New Generations of Catholic Sisters

There has recently been a sharp decline in the number of women becoming Catholic sisters. This study compares those women who entered religious orders during the 15 year period immediately after the Second Vatican Council (1965-1980) with those who joined religious orders between 1993 and 2008. Using national surveys of the population of women who became sisters during these two time periods, the authors apply the theories of sociologist Karl Mannheim to explore how different generations of Catholic women first became attracted to vowed religious life and what kinds of religious orders they were seeking.