What Happened To The Nuns?

[Dave]

What Happened to the Nuns?

Father Kenneth Baker S.J.

There is hardly a Catholic in the United States who has not been touched in some way by the tragic disintegration of women’s religious communities. The numbers of sisters has dropped from 185,000 in 1965 to 89,000 in 1996. The average age in many of these communities is 70 and the prospect of new candidates is few and far between. The fact is that many of the once vibrant orders of sisters are going out of existence.

We have all been touched by this sad event because nuns have done so much to build up the Catholic Church in the United States. They did more than any other group to produce the golden age of American Catholicism of the 1940’s and 1950’s which was the envy of the world. Here are some of their accomplishments the faithful sisters produced. The nuns staffed over 13,500 parochial schools and hundreds of high schools. They nursed thousands of patients in their 800 hospitals and cared for the homeless and unwanted in their orphanages and homes for the aged. Catholics were well catechized by the sisters in their faith. They knew how to go to confession and could recite the 10 Commandments. Mass attendance was at 70% and there were thousands of vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. It was a golden age for the Catholic Church in America and the nuns were a major reason for it.

Today many congregations of nuns are going out of business because of the lack of new vocations. What happened? How did this come about? The answer can be found in a fascinating and illuminating new book, Sisters in Crisis: The Tragic Unraveling of Women’s Religious Communities: by Mrs. Ann Carey

Mrs. Carey covers the period from the end of Vatican II in 1965 until 1996. She explains in detail how the council directed the sisters to examine their constitutions and way of life. The purpose of this was to help them function better in the 20th century. The Council, the Pope, and the Congregation for Religious never intended or imagined that the sisters would so radically change. Many nuns decided to no longer live in communities or have a common apostolate. The wearing of a religious habit was thrown out the door along with the concept of superiors.

Unfortunately, the 1960’s was the worst time in this country for nuns to try to change what had worked for so many years. This was the time of the rise of radical feminism. Mrs. Carey points out that radical feminism infected many sisters.It is most revealing to learn that most of the changes can be traced to the influence of about 10 radical nuns. These feminist nuns were highly organized, politically astute, and had clear cut goals. Their goals were as follows:1) Personal choice in the arena of obedience and community life. 2) Declare independence from Rome and the hierarchy. 3) Disband large communities. 4) Eliminate corporate commitments such as schools and hospitals. 5) Adopt a secular lifestyle in dress, work and living arrangements.

A positive note: traditional orders of nuns are thriving. They are the ones who have carried out the wishes of Vatican II and the Pope. On the other hand, the radical feminist leaders are in total denial and refuse to admit that they made horrible mistakes. This is tragic for them as well as for the Church in America. If you want to learn more about the subject read Ann Carey’s book, Sisters in Crises: The Tragic Unraveling of Women’s Religious Communities.

Source: Peter and Paul Ministries

[Donna]

What happened to the nuns in my diocese at the prestigious women's college:

They donned suits and Toni Morrison novels and wiccan flirtings and lesbian ministries and the college is rich, rich, rich beyond compare and the Ordinary lets them be, and none of this is anyone's fault.

[JP2Iloveyou]

I went to college in Lincoln, NE for two years and in that time, I saw probably ten young women go off to join religious communities. Some discerned it was not where the Lord was calling them, some are still discerning. The one thing they all had in common, though, was that they joined communities that live together, respect and love the Holy Father, have a superior, wear a habit, and do a specific work. Some of them joined orders that teach, others that help the poor, others that do nothing but pray all day. The author is absolutley right when he talks about the traditional orders. This is a great time for the Church. In a few more years, seminaries and religious communities for men and women will be filled again.

[sisterannmarie]

i am a nun... we have two new ones entering this month

[Anna]

Sister, I love your avatar.

Incidentally, similar patterns of breakdown during this era can also be traced in marriages. Societal changes were embraced that have had detrimental effect.

Pax Christi. <><

[cmotherofpirl]

What happened to the nuns in my diocese at the prestigious women's college:

They donned suits and Toni Morrison novels and wiccan flirtings and lesbian ministries and the college is rich, rich, rich beyond compare and the Ordinary lets them be, and none of this is anyone's fault.

It is everyones fault.

WE have not be faithful nor demanded faithfulness of anybody else.

[KennC]

i am a nun...

Peace of Christ Sister, ... just to say Hi :D

Ken

[God Conquers]

It's true about which orders are getting vocations. Three of my friends have just entered three different orders, all of which are strictly faithful to the Holy Father, have Habits and are Orthodox and Eucharistic.

[VeraMaria]

Yeah, in a coiple of years you'll see....even though it's not evident, vocations are increasing dramatically....there are many vibrant communities of young nuns around....don't worry about statistics, soon you'll see waht i'm talking about

[megrc]

There is an alternative to being a nun. There are also consecrated men and women within the Regnum Christie movement. These people have decided to give their lives to Christ, just as a nun would do. The only difference is the they don't take vows, they take promises, and they also go through a lot of formation. The consecrated women have 4 years of formation in which they actually receive a degree, so they actually go to school. This is were a lot of girls and women who think they have a calling are going. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but the consecrated men and women are one of the few groups within the church who haven't been persecuted for doing something against the church.

If you want more info, check out www.regnumchristie.org

[VeraMaria]

Cool! B)

[God Conquers]

You're right megrc, I know several consecrated women as well, and they are..... amesome. Sorry I forgoit to mention them, because truly, they are an important movement within the Church.

[cmotherofpirl]

Did you know you could also be a hermit?

[God Conquers]

there are women hermits? I didn't know that.. cool.

[cmotherofpirl]

I know three are recognized male ones, I don't see what would disqualify a woman.