Search

Results

Vocation study reveals changing face and habits of new entrants

16 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

This Sunday's psalm seems ready-made for those who in recent years have chosen to "taste and see" for themselves what Catholic religious life is like. In keeping with the psalmist's desire to bless and praise the Lord at all times, a landmark vocations study reveals that newer recruits place a high priority on shared prayer and worship, communal living, and Catholic identity. The newest generation of religious priests, brothers, sisters, and nuns are more ethnically diverse than their predecessors and also drawn to more traditional expressions of piety, according to the "Study of Recent Vocations to Religious Life" conducted by Georgetown University's Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) for the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC). "We've heard anecdotally that the youngest people coming to religious life are distinctive, and they really are," said Sister Mary Bendyna, executive director of CARA. "They're more attracted to a traditional style of religious life, where there is community living, common prayer, having Mass together, praying the Liturgy of the Hours together. They are much more likely to say fidelity to the church is important to them. And they really are looking for communities where members wear habits," said Bendyna. "This younger generation is seeking an identity, a religious identity as well as a Catholic identity," said Brother Paul Bednarczyk, executive director of the Chicago-based NRVC, a professional organization of Catholic religious vocation directors. "Symbolism, images, and ritual are all very important to this generation, and they want to give witness to their faith." The study also found that non-Hispanic whites account for 94 percent of current nuns and priests but only 58 percent of those in the process of joining orders, including 21 percent who are Hispanic, 14 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, and 6 percent African or African American. In addition, the study revealed that the graying of American religious is more pronounced than many Catholics might have realized. Ninety-one percent of nuns and 75 percent of priests are 60 or older, and most of the rest are at least 50. And finding new members remains a struggle for many orders. Thirty-four percent of women's orders and 22 percent of men's orders surveyed had no candidates. Almost half the orders that do have someone on the early path toward his or her vows have no more than one or two in the pipeline. Bednarczyk drew reason to hope from the fact that 43 percent of those in the early stages of joining an order are under 30. "Younger people are re-looking at religious life as a viable life option," he said. "It does speak of a future." A full summary and review of study results, as well as a list of best practices that foster vocations, can be found at the NRVC's website, www.nrvc.net. Source: Articles by Eric Gorksi for the Associated Press and Laurie Goodstein for the New York Times

vocations cara studies national religious vocation conference nrvc mary bendyna religious orders study of recent vocations to religious life paul bednarczyk religious life center for applied research in the apostolate
Educated, skilled women choose religious life despite parents’ objections

13 Feb 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age,” Saint Paul writes in this week’s reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians. While contemporary trends have led to a decline in the numbers of professed members of religious communities, a new survey suggests that women entering religious life today are quite mature--highly educated and experienced in numerous church activities. The Profession Class of 2010: Survey of Women Religious Professing Perpetual Vows was released by the U.S. bishops on February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life. It was conducted by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and commissioned by the bishops’ Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations. One of the more disconcerting findings is that parents are often the most discouraging voices when their daughters consider becoming a nun or sister. Sometimes parents object because they want grandchildren or fear losing a daughter. Other times they fret over their child's loss of freedom and independence--an understandable but mistaken worry, according to many sisters. More than half of the women who professed final vows to join a religious order in 2010 said a parent or family member had discouraged their religious calling, the study said. Only 26 percent of the surveyed sisters said their mother encouraged them to consider religious life, and only 16 percent said their fathers supported their choice. A more extensive survey conducted by the Chicago-based National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) in 2009 produced similar results. In a presentation to the U.S. bishops in 2009, Holy Cross Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., executive director of the NRVC, flagged the discouragement from family and friends as a troublesome trend for the church. "Although people want a full-time pastor in their parish or religious sister teaching their children in the Catholic school, ironically, they are reluctant to have their own son or daughter choose that vocation," Bednarczyk said. Nevertheless, religious life continues to attract highly educated and skilled candidates. Of those surveyed, six in ten entered their religious community with at least a bachelor’s degree and a quarter already possessed a graduate degree. Eighty-five percent had ministry experience before entering, most commonly in liturgical ministry, faith formation, or social service ministry. Source: Articles by Daniel Burke for Religion News Service, Cathy Lynn Grossman for USA TODAY, and the USCCB Office of Media Relations, and NRVC.net

Consecrated life sisters women religious nuns center for applied research in the apostolate cara nrvc paul bednarczyk parents profession class of 2010
Too much in debt to take a vow of poverty

26 Feb 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand,” Jesus announces in this Sunday’s gospel when he embarks on his public ministry. Many of those who would like to embark on a fulfilling ministry as members of religious communities are stymied because they are carrying an average of $28,000 in student debt. A new study on Catholic vocations has revealed that educational debt is derailing the dreams these young people have to become religious sisters, brothers, or priests. And the problem is likely to get worse: Religious institutes report an increase in the number of inquirers with large educational debt, and national averages show record levels of student debt continuing to rise. The 2012 Study on Educational Debt and Vocations to Religious Life, conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University for the Chicago-based National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), finds that seven in ten institutes (69 percent) turned away at least one person because of student loans. In addition, many religious communities ask young people to delay their applications to enter because of educational debt. “For those entering religious life, the expectation is that they be debt-free,” said Holy Cross Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., executive director of the NRVC, “but for graduates in today’s economy, where education costs have risen by 900 percent since 1978, paying off loans can take years to accomplish. The burden of student debt has become a serious problem for religious communities desirous of welcoming younger members.” “Because religious sisters, brothers, and priests are vital to the life of the church and provide great service to society,” Bednarczyk said, “we plan to bring together key stakeholders to develop strategies to ease this significant and growing barrier to religious vocations.” Complete study results are available at nrvc.net. Sources: A news release by the National Religious Vocation Conference (nrvc.net) and a SpiritCitings blog post

vocations educational debt debt center for applied research in the apostolate cara studies national religious vocation conference nrvc religious orders student debt