Didya get it? I used 'nun' for none?
Anyway - I've always said so, and maybe India will prove me right - one reason for the vocation shortage in congregations of women/men religious, is the options young people are presented with in a consumer-driven, materialistic, affluent society. Especially women - they do not have to get married to be taken care of any longer, they do not have to bear children, they can compete in a man's world, and live on their own - without being told what to do by anyone.
Another reason, connected to the spoiled rich girl syndrome, is the education of women - big mistake. (LOL! I'm so kidding.) So many women attend college pursuing degrees that oftentimes are worthless as far as career opportunities go, and then they are stuck with huge academic debts that they can't pay. In some cases, like one blogger I know of, they resort to marrying their parish priest because they have no other option. Or maybe because they realize women have no power in the Church? (Kidding again - gosh I get silly when I'm sick!)
Anyway, this stupid preamble introduces the topic I intended to discuss, I'll let you read it and decide I was right after all. From The Times of India:
Catholic Church in India facing shortage of nuns.
KOCHI: Catholic church in India is facing an increasing shortage of aspirants to convent life, with girls preferring more worldly professions, church authorities feel.
"Consumer culture seems to have overtaken the young girls who are no longer challenged by the call of ascetic life," says Father Paul Thelekat, Church spokesperson.
Women congregations in the country are no more getting enough vocations from urbanised areas of Kerala. But there are enough vocations to priesthood, Father Thelekat said. In European countries the nuns are becoming extinct as a social species and the same situation may be seen in India soon, he feels. - Times
I have nothing else to say - except I also blame "India Idol" and "Bollywood" for attracting Indian youth away from religious vocations - everyone wants fame now days - look at DE.
well with the higher involvement of women in lay functions of the church, playing priest and doing the readings and "passing out" the Eucharist (even blessing children in communion line) why the hell should they make the commitment.
ReplyDeleteI loathe women being involved in the Church. They need to sit back down in the pew and act like respectable LADIES. They're over involvement has driven the men off.
CC - I agree!! And that coming from, as Terry calls me, a Mafiosa prima donna.
ReplyDeleteTerry - you just get well (you're not dying - I promise) the world needs you. I'm not sure what for but it does.
Yes, it is definitely India Idol!!
ReplyDeleteActually, there are still thousands and thousands of women religious here....heck, still thousands and thousands of priests, too. I would never have guessed there was a shortage by the looks of it. I see sisters everywhere here in Hyderabad, with all the schools and convents; and Mass never has a shortage of priests. WE do not have "extraordinary ministers" of the Eucharist because for each Mass, two or three other priests come at Communion time to distribute. It's great. How it used to be everywhere, I suppose, once upon a wonderful time.
PS Get well soon!
ReplyDeletelove and prayers,
Georgette
and it starts way back with girl altar servers ... driving the boys off. so both male and female vocations are suffering.
ReplyDeleteoh, really!?!?!?!?
actually, i believe more and more of both are responding in the USA. we just need more straight orthodox orders in which to place them - those orders are growing and we need more of them.
terry - get well. we need your lucid views, not your ill-lucid ones.
[;) - get it? "ill"-lucid ... oiy]
Thanks y'all - and thank you Georgette and Uncle Jim.
ReplyDeleteGeorgette - I was surprised by this report actually, I know there are numerous vocations in India - therefore I'm wondering if the orders interviewed may be orders not as observant, since in the article,, it seemed to me it was a vocation director who brought up the subject of women not having power in the Church. I also do not believe Indian women entered religious life because they had no other option or were poor. I have never met an Indian religious or priest who were anything less than fervent.