Unmitigated Disaster: Religious Life Killed Since Vatican II
Davids-Ruminations-Blogspot.com (March 18) looked at the top dozen religious orders since Vatican II (1962-65).
• The Jesuits are down 60% (14,439) from their all-time high in 1966 (36,038).
• Franciscans (-54%), Oblates of Mary Immaculate (-53%), Redemptorists (-50%), Vincentians (-51%), Benedictines (-54%).
• Only the Divine Word Missionaries reached their peak in 2009 (6,131) and, for priests, the Discalced Carmelites in 2016 (2,937).
• Taking the top 12 orders together, the all-time high was in 1966 (160,926) which dropped in 2022 to 88,407 (-45%).
• The Salesians will overtake the Jesuits as the largest order in two years' time.
Picture: © Quinn Dombrowski, CC BY-SA, #newsAhrsezsfkt
• The Jesuits are down 60% (14,439) from their all-time high in 1966 (36,038).
• Franciscans (-54%), Oblates of Mary Immaculate (-53%), Redemptorists (-50%), Vincentians (-51%), Benedictines (-54%).
• Only the Divine Word Missionaries reached their peak in 2009 (6,131) and, for priests, the Discalced Carmelites in 2016 (2,937).
• Taking the top 12 orders together, the all-time high was in 1966 (160,926) which dropped in 2022 to 88,407 (-45%).
• The Salesians will overtake the Jesuits as the largest order in two years' time.
Picture: © Quinn Dombrowski, CC BY-SA, #newsAhrsezsfkt