Cruising my Facebook account my friend Marie Sweeney had a link to a Boston Globe article about What American Nuns Built. Being a product of a Catholic elementary school education I found it a great read but a troubling one also.
The number of American Nuns have dropped from 180,000 in the 70's to 56,000 in the present. The average age is 60 years old. Why is the number so low while the number of young women entering the Orders have increased in South America and Africa.
I suppose in those countries there may be a deeper faith in the church and also a way for these young women to get an education and a stable life. I realize this life is not for everyone especially young women from America with all that we have and the distractions of everyday life.
Did the Catholic church do a bad job in recent years in recruiting young women to this vocation?
My Aunt Theresa is a Grey Nun from the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa and has served her community for over 65 yrs. She taught at St, Josephs High School and later became Principal until the school closed.
I hope she won't get mad by me telling you she is 85 yrs old and still loves her life and her community. I'll leave you with a comment from the Globe Article which I agree with whole heartily.
The education provided by the Catholic Schools when the students were taught by nuns was far superior than anything that is being provided to the children of this generation. The biggest thing with the loss of Nuns is now a Catholic education is no longer within reach financially for most families. The nuns being teachers allowed for much more affordable tuition as they were not collecting salaries for the most part. Going to a Catholic School now and being taught by a lay teacher is essentially the same as going to a public school and having a religious class thrown in. The nuns were the finest teachers this nation has ever known. They knew all subjects and we were educated at a superbly high level. Oh and they gave us discipline. The loss of nuns as educators has left a true vacancy in our nation. Oh for the old days and old ways.
I see Sr. Therese nearly every week at LGH. She goes around giving communion to any patient that wants it. I went to St. Joe's when she was principal there, and have great memories of her. Several weeks ago, she asked me to tie her shoe for her, and I felt privileged to do so. It was the least I could do for all she has given me.
ReplyDeleteShirley A.
I think the increase in the range of opportunities for women contributed to this shift, and as society consolidates that change the numbers will return, but not nearly as high as 50 years ago. They are out there, being God's women, but not in a habit.
ReplyDeleteRegards — Cliff