Vatican Report: US Nuns Praised For ‘Selfless Service’ Amid ‘Challenging Times’
The Vatican’s report on US nuns offers an unprecedented look “into the quality of life” among apostolic women. Although the report outlines the numerous challenges faced by nuns in the United States, it also praises the women for their “selfless service.”
The Apostolic Visitation of Institutes of Women Religious in the United States of America consisted of four phases and took place over a period of four years between 2009 and 2012. The visitation process was designed to emulate Mary’s Visitation with her cousin Elizabeth, as discussed in Luke 1:39–56.
The first phase of the Apostolic visitation began in 2009. During this phase, all Superiors General of Institutes of women religious were encouraged to share their “hopes and concerns” with the Visitator, Mother Mary Clare Millea, ASCJ, via written letter or direct conversation.
During the second phase, questionnaires were distributed to individual congregations. The questionnaires were designed “to gather empirical data and qualitative information” about the apostolic women’s community, ministerial, and spiritual lives. Following the completion of phase two, the data was analyzed by the Visitator — who compiled a report detailing her findings.
As explained in the Vatican’s report on US nuns, the third phase involved the actual Visitation of 90 different religious institutes. During Visitation, a “a core team of American religious” was appointed to have “sister-to-sister” discussions with the apostolic women about their quality of life.
The entire Visitation process included 341 diocesan and pontifical right institutes. During the fourth phase, the Visitator complied a comprehensive report detailing the challenges and triumphs experienced by apostolic women in the United States.
Some of the data was specifically discouraging. For example, the Visitator concluded that “the median age of apostolic women religious in the United States is in the mid-to-late 70s.” She also noted that the number of apostolic women in the United States has continued to decline.
As stated in the report, the number of US nuns peaked between 1950 and 1965. However, the number has decreased dramatically since 1965. The decrease is blamed on numerous factors, including sisters leaving the church and fewer women stepping up to take their place.
Time reports that the decline has caused “great concern” among apostolic women, as they are losing confidence in their ability to continue “their charism and mission” work.
Although the Vatican’s report on US nuns underlines several concerns, it also praises the women for their “dedicated and selfless service” amid the ongoing challenges.
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