More on the Sisters--and religious life
Thursday, August 13, 2009
By Bryan Cones
Comments (8)
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious meets this week under the shadow of a Vatican "doctrinal assessment" and survey of the "quality of life" of apostolic religious. NCR has two interesting pieces, one a report from New Orleans, the other commentary by a Dominican sister, that give good background on the ongoing--and in my estimation unjustified--investigation of U.S. women religious. (If you don't know my opinion on the matter, you can read my July column here.)
Almost simultaneous with the LCWR meeting is a new study on religious life in the U.S., showing, not surprisingly, the continuing slide in vocations to religious life in the U.S. Those that are joining are more diverse culturally and racially (21 percent Hispanic, 14 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, 6 percent are African/African American, which is a shift from 94 percent white among finally professed). I haven't been able to confirm if the study asked country of origin, though I have a call in, which to me seems an obviousl and important question. Younger people who are joining, it seems, are gravitating more toward a more "traditional" style: habits, set schedules, etc.
One interesting bit for me was their motivation for joining: According to the AP story, "Unlike earlier generations, new members of orders are drawn to religious life primarily by a sense of call and desire for prayer and spiritual growth and less so out of a desire to do ministry, the survey found. . . . 'It isn't that ministry isn't important' to younger candidates, said Sister Mary Bendyna, the principal author of the study. 'Volunteering, social work, working for the poor — they can do that elsewhere.' " The complete study can be found here.
I wonder how that would jive with previous generations of religious. I still think the desire to wear a habit has more to do with the individual than with the essence of religious life--you don't see judges wearing their robes as a "witness" to the judicial system, though their robes were originally daily garments. And it strikes me that joining religious life to develop one's own spiritual life, instead of a desire for ministry, is a little self-focused. At the same time, perhaps the many options available to young people now means that what is unique about religious life will bubble up.
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The investigation of religious sisters
By David Phillips (not verified) on Tuesday, October 6, 2009I do think that there are some very serious and crucial issues, to say the least, concerning women religious that need to be examined. But then again, I think the Vatican needs to remove the log from its own eye first. What is seldom said, even by the Vatican, is this: The whole Church, from top to bottom, is in a crisis of Faith, a crisis of its own life and self-understanding. (We were warned at Fatima this would occur...Paul VI spoke of this crisis too.) Is Vatican II the cause of this crisis, or merely one outcome of a crisis that had roots from many years before? Can Vatican II be implemented in a better way- a "reform of the reform" as Benedict has said... or is this council to become a forgotten footnote in history? I don't pretend to have all the answers. Why single out the women religious for examination? The priests need to be investigated! The U.S. bishops need to be investigated!!! Corruption, scandals, bankrupt dioceses, parishes closed, so many heretical teachings, the destruction of church interiors and sacred items years ago, the list goes on and on! The Vatican itself has not been immune from corruption! Perhaps the Vatican should open its doors for itself to be investigated! As for me, in the midst of this, I can only look in the mirror at myself and "investigate" my own sins and pray for mercy.
nuns
By Fran Ferder fspa (not verified) on Sunday, August 23, 2009As a psychologist,I have been assessing (screening) new members of religious communities for years, and talking to formation directors. WE are seeing the same phenomonen happening now that happened in rural America 50 years ago: When many (not all) women from poor countries enter religious communities, they can get an education, find a sense of significance and belonging, and bring greater status to their families. The reasons have not really changed all that much.
NRVC/CARA Study on religious life
By Patrice Tuohy (not verified) on Thursday, August 20, 2009Regarding the comment that "no one is joining LCWR communities": That is simply not a true statement. Seventy percent of all religious communities are receiving new members.
As for country of origin of new members, one in five new members was born in a country other than the U.S.
Regarding new members' preference for more "traditional" practices, what the NRVC/CARA study shows is that newer members from the millenial generation are mining the riches of Catholic tradition, but to call them "traditional" is somewhat misleading in that their expression of "traditional" practices is much different from previous generations.
What we know for sure is younger new members have a strong desire for prayer, community life, and Catholic identity.
Most communties can and do offer those things to their members in myriad ways. There is no one- -size-fits-all form of religious life. The NRVC/CARA study confirmed that men and women of highly diverse backgrounds continue to be drawn to religious life in its many forms. The study is also a snapshot of a particular generation, and each generation brings with it its own preferences and focus.
The landmark study will serve as a benchmark for this century, and VISION VocationMatch.com will continue to monitor and track vocation trends each year. Please stay tuned . . .
Religious
By Pik (not verified) on Saturday, August 15, 2009The nun at my parish, Sr. Joan Sobala, wears an alb, gives commentary in the Mass, preaches the homily, and leads the preliminaries for Baptisms. This investigation is warranted and couldn't come soon enough.
Wow. And the sky hasn't
By Linda (not verified) on Sunday, August 23, 2009Wow. And the sky hasn't fallen in?
Religious women
By TNCath (not verified) on Thursday, August 13, 2009Well, if you don't believe the CARA study, then just look at the numbers. No one is joining the LCWR orders. The CMSWR orders are overflowing with candidates.
In short, those religious communities who are living authentic religious life are thriving. Those who aren't are dying. And the sooner the better, for they do not think with the Church.
This article, like many contained in this publication, reflects a very limited understanding of basic, fundamental Catholicism.
CARA Study Given Wrong Twist
By Dennis Coday (not verified) on Thursday, August 13, 2009Ken Briggs writes: The fine study of new members of religious communities by the Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate is unfortunately being used to support a bogus conclusion.
Read more: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/cara-study-given-wrong-twist
Agreed
By Bryan Cones on Thursday, August 13, 2009I think Briggs is right, and I would add that those few members are largely originally from outside the United States, which means, like the newer diocesan clergy, that even the few that are joining are hardly reflections of the church in the United States. It seems that the CARA study didn't even ask country-of-origin/birth questions, which I think is a major oversite. The communities I'm aware of are drawing candidates heavily from Africa, Vietnam, and Latin America, esp Colombia and Mexico.
Bryan Cones
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