Well it's certainly popping up more recently in the news. These surveys are pointing out what my generation indeed is searching for in the way of religious orders. It's fitting too, that this is becoming more recognized as visitations from the Holy See are being conducted of all the apostolic religious orders of women in the United States. Perhaps those orders that got rid of the habit as well as certain traditional practices, after Vatican II, will want to re-think that policy; that is if they want to keep their order from dying out.
Too often I think certain orders are trying to rope in people based on their charism alone. Unfortunately many orders like this are really not advocating a true charism at all, but rather some kind of social activism. Unfortunately I've encountered this first hand in my discernment. As a religious, the primary vocation and FOCUS is love of God. It's sad that some orders have forgotten this.
The younger generation looking at vocations to the religious (consecrated) life, that I am a part of, can see right through the fake authenticity. We can tell when an order IS authentically Catholic and dedicated to their primary vocation, and loyal to the Church. I pray that the visitations underway will both enliven and renew religious life in the US, especially of those orders which have fallen away from traditional values and faithfulness to the Church. The Holy Spirit is indeed at work! Watch out! You might just start to see A LOT more young Catholics choosing religious life!
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