My family background is non-menno, and we are members of I suppose a "moderate conservative" church. We still have not gotten on the cheap homeowners ins.... Health insurance and the like are available to almost anybody except we share burdens if somebody can't afford (groups like Samaritan Network). It's the premiums I think people get help with.
I haven't grasped the concept so we just kind of float along doing our own thing. If somebody is in need we would help.
I'd be more concerned about "free private school" as it isn't a "need" so much as an option for most. I also don't see it as a burden to educate children, but a blessing.... I said it because it's a little teeny concern, but I hold the attitude of "whatever".
Josh wrote:How many young people even join these orders? The monastery near me is aging and hasn't had new sisters in a while. It is a more conservative order too.
The group that runs a lot of hospitals in Ohio eventually had so few sisters left in its order that it had to reorganise itself simply because there weren't enough sisters left to fill key oversight positions.
Some seem to do better than others. My next door neighbor is a third order Franciscan, and the community she is affiliated with (Community of Franciscans for the Renewal) seems to be successful at this, but they appear to be the exception. Here where I live, most of them are dyeing out and selling their property for the care of aging sisters.
Josh wrote:How many young people even join these orders? The monastery near me is aging and hasn't had new sisters in a while. It is a more conservative order too.
The group that runs a lot of hospitals in Ohio eventually had so few sisters left in its order that it had to reorganise itself simply because there weren't enough sisters left to fill key oversight positions.
Some seem to do better than others. My next door neighbor is a third order Franciscan, and the community she is affiliated with (Community of Franciscans for the Renewal) seems to be successful at this, but they appear to be the exception. Here where I live, most of them are dyeing out and selling their property for the care of aging sisters.
J.M.
According to observations of Catholic sociologists (too many studies to list here) the following conclusions have been verified through repeated results:
Those religious orders who retain traditional teachings of focusing upon discipleship and service for Jesus as well as traditional religious garb are seeing a surge in vocations. Some are currently having trouble keeping up with finding housing for all the new members.
Those orders that focus upon political action alone are the ones who are dying off. They no longer wear uniform religious habits and see political action as more valuable than prayer. Likewise if a religious order focuses upon a famous personality (personality cult) rather than ministry and prayer in service to Christ, the group begins to fail and die off.
My observation: the Lord raises up workers for tasks required in the vineyard of the Lord. In some decades, that means teaching and health occupations ministries. In other decades it may be contemplative orders dedicated to prayer and agricultural work. The Lord knows what He needs and touches the hearts of those who love Him.
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Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
