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This was one of the headlines on BBC tonight on their website.

Number of Catholic Monks and Nuns declines [news.bbc.co.uk]

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

We should expect nothing but more of the same for a few years to come. The orders of monks and nuns which modernized after Vatican II have sealed their own fate. The average age of most of these orders is upwards of 70 and sometimes 80 years old.

There are new and vibrant orders, traditional in theology and liturgy and outlook, which are bursting at the seams and literally cannot build fast enough.

Like so many other areas of the Church which have been devastated, religious life will have to be re-built from the ground up, and it is starting to take form. But not before the numbers plummet even more.

It is a necessary purging, and it would be better if these orders recovered their authentic liturgical and theological traditions, but if God wills that they do not, then it is best that they fade away and make room for the new orthodoxy (and orthopraxy).

Alexis

Oh, and I find it ironic that the BBC pictures nuns in traditional habits. It is exactly THESE orders which are growing so rapidly. The orders with Sister Joans and Nancys in layclothes are the ones disappearing, Deo gratias. It would be more accurate to just slap up a mugshot of Sister Joan Chittister.

We live in exciting times in the Church. It is beginning to find itself again, slowly (really slowly), but surely, I think. The spirit of the sixties and the gross, diabolical misinterpretations of Vatican II and abuse of its "spirit" have come to an end, and have taken countless people with them. It will take decades and plenty of extraordinary saints to set the course aright, but it won't be the first time in the Church's history where we have overcome. This isn't a new battle for the Church, and She will prevail as she always does.

Alexis

I wouldn't blame it on Vatican II. The decline more deeply reflects the culture at large.

Terry

These numbers as presented are a little deceptive.

I have written about this topic before: Counting Blessings [blog.ancient-future.net]

The fact of the matter is, we are seeing rapid growth in "new Catholic" ares and populations in religious and vocations life. While First World/Old World vocations continue to "free fall" as the eldest of the decimated orders (we can all name them) age and pass, the average age of religious in Latin America, Asia and Africa is about HALF that of the western Euros that skew the statistics.

In about 10-15 years, stabilization and net growth (if trends continue) will be occuring.

Oh, I wouldn't blame it on Vatican II, either. I would blame much of it on "the culture at large," as you say, and much of it on the *misinterpretation* and hijacking of Vatican II. "The [false] spirit of Vatican II," if you will.

Alexis

I tend to agree. I believe it will take about a century for the Church to recieve and impliment the council documents. But as the folks filled with "the spirit of the 60s" are now in THEIR 60s & 70s, the process will only be hastened.

Frankly, at the rate some young new orders are growing... if they had just 2 more hours in the day to find the time to get more exposure, they would have more vocations still!

In all this pecimism and doom. I would like to breath a little spring time air.
The Church from what I can see traveling all over the world is vibrant and alive.
Chirst Lives! Christ Reigns!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.
Stephanos I

Father Bless!

Looking through the past few comments in this thread, I don't see much "pecimism and doom" at all. Rather plainly, I see a lot of hope for the Catholic Church's future with our continued expansion through the four corners, and vibrant new and renewing communities in so many new and old places...

No pecismism here!

Dear Friends,

When I was in Catholic high school and expressed a desire to become a member of a monastic order, I was taunted as being "gay" and the like (for a few years).

Other friends who wanted to enter monastic life told me about very similar experiences. The Catholic school system was the last place one needed to be in order to get support for such a vocation!

There needs to be a solid support system in place to nurture budding vocations to the monastic life - how and what is anyone's guess, unless, of course, one is somewhere where the support is already there.

Any ideas/outlines of how such could be established?

Alex

Well, for Roman Rite vocations, Alex, there's the FSSP's St. Gregory's Academy in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania which offers a strong Catholic education and fosters vocations to the religious life, I'm sure: http://www.stgregorysacademy.org/

Alexis

Dear Alexis,

Looks like a deeply spiritual institution!

You are lucky to have such!

Alex

Alternately, when some young men express an interest in the priesthood I can't tell you the number of times I have heard others who fancy themsleves faithful Catholics respond:

"Oh, you'll find a girl!"

Frankly, this is one of the reasons I advise prospective vocations to priestly or religous life to keep it to themselves and their confessor & vocations director.

Excellent advice!

But what about support for one's vocation? When I told my guidance counsellor about this, he actually scheduled me to meet a psychologist with the purpose of uncovering my "fear of women" and other "insecurities" that would make me want to become a priest.

I was told "Do you think those celibates are any holier than we (married laity) are? Do you think they don't have urges too?" And then another who introduced himself as someone with a PhD (wow - imagine a PhD!) who said he was in a seminary and found the people there to be either gay or illusory ("They talked about poverty, but didn't know what it was not to sleep in their own bed for a month" - wonder if he did . . .).

When I expressed dismay and distress at this news, he then backed up and said, "Well, maybe you have a calling and in that case, go ahead . . ."

But I was then scheduled to meet a woman counselor who assessed how "appealing" I would be to girls. Happily, she said that "you're no Rock Hudson" (Thanks be to God!) "But you are alright." And then came the pointers on how to speak to a girl etc. Later, my parents were called to say how controlling they were of me and the like.

And this was supposed to be one of the most eminent Catholic high schools we had!

So whatever some jerk in the hallway would say to me, that was nothing by comparison with how the lay hierarchy there treated me.

I only asked for support during a confidential meeting with a guidance counsellor. And this is what I received in return.

However, in the UGCC one can find a girl AND become a priest at the same time (and in that order) . . .

Alex

There are many faithful religious communities out there who love reverence and are very dedicated to the Church and to the Holy Father. If you check out the Institute on Religious Life, you will find many good communities. I am pleased to be entering a beautiful congregation in March as a postulant for the Brotherhood.

Peace and God Bless!

John Doucette