Fr. Groeschel contends that “religious life always
comes back to life … when people are willing 
to accept the reforming power of the Holy Spirit.”

New religious communities for men: Hope of the future

By Patrick A. Metress 

The April 2000 issue of The Catholic World Report provided an article entitled “Death or Rebirth of the New Decade: A Watershed Looms for Religious Life” by Father Benedict J. Groeschel. In his article, Father Groeschel opines that “it is obvious to any reasonably observant person that the large-scale renewal efforts attempted were a fatal mistake.” He also contends that “religious life always comes back to life . . . when people are willing to accept the reforming power of the Holy Spirit.” 1

The Catholic Research Center (CRC) recently completed a series of reports on the existence of religious communities for men in the Catholic Church. The first report provides an overview of religious communities for men worldwide. The second report identifies religious communities ministering to Catholics in this country and focuses on US-based communities. The third report identifies communities that have been established to preserve and celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).

The purpose of this report is to provide some observations about the emergence of new religious communities in the Church and thereby give substance to Father Groeschel’s perspective that “religious life always comes back to life.”

Analytical framework
Religious communities are classified as Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. The 1999 edition of Annuario Pontificio, an annual directory published by the Holy See, indicates there are 228 Institutes of Consecrated Life (to include 216 religious and 12 secular institutes) and 30 Societies of Apostolic Life. It also indicates the religious institutes have 207,159 members and the societies of apostolic life have 17,977 members.2

Within the context of this report the term “religious community” will be used to refer to both Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. “New communities” are defined as those approved by the Holy See after the close of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, Religious Institutes of Diocesan Right established with the permission of the local ordinary, and private and public associations of the faithful which hope to be recognized as a religious community by the local ordinary. “Older communities” are defined as communities approved by the Holy See prior to 1965. 

Although the Holy See tries to identify how many men belong to religious communities in Annuario Pontificio and in the Statistical Yearbook of the Catholic Church, the numbers are understated for two reasons. First, they do not include men who belong to Religious Institutes of Diocesan Right. Second, the numbers do not include men who belong to private and public associations of clerics.

Largest religious communities for men
The 1999 edition of Annuario Pontificio indicates that 225,136 men belong to 246 different religious communities and 48 percent (or 107,207) belong to the 10 largest communities: Jesuits (21,955), Friars Minor (17,763), Salesians (17,464), Capuchins (11,323), Benedictines (8,281), De La Salle Brothers (6,995), Dominicans (6,530), Divine Word Missionaries (5,972), Redemptorists (5,817), and Marist Brothers (5,107) worldwide. Of these communities only the Divine Word Missionaries and Salesians experienced a positive net change in their worldwide memberships between 1981 and 1999. It should also be noted that the Church has 48 communities with more than 1,000 members. 3

Fastest growing religious communities for men
Between 1966 and 1999, 57 of the older communities (or 23 percent) experienced a positive net change in their worldwide memberships. The “fastest growing” communities are those which have increased by more than 40 percent between 1981 and 1999 and include 16 communities identified in Annuario Pontificio. Nine communities increased by more than 90 percent during this period include: Little Brothers of Jesus (712 percent) with 252 members, Fathers of Mercy (314 percent) with 29 members, Canons Regular of the Holy Cross (303 percent) with 141 members, Brothers of Charity of Ghent (268 percent) with 604 members, Vincentian Community of India (123 percent) with 421 members, Servant Missionaries of the Poor (122 percent) with 129 members, Discalced Augustinian Friars (107 percent) with 207 members, Basilian Order of St. Josaphat (104 percent) with 684 members and Legionaries of Christ (93 percent) with 1,499 members. Annuario Pontificio also indicates that 16 communities grew by between 20 and 38 percent and another 25 increased by between 1 and 18 percent. Since it also identifies 25 communities that did not exist in 1981, this means that 33 percent (or 82) of the religious communities for men increased their memberships between 1981 and 1999. Could it be that several of these communities will be the vanguard of a bright future for religious life in general ? 4

New religious communities for men
Since many observers believe that religious communities find it difficult to reform themselves, genuine reform often comes by starting new communities. Of the 25 communities approved by the Holy See since 1965, the 10 largest are: Congregation of St. Michael the Archangel (1966) with 333 members, Congregation of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1995) with 293 members, Little Brothers of Jesus (1968) with 252 members, Society of Divine Vocations (1966) with 241 members, Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (1989) with 229 members, Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (1989) with 191 members, Society of Catholic Life (1997) with 160 members, Order of the Imitation of Christ (1968) with 159 members, Missionaries of the Nativity of Mary (1968) with 135 members and Immaculate Friars of St. Francis (1998) with 122 members. These new communities are beginning to take up some of the slack being created by older communities that are losing members. Could it be that one or more of these new communities will join the ranks of the largest communities for men in the future ?5

New communities for men not listed in Annuario Pontificio
In addition to the 25 new communities listed in Annuario Pontificio, the CRC has identified 13 foreign-based communities and 41 US-based communities not listed in Annuario Pontificio. The foreign-based communities include: Missionaries of Charity Brothers (1963) with 450 members, Congregation of St. John (1975) with 690 members, Companions of Christ (1984) with 70 members, Congregation of the Incarnate Word (1984) with 760 members and Militia of Christ (1984) with 50 members. The CRC is certain there are many more new communities worldwide. Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify new communities and even harder to collect accurate information on them.

