Finally, the 20% fall in the number of women religious. No amount of fiddling the figures can hide the collapse of women's religious orders and their novitiates.
Considering how bad many of these Orders have become, not necessarily bad news. Of course there is a collapse. If they are no longer serving God and His Church as His brides, they are no longer needed. But...
The implications for the Church that the extinction of women's religious orders raises are too many to count, but they are horrible.
New Orders of young, zealous, mature, orthodox women (and men) are coming out! They represent the future. That's where a real survey would be helpful in pointing out the growth of the Gospel. Where are the young Religious going? Into new Orders with vibrant Faith! Numbers are small now, but they'll grow because the Truth of our Faith can't be set aside forever - and they offer Truth! God will take care of His Church. He will still call young men and women to serve Him with singular devotion from deep within their hearts. This isn't the first time in the history of the Church that this cycle has happened.