>> Abandonment of habits, changes of prayer schedule, more flexibility in the understanding of obedience --- these and other new factors of religious life were looked upon as dangerous and life threatening to the sisters <<
Yeah, that's the problem... not enough nuns kicked the habit. By that reasoning, of course, the orders which did kick the habit immediately should be the ones flourishing. Strange though: I meet lots of young nuns in the DC area. Never met a nun under 50 who wasn't in a habit; and I've met precious few over 50 who were.
Apparently, the "betrayal" is that the nuns weren't allowed to work at abortion clinics or San Francisco's hot tub indutsry.
The real reason for the disappearance of American nuns is that the ministry lost all religious significance. Why do union organizers, non-profit laborers and school teachers have to be poor and celibate?
my experience as well. The sisters who still wear habits you will see at daily mass and adoration, but the t-shirt/business suit sisters seem to be too busy for adoration. Sad.
I'm not quite sure what in the world people were thinking when they urged nuns to get out 'in the world' and be something like the laity. Perhaps, in truth, not many of those in the old orders were really suited for religious life. It is very demanding. It's quite startling after all these years to see new orders being established and doing things the 'old way' and apparently flourishing because of it. No one can say the women who choose religious life have limited options these days, those who choose a more rigorous order know exactly what they are doing.
I still have some contact with the Sisters of Mercy through my parish and it is sort of sad to me to see what they have become compared to what they were.