are many fine opportunities to work within and for the church without entering religious life.
In reading obituaries of religious, especially women, it’s hard to ignore the fact that many of them were born into LARGE families in a fairly rural location without any realistic opportunity to enter a college or a profession. Religious life offered them that opportunity. For most, this situation no longer exists today; there are abundant opportunities for a professional career and higher learning, in addition to serving the church outside of religious life.
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turtle18
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That is an agist and incredibly ignorant thing to say. The best years of my life are right now in my late thirties. I was profoundly miserable in my twenties and looking at the world today, I would tend to think many have the same miserable experiences in their twenties. You might look more “attractive” and you might be physically “healthier” but they are far from the “best” years of most people’e lifes. God can call anyone at any age and at any point of their lives. What about all the young women who enter, leave and then go on to raise families?
Now the other issue, which several posters have already mentioned, most children don’t go to Church or religious education enough to even comprehend a vocation. Most couples who end up getting married don’t understand that marriage is a sacrament and what it represents–sad but true most marriage classes are full of psychology and no spritituality. So if you don’t understand the sacrament of marriage, you certainly aren’t going to understand consecrated life or Holy Orders.
Now America is a very capitalistic, individualistic and materialistic society. Don’t get me wrong, I love the United States but these values are pushed to excess and when pushed to excess, they become wrong, even sinful. But that is not the type of society that tends to produce people who are willing to take a vow of poverty. If you look at vocations from Third World countries, they don’t have a problem because those people are used to living in poverty.
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DaughterOfMary6
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I was never introduced to a religious vocation in my childhood. I only knew what a priest was, and I discovered what a lay brother was as well when my former parish hired a religious brother to be in charge of religious formation. Even he did not expound on vocations during Confirmation classes. I ended up leaving the Church on a hiatus for a while because I didn’t understand the faith and I did a lot of “soul searching” to find the the denomination that was right for me. This included a lot of research in other faiths. It turned out that Catholicism was the right one for me, but I didn’t discover religious vocations until I attended a retreat with religious. My mom never talked to me about the possibility of a “vocation” because she didn’t even know what a vocation was (and she was born and raised Catholic as well). I think it has a lot to do with Catechism which is very poor these days, low family rates, and the constant pressure of outside influences saying that you must earn a whole lot of money and have a big family to be truly happy. After discussing my discernment with some family members, I’ve had some even try to talk me out of it! 
Two of my aunts said they couldn’t picture me as a religious Sister.
The good thing is that a lot of religious communities are reforming their age limits (so I’ve heard) and understand that a call to religious life is lifelong and doesn’t end when you are 30, 40, or 50 (or above).
Two of my aunts said they couldn’t picture me as a religious Sister. The good thing is that a lot of religious communities are reforming their age limits (so I’ve heard) and understand that a call to religious life is lifelong and doesn’t end when you are 30, 40, or 50 (or above).
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Deirdra
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In my opinion, a lot of us young people, say teens to young adult, care more about things other than religion. Some boys work themselves off to achieve a scholarship in football for college, and become big linebackers or quarterbacks in the sport afterwards. Girls would rather go out with boys and marry, or go to Harvard to become great lawyers. But the biggest reason all of this is happening is because of lack of family bonding; very few families don’t pray together, eat together, read the Bible together, recite the Rosary together, or even go to church together. It’s very sad, even more when religious education is not available for everyone sometimes. BUT, when the Catholic religion and families come together, more vocations will be revealed more clearly - everyone has a vocation, we just don’t see it all the time.What’s the problem with young people and religious vocations today? Even this thread, which discusses vocations, moves very slowly with fewer views than the other threads.
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KCT
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In addition to some of what has been said, I think young people are not taught to pray. If they don’t know how to pray, how will they hear His call?
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jimcav
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Well, I think we all proved the OP of this thread wrong, because he certainly got alot of responses and views in a short amount of time on one of the quieter forums here at CAF, yet he himself hasn’t returned yet or given us any of his feedback?What’s the problem with young people and religious vocations today? Even this thread, which discusses vocations, moves very slowly with fewer views than the other threads.
