Why aren't there as many of this calling

[Chris_McAvoy]

It is a mistake to seek what may be a “higher calling” if it is not your calling.

Do not worry about mistakes until they happen.
The whole world worries about this when it comes to religious life.
Do not listen to the world, listen to your fellow religious brothers and sisters. Meet them and see what they think, even try others if some seem too stringent, especially the Eastern monastics who are very easy going.

Whatever you do, brothers and sisters please do not hesistate to live in a monastic environment or as a hermit. It need not be your permanent vocation. To test it out is what all great saints do. It is a fine thing to only be there for a few months or years. St. Jerome himself could not take the strain of being a Desert hermit for too long and look at all the good he did after he left? Writing the Vulgate! (even if it had some mistranslation)

Monks are typically ranked higher in the spiritual life than secular priests and even missionaries.

don’t know about the ranking system

I can tell puzzle annie is Latin because she does not know about a ranking system.
Yes of course this is true it is common sense to those who really think and understand religious life.
The hermits and friars eating roots and sequestering food living in mountains and caves they are the ones that are generally closest to God. One can say it is a different role …not so much superior in every way, just in the spiritual way…yes…definitely a higher spiritual rank.

 

[Chris_McAvoy]

I would think that fewer people are called to cloistered life. There have always been far fewer contemplative monks/nuns than active brothers/sisters. I also think that many men who are called to religious life are probably drawn to being ability to confect the Eucharist, so would tend towards the Priesthood.

Throughout the middle ages in Both East and West over 30% of all society was monastic or friar.

It is a sign of societies corruption and decadence that the religious life is slumping. I pray in my lifetime it will reverse as it already is in certain traditional orders.

In Egypt it may have even been almost %50. There were armies of Monks that could overthrow governments in the 6th century!

I am not drawn to the ability to confect the eucharist. No no, this is silly. That is a wonderful thing but to love God it is not important to help him come into the world only as the Eucharist alone. So many other ways are equally important. What is the saying too many cooks spoil the broth, too many concelebrating chalices spoil the liturgy? hehehehe.

I believe what monks and cloistered nuns do are great. However, Jesus was a man of this world. He balanced secluded prayer with his ministry. IMO, it takes much more graces to be a holy person in the world than to be withdrawn from it. If we are to follow Christs’ example, then our priests must be men in the world.

I am saddened to see from many previous posts before me there is a strong protestant influence particular viewpoints within the typical USA Catholic lay person’s mentality of today.

I know it is not their fault and what they say is their best intention with love in their heart and for this God loves them. Nevertheless Catholics must understand the true “ephos” of their faith better in the future. The truth is that the Catholic Church is only as strong as the monastics are. Without monastics the Church falls apart. It has always been this way even since 2000 years ago. Monastic lifestyle dates to the time of the Apostles.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Throughout the middle ages in Both East and West over 30% of all society was monastic or friar.

. . . quote] The cloistered orders accumulated much wealth over the centuries. That made them a prime target of the Reformers. Even the Catholic rulers caught the bug and confiscated much of their property. They have never really recovered, though progress is being made.

 

[J_G]

I believe what monks and cloistered nuns do are great. However, Jesus was a man of this world. He balanced secluded prayer with his ministry. IMO, it takes much more graces to be a holy person in the world than to be withdrawn from it. If we are to follow Christs’ example, then our priests must be men in the world.

I don’t know whether it takes more grace to be a priest or a cloistered religious, however, the need for both exists.
“If there must be active Marthas, there must be contemplative Marys. Lights will not shine before men, unless there are hidden dynamos. There will be no ‘fishers of men,’ unless there are silent net makers and unknown builders of boats. There will never be successful preachers of the word, unless there are perpetual prayers to the Word. If teachers are needed to tell men about God, there is as great, if not a greater, need for pleaders to tell God about men. If laborers are to be sent into the vineyard, then there must be branches united to the vine, branches that are filled with the life-giving sap of the vine, branches that are heavy with fruit. If there is to be a resurrection, then there must be a crucifixion.” (found that in The Man Who Got Even With God)
From my experience, all a cloistered religious tries to do is be like Christ. They are not withdrawn from this world, but withdrawn from the worldly. Their acts of mercy are great, the number of souls saved are many, the souls freed from purgatory are numerous, and the graces granted upon people outside the cloister are unimaginable. There is no doubt in my mind that the need for both active and contemplative Catholics not only exists, but is essential to the Church.

 

[Pious_Mat]

It is not so much a question of which is holier, but what particular charism you wish to follow. Humans are social creatures, and feel a need to be in this world.

Therefore, it takes a special kind of person to be a monk–the kind of person whose dialogue with God does not cease, and who can hear his voice in the simplest of places and actions.

All told, I think that there should be more monks in the world today. Most are humble, holy men whose presence in the community has an impact on everyone around them.