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), located in Washington, D.C., has published a Directory of Emerging Religious Communities in the United States. Although designed to track both emerging religious communities and lay movements, the majority of the entries (75 percent) have been classified as “religious” communities in the traditional sense of the word. A “lay movement” is defined as a group of people “who are not celibate vowed religious and do not necessarily live in community,” but who have committed themselves to a specific apostolate designed to support the Church’s mission to the world.

The CARA directory identifies 157 emerging communities and provides a brief profile of each community. Of the 48 communities for men only, 39 are based in the US and 9 are based in other countries. While 4 are lay-based communities, 44 appear to be traditional religious communities for men. The 39 US-based communities profiled in the directory have 459 members, 206 candidates in formation and 315 lay associates. The 10 largest communities are: Monastery of Christ in the Desert (1965) with 43 members, Brigittine Monks (1976) with 18 members, Maronite Monks of Adoration (1978) with 15 members, Missionary Servants of Christ (1979) with 16 members, Brotherhood of Hope (1980) with 26 members and 6 lay associates, Franciscan Friars of Mary Immaculate (1983) with 24 members and 95 lay associates, Companions of Christ (1985) with 16 members, Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (1987) with 45 members and 75 lay associates, Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word (1987) with 24 members and Brother Servants of the Holy Spirit (1994) with 16 members. Communities are listed by the date they were established.6

In addition to the 39 new communities for men identified in the CARA directory, the CRC has identified 10 other US-based communities with 58 members and 26 candidates in formation. The CRC has also identified 13 foreign-based communities that have established a presence in the US since 1965 with 156 members and 112 candidates in formation. Could it be that some of these new communities will have a leadership role in the future?

New US-based religious communities for men and women
The CARA directory also identifies 21 communities that accept both men and women as members and lay associates. After reviewing the attributes of these communities, they appear to be traditional religious communities, i.e., their members take vows; most live together as a community and share communal funds; and most are organized under the spiritual direction of a religious. In short, they are trying to establish dual communities of men and women who want to live together in community and share the charism of their founder(s).

The communities identified in the directory have 497 full members, 339 candidates in formation and 1,290 lay associates. The five largest communities are: Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (1958) with 350 members and 121 candidates in formation, Institute of St. Joseph (1979) with seven members and 38 candidates in formation, Community of Jesus Crucified (1982) with 33 members and 11 candidates in formation, Companions of Christ the Lamb (1989) with five members and 83 candidates in formation and Marian Missionaries of Jesus Crucified (1989) with eight members and 23 candidates in formation. Could it be that dual communities of religious men and women will be a future trend in the Church ?7

Religious communities dedicated to celebrating the Latin Mass
Since the promulgation of Ecclesia Dei Adflicta in 1988, at least 11 religious communities have been established to preserve and celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and another six have been reconciled with the Holy See for the specific purpose of celebrating the TLM. Ten are foreign-based communities and include: Benedictine Monks of Fontgombault & Randol (1948) with 170 members, Canons Regular of the Mother of God (1969) with 40 members, Benedictine Monks of Flavigny (1972) with 83 members, Benedictine Monks of La Barroux (1973) with 80 members, Dominican Friars of St. Vincent Ferrer (1988) with 14 members, Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (1988) with 245 members, Servants of Jesus & Mary (1988) with 30 members, Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (1990) with 67 members, Congregation of the Holy Cross (1991) with 9 members and Benedictine Monks of Clear Creek (1998) with 13 members. The 10 foreign-based communities have 517 professed members and 234 candidates in formation.

In addition to 3 foreign-based communities (Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest and Benedictine Monks of Clear Creek) that have priests serving in this country, the Latin Mass Community in the US has spawned 7 new religious communities dedicated to preserving and celebrating the TLM: Servants of the Most Holy Family (1977) with nine members, Carmelite Recollects of the Sacred Heart (1994) with five members, Canons Regular of St. John Cantius (1998) with nine members, Society of the Heart of Jesus (1998) with seven members, Society of St. John (1998) with 21 members, Society of St. Philip Neri (1998) with two members and Servants Minor of St. Francis (1999) with four members. The three foreign-based and seven US-based communities have 79 professed members serving in the US and 105 candidates in formation. Could it be that these communities will lead to a restoration of the traditional liturgy in the Church?

