In an age where younger people shy away from religious vocation, many new nuns in the Diocese of Orlando are taking on the challenge of evangelization. 

Age Is Just Number

According to a report with The Florida Catholic, the average age of the religious sisters in the Diocese of Orlando is 74. Out of these numbers, only two are younger than 40 years old. 

The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) pointed out the decline in the number of women entering religious seminaries. 

The statistics showed a drop of about 75% since 1965. This was during a time when the population in the United States rose from 194 million to 326 million. 

The Diocese of Orlando welcomed Sist. Kristi Bergman to the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary in August 2021. 

Meanwhile, Sist. Carly Arcella is the newest addition to the Diocese of Orlando. She celebrated her perpetual vows to the Daughters of St. Paul in July. 

Sister Arcella shared that she now looks at her community with new eyes. As one of the younger sisters, she hopes to create a happy and healthy environment for the seniors in her congregation. 

"The burden does not weigh us down in the mission but builds us up in the community, in intercessors, in mutual love and prayer support between younger sisters striving ahead and older sisters supporting us in wisdom and prayer," she told the news outlet.

Celebrating Order

Other nuns who were interviewed were Sist. Amanda Davis was welcomed to the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary in November 2020. Meanwhile, Sist. Grace Kupiszewski said her vows to the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in August 2021. 

For the Diocese of Orlando, the growing number of younger people entering religious life was a cause for celebration. The success stories of these young women taking their perpetual vows offered hope to the diocese. 

The diocese also celebrated the ordination of two priests. These young people are attracted to the