Taking with a highly intelligent young person who knows several young women who are considering a religious vocation but cannot choose an order, I discovered an interesting twist on the lack of vocations. This is an idea which came to me months ago, but I did not think of it again until this discussion.
Most of the orders of nuns lack a charism which speaks to the modern world, and especially to young traditional women.
Let me try to explain.
The older orders are stuck in paradigms of service which no longer apply to the modern world.
This does NOT apply to Tyburn, or other enclosed orders, wherein the first charism is Adoration and contemplative prayer. That charism has been with the Church for almost 1,400 years and is extremely valid. The problem, as I experienced, is the need for physical stamina and strength.
Contemplative orders of all types are more necessary than ever.
However, most orders have lost their reason for existing in the world.
Trad girls know the evils of Catholic schools, especially the compromises foisted upon such by governments and heretic leaders. I do not need to explain all the scandals of Catholic schools in Malta (lesbian teaching in a junior girls' school); England (non-Catholic in charge of a high-school RE department); America (where the the curriculum includes heresies of modernism and sex education in many dioceses).
Trad girls do not want compromising orders.
But, what of the real call to a specific charism, besides the contemplative orders? The Dominicans are doing very well here, as the one getting the most vocations wears a full habit and allows for a multiple use of talent in various places, such as evangelization, catechesis, and other parish work. The new paradigms of service are allowed. Mother Teresa of Calcutta's order was a new paradigm and is highly successful in getting vocations.
Not so most orders. Real orders have strong charisms which are needed in the world. The Sisters of Life is an obvious excellent example. as are the various new Dominican groups.
Perhaps it is part of the problem of the lack of sensitivity to the needs of the world and of Catholics in 2013, which are adding to the vocation problem.
Mother General of Tyburn knows that praying for peace in Nigeria and 24/7 Adoration, a response to the requests of bishops there, is a real charism.
Those sisters who are involved in conservative moments, such as Evangelium in Great Britain are responding to the Holy Spirit's call for teaching youth the real stuff of the Catechism and Scripture. Only teaching the "real deal" is a charism from the Holy Spirit. Any order, any, despite the name or pedigree, which is compromising, is not meeting the needs of the Church.
The Holy Spirit must decide the charisms and give these. If people decide, the orders will fail.
I am convinced that contemplation and service encouraging the Latin Mass is the way forward for England.
Does anyone else share this vision? This is a real charism.
God calls, but many do not respond. This blog includes this call to prayer and reparation.
The time for certain charisms which were necessary in the past is long gone.
We do not need more retreat centres which do not include orthodoxy and real sacrifice.
We do not need sisters who are social workers.
The nursing orders will not be able to be Catholic in any national health system, so that charism is gone, except in Third World Countries, where these sisters may actually have more freedom to be Catholic and be nurses or midwives.
The real charisms for 2013 must be extreme, as in the days of Benedict and Catherine of Siena. We need clarity and a remnant.
We need prayers of reparation for many, many sins.
May God send me some companions in this vision of prayer and penance for reparation and the constant Adoration of Christ.