New reports on religious

Two separate reports released in December on men and women religious provide further understanding of these two groups.

Understanding U.S. Catholic Sisters Today

This report, commissioned by Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities (FADICA) and written by Kathleen Sprows Cummings from the University of Notre Dame, delves into the latest sociological studies of U.S. sisters to present a new and comprehensive look at women religious today. Find the report on the recently launched website, WeAreSisters.net.

FADICA has asked that NRVC members share the report and website with their contacts via email and social media.

Special report on Population Trends among Religious Institutes of Men

This report was written by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. It is a longitudinal study of religious institutes of men, drawing on data reported by these institutes to The Official Catholic Directory (OCD). 

The study takes into account information from 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2015. Although total membership in these institutes of men has decreased from 42,000 in 1970 to 18,000 in 2015, the total number of institutes listed in the OCD has increased. The special report looks beneath these overall trends to explore more deeply particular trends in membership across this period. Find the study on nrvc.net.