There are also 16 “traditionalist” communities opperating in this country without ecclesiastical permission at this time. A “traditionalist community” is defined as a private or public association of clerics that trains and provides priests for traditionalist chapels, churches, missions and schools without the permission of the local ordinary or the Ecclesia Dei Commission. Some observers classify these communities as “schismatic” while others call them “independent” religious communities. The CRC prefers to call them “traditionalist” communities. The five most significant are: Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (1949) with 52 members serving in this country, Priestly Society of St. Pius X (1969) with 820 members worldwide, Congregation of Mary Immaculate (1967) with 30 members worldwide, Fathers of St. Gertrude the Great Roman Church Catholic (1989) with 14 independent, traditionalist priests serving in this country and Priestly Society of Pius V (1984) with 12 priests serving in the US. Will these communities be reconciled with the Holy See at some future date?

Vocations to the religious life
The Statistical Yearbook of the Church, published annually by the Holy See, provides facts and figures on the Church throughout the world. The statistics contained in the yearbook usually offer many insights into the health of the Church as an institution. While the 1999 edition provides information on a variety of subjects, it demonstrates very clearly the nature of the crisis in vocations to the religious life in general. For example, in 1978, women religious numbered 991,000 worldwide; by 1998, their number had decreased to 819,000 — a 17 percent decline. Men religious (excluding priests) decreased during the same time frame from 76,000 to 58,000 — a 24 percent decline. The number of priest religious, on the other hand, went from 158,000 to 140,000 — a 11 percent drop.8

It is also important to note, however, that while the number of men religious declined by 32 percent (from 332,137 to 259,602) between 1966 and 1981, the decline slowed significantly between 1981 and 1999 to 13 percent (from 259,602 to 225,136). If you factor out the Congregations of Religious Brothers, which lost 46 percent of their members between 1981 and 1999, the decline in the number of priest religious was only 9 percent. Could it be that the situation has stabilized and a period of slow growth will occur in the next few years?

While the situation is most acute in Oceania and Europe, Asia and Africa have experienced an increase in religious vocations. The biggest surprise is in vocations to the priesthood in general. In 1978, there were 63,882 seminarians; by 1998, there were 108,517 seminarians — an increase of 69 percent. The increases in Africa and Asia are impressive indeed, e.g., 238 percent and 124 percent respectively between 1978 and 1998. In fact, there has been a significant increase in vocations on all continents, with the exception of Oceania. Even Europe has had an increase from 23,925 to 27,853 — an increase of 16 percent. In 1978, the Americas had 22,011 seminarians; by 1998, there were 35,000 - an increase of 59 percent.9 Could it be that the situation has stabilized and a period of slow growth will occur in the next few years?

The Church has 258 approved religious communities for men with 225,136 members serving the Church’s mission to the world. It has 48 communities with more than 1,000 members. Between 1966 and 1999, 57 (or 23 percent) of the older communities experienced a positive net change in their worldwide memberships. Sixteen communities grew by more than 40 percent; 16 grew by more than 20 percent; and 25 grew by between 1 and 18 percent.

The Holy See approved of the establishment of 25 new religious communities since 1965. They are beginning to take up some of the slack being created by older communities that are losing members. In addition to those approved by the Holy See, many other new communities are being founded around the world as private and public associations of the faithful as well as Religious Institutes of Diocesan Right. In the US alone, 41 communities for men and 21 communities for both men and women have been founded since 1965. In short, at least 100 new communities have been established worldwide since 1965. Could it be that, in the words of Father Groeschel, “religious life always comes back to life . . . when people are willing to accept the reforming power of the Holy Spirit”? 10

The new communities represent small groups of men who are searching for God in a world that does not understand their search. While some will not survive, others will exist for many years as small communities ministering to the spiritual needs of a local church. Still others will grow in size, increase their influence within the Church and hopefully contribute in a significant way to the Church’s mission to the world. 

It is also important to note that Sts. Dominic, Francis of Assisi, and Ignatius of Loyola had fewer followers during their lifetimes than does Fr. Marcial Maciel of the Legionaries of Christ and certainly far fewer than Mother Teresa of Calcutta had at the time of her death in 1997. Through their intercession and God’s grace and blessing, however, their communities “produced fruit a hundred fold” as long as they followed in the footsteps of Jesus and remained faithful to the charism of their founder(s). We must also recall the words of St. Paul when he proclaimed: “Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives growth.” 11 

1 Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R., “Death or Rebirth in the New Decade: A Watershed Looms for Religious Life,” The Catholic World Report, vol. 10, no. 4, April 2000, p. 52 and p. 55.
2 Annuario Pontificio (Rome, 1999).
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, Directory of Emerging Religious Communities in the United States (Washington, DC, 1999).
7 Ibid.
8 Statistical Yearbook of the Church (Rome, 1997).
9 Ibid.
10 Groeschel, p.55.
11 1 Cor 3:5-9 (Catholic Action Edition). 

Dr. Patrick A. Metress is the director of the Catholic Research Center in Burke, VA. He is a graduate of John Carroll University, New York University and M.I.T. His articles have appeared in the Catholic Library World, Serials Review, and The Latin Mass. He also authored a reference book called An Interpretative Directory of Catholic Periodicals Published in the US. This article, his first for HPR, is part of a much larger study, Religious Communities for Men in the Catholic Church, published by the Catholic Research Center, P.O. Box 12522, Burke, VA 22009-2522.