In Palmyra, Pennsylvania, Zoey Stapleton, 24, made a life-changing decision as she walked down a dark hiking trail with her parents. Despite her initial resistance, she took a leap of faith and revealed to them that she desired to become a nun. This revelation, made over a year ago in the quiet woods, was met with moments of silence, but ultimately, her parents accepted her decision which deepened their faith.
Having recently graduated from Franciscan University in Ohio, Stapleton is part of the less than 1% of nuns in the United States who are 30 years old or younger. While the number of young women entering religious vocations remains steady, between 100 and 200 women start this process each year in the U.S., but not all complete it.
Choosing a life of religious dedication means sacrificing modern luxuries such as dating, material wealth, and even some personal belongings for the sake of a spiritual life and community. Despite the challenges, Stapleton found a strong connection with the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother, and joined them in Ohio as a postulant, along with two other women.
The declining number of men and women entering religious life has been acknowledged by Pope Francis, who urged prayers for more priests and nuns. The number of nuns in the U.S. peaked in 1965 and has since decreased significantly. With just over 500 communities of women religious in the U.S., those with younger members tend to attract more young women seeking a religious vocation.
Stapleton’s journey includes giving up her personal style to wear a habit as part of her commitment to the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. This newer community, founded in 1988, is part of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, known for their more conservative values. Despite the challenges and transitions, Stapleton embraces her decision to lead a radical life dedicated to her faith.
The speaker emphasized the importance of standing out as a sign of contradiction in the world, as followers of the order’s patron saint, Francis of Assisi, who lived a life of poverty. The sisters adopt modest habits, wearing long white veils and gray robes along with modern sandals. They see these garments as symbolic of being “brides” of Christ. The sisters limit their use of modern technology to shared flip phones and the internet for their ministry.
Stapleton was drawn to this community by the joy and freedom the sisters found in their relationship with the Lord. Sister Philomena Clare DeHitta, the vocations director, helps individuals express their desire to live a radical life within the unique spiritual and relatively small community.
The Franciscan sisters blend contemplative and active aspects in their way of life, differentiating themselves from other religious communities. Despite the emergence of new religious communities since the Second Vatican Council, the overall trend is a decline in numbers.
Student loan debt can hinder women from pursuing a religious vocation, as they are required to relinquish all worldly possessions, including debts, to embrace a life of poverty. Support organizations like the Labouré Society assist women in paying off their student loans to allow them to enter religious life without financial burdens.
Katie Power, an aspirant with the Carmelites of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, sought assistance to pay off her student loans through donations facilitated by the Labouré Society. She hopes to become debt-free soon and join the Carmelites as a postulant in the summer.
The journey to becoming a Catholic sister typically takes 7 to 10 years, with about half of prospective nuns completing the process to make their final vows.
The process of becoming a sister involves several stages. A woman is first officially recognized as a sister when she enters the novitiate stage, followed by a year of prayer and studying the vows of the order known as the canonical novitiate. After this, she takes temporary vows and eventually, final or perpetual vows. Sister Seyram Mary Adzokpa faced the additional challenge of discerning her vocation during a global pandemic. As a nurse, she decided to join the Sisters of the Holy Family at the age of 27 without ever visiting the community, a practice known as “come and see.”
In September 2021, Sister Adzokpa and her family traveled from Texas to the order in New Orleans, where she was given the opportunity to stay if she liked what she saw. Three years later, in August, her family returned to witness her make temporary vows at the motherhouse. The Sisters of the Holy Family, a religious order founded for Black women in the United States before the Civil War, continue to accept new vocations, despite the majority of members being elderly.
The community in New Orleans also operates St. Mary’s Academy, a K-12 school, and the Lafon Nursing Facility of the Holy Family, where elderly sisters receive care. Currently, there are three women aspiring to join the community, but not all who discern religious life end up joining, and not all who join remain. Sister Debbie Borneman, of the National Religious Vocation Conference, notes that about 50% of those who enter religious life stay for their final vows.
The Sisters of the Holy Family, founded in 1837, now has four members under the age of 40, including Sister Adzokpa, who is committed to using her nursing skills to serve the community. Despite the age gap, she connects with older members by assisting them with daily tasks and providing medical care. Sister Adzokpa values the opportunity to serve with her gifts and feels grateful for the intergenerational living environment within the community.
Sitting with them, conversing with them, alleviating their discomforts, and simply being in their presence. It brings such a sense of fulfillment.” The sister exuded a radiant smile that seemed to be her constant companion. Whether she was gathering figs in the yard, taking a dip in the pool, or basking in the sunlight filtering through the stained-glass windows during morning Mass, that infectious joy seemed to follow her every step of the way. “The happiness I feel is truly undeniable,” she shared. “I struck a pact with Jesus. I told Him, ‘I cherish being here. However, if this joy, if this smile ever begins to fade, I might have to reconsider my place here.’ And He has remained steadfast to His promise.”
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