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rush176
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The biggest problem with getting enough vocations is the high divorce rate among Catholics and subsequent breakdown of the family. When “the Catholic family” is no different than any other family and where they don’t live the faith but instead buys into the secular lifestyle vocations will continue to go down. If Catholics lived their faith (family prayer, regular mass attendance, regular confession attendance, no divorce ever) - vocations would flourish
I also believe, like Father Corapi, that there would be no abortion (among other problems) in this country if Catholics lived their faith.
I also believe, like Father Corapi, that there would be no abortion (among other problems) in this country if Catholics lived their faith.
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JJHIII
Guest
I am a 17 year old boy who is currently living in a Protestant home. My plans are to become Catholic when I can. May God have mercy when I tell my parents 
Just some thoughts
-JJ
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I am a stickler when it comes to a more traditional and reverent worship. I've been many times with my grand parents to a conservative Vatican II Church and have no problem with it. But I think that people mis understood Vatican II thinking that they had to "do less" to be Catholic. Now, as has been posted above, family prayer life, Holy Days, and religion in general has taken a backseat. This needs to change.
Also, the fact that there are girl servers I believe has an effect. The whole point of having servers is to inspire the idea of becoming a Priest in boy's minds. I have nothing against females leading singing or reading scripture in the Mass, but they shouldn't be servers.-JJ
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JimG
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It may very well be that the real vocations crisis is in the vocation of marriage. When marriage no longer means permanent commitment, when children are the detritus of broken families, vocations to the priesthood and religious life also suffer as an inevitable result.
Solve the vocations crisis of marriage, and priestly vocations crisis will take care of itself. Priestly vocations are the fruit of happy and committed marriages.
The priesthood is not inherited. Each generation draws its own priests from the families it has formed.
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hxcCatholic413
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Well I have a few ideas about why the Church isn’t attracting many vocations. I think that the problem could be solved if more young Catholics attended a Catholic school from a very young age. There was a time when every parish had a school, the education was free. Today it is around $8,000 a year. If there was a way to have free education or a very low tuition more Catholics would know their faith. In return vocations would sky rocket.
My experiences with CCD was awful. The teachers were all high school students who knew nothing about the Catholic faith and most of the class was spent eating food, and listening to music on ipods.
As of right now I’m attending a secular college where everyone seems to be promiscuous. If your a virgin your ridiculed and referred to as “prude”. We live in a culture where material possessions are more important than helping other people. Sex is regarded as a normal experience that everyone should do a few times in their lives with different people. Condom ads are seen all the time on commercials and spread out like wildfire in College.
We need young priests who can relate to our children and INSPIRE them to live healthy Catholic lives and to be abstinent until marriage.
I remember learning about sex, std’s, and condoms in fifth grade. Therefore I strongly suggest teaching children about abortion in fifth grade. This would dramatically decrease abortion rates in America. It’s just and idea, but it should be tested. Because sixth grade is the year when the youth tend to start “experimenting” with one another.
God Bless
My experiences with CCD was awful. The teachers were all high school students who knew nothing about the Catholic faith and most of the class was spent eating food, and listening to music on ipods.
As of right now I’m attending a secular college where everyone seems to be promiscuous. If your a virgin your ridiculed and referred to as “prude”. We live in a culture where material possessions are more important than helping other people. Sex is regarded as a normal experience that everyone should do a few times in their lives with different people. Condom ads are seen all the time on commercials and spread out like wildfire in College.
We need young priests who can relate to our children and INSPIRE them to live healthy Catholic lives and to be abstinent until marriage.
I remember learning about sex, std’s, and condoms in fifth grade. Therefore I strongly suggest teaching children about abortion in fifth grade. This would dramatically decrease abortion rates in America. It’s just and idea, but it should be tested. Because sixth grade is the year when the youth tend to start “experimenting” with one another.
God Bless
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