Vocation Study

Last week, the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) and Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) released a very interesting study last week on recent vocations to religious life. Somehow, I didn't receive a copy of the survey to submit, but most of my "young nun" friends participated. In fact, one of them - Sr. Julie Viera of A Nun's Life - is hosting a live podcast on Tuesday to discuss the survey with the organizers. I'll be at my place of ministry and won't be able to listen in live, but I highly recommend it (more info below).

I haven't had much time to really read and reflect on the survey. I have read different takes on it, which I think miss the point in a way. The NY Times article last week seemed to think that just because a person new to religious life values common prayer, community living and a corporate ministry of the Sisters/Brothers, he or she is religiously "conservative" or "orthodox." I for one am drawn to and fed by common prayer, community living, and my sponsored ministry. But I am certainly not conservative, nor am I orthodox. Perhaps we are finally moving beyond some of these boundaries? A recent article in NCR about young Catholics in general - not religious life - suggests that perhaps we are. That, I think, would be a very good thing.

In any case. Check out the survey and check out Julie's Podcast!



Tomorrow at 1 p.m. CST, Sisters Julie Vieira, IHM, and Maxine Kollasch, IHM, of A Nun's Life Ministry will be hosting a live podcast on Vocations and the 2009 NRVC/CARA Study. They will be interviewing Brother Paul Bednarczyk, CSC, Executive Director of the National Religious Vocation Conference, and Patrice Tuohy, Executive Editor of VISION Vocation Guide.
For more information and to participate, please visit http://ANunsLife.org.