By Sister Genevieve Sachse, OSB

Several times I have experienced an interesting psychological phenomenon when I have encountered Catholics who, for one reason or another, have not been around nuns for some time.

The initial reaction is usually amazement that I was not in full habit. This is generally followed by favorable and warm curiosity, although I have encountered several who reacted somewhat as if I were an unmarked patrol car sneaking up on them.

The latter group usually finds some way of making my company, often with some hostile comments about nuns not being what they used to be; nor are they interested in finding out what we are like today.

In the former group, there can be observed what almost amounts to a ritual. Because it is usually in the course of the conversation that they have found out that I am a religious, an easy openness of conversation has already been established and their first level is to express surprise at being able to talk so easily to a nun. (Conclusion: their previous mental image was that we were unapproachable.)

Secondly, they will make some form of comment about the nuns who taught them in school. Almost invariably this will focus on the one teacher in particular whom they found less than loving. When questioned, they will recall some sister whom they liked, but the primary recollection is usually negative.

Sisters in general, because we presented a united front and appearance, were all lumped together into one category, and not a very good category in most cases. Frequently, the sister whom they like was described as “different” or “she didn’t act like a nun.” (Conclusion: sisters were strict, stern and unfeeling.)

If this expression of hostility is met with defensiveness, the conversation quickly turns to the weather. If it is met with good humor and the acknowledgement that not all of us (or any of us) are what we should be at all times, a veritable floodgate of questions pours forth about the changes in our life styles, why we have remained in the convent, how we feel about celibacy, etc.

Because I have been so much a part of the change in religious life and our struggle to find those forms which are of value to our life and work in the Church today, I find these encounters valuable as a reminder that many are not aware of these changes and struggles.

If a person left a Catholic school (whether elementary or secondary) over three or four years ago, their contact with religious has been limited, especially here in the South where the Catholic population is such a small percentage of the whole.

Most religious communities do not accept members right out of high school (much less during high school) as they used to do; this factor, while necessary in these times of prolonged adolescence, reduces the opportunities for association between young people and religious except in those rare cases where the person goes on to attend a college run by that community. The net result is a decrease in the number of applicants for religious life. (This is one reason among many.)

Religious communities today are getting more inquiries than they did several years ago and these fall into two general categories: those who still have a somewhat romanticized image of the nun as serene and peaceful in her nunnery and who are looking for a haven to “get away from it all,” and those who felt a desire years ago but needed growing time.

This latter group often expresses something to the effect that they have tried to get rid of the idea of a religious vocation, but finally decided that they needed to answer this question for themselves once and for all.

My job as a vocation director is to help those who are seeking to determine the validity of their call to religious life. The hardest part of the job is finding those people who are questioning so that I can help them.

Taking that initial step of making inquiry is so very difficult, especially since most of those involved don’t know a sister to whom they can turn. Unfortunately for too long, we haven’t been a part of their lives.