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Article: New generation of religious upbeat about future. (Religious Orders)(includes related article on seminarian statistics) (Cover Story) (Panel Discussion)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- February 18, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 National Catholic Reporter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WASHINGTON - Can anyone say yes forever? When the question is applied to religious orders and congregations, there is usually no neat answer. Women and men religious have good reason to hesitate before a public, lifetime commitment to God, rooted in the traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
More and more, the question has been raised: Are these relevant values in today's world? There is a follow-up question: Is there a future for religious life?
Surveys and statistics indicate a decline in the number of applicants to religious institutes in the last two decades. Meanwhile, the media often contribute to a stereotype of today's nun as aged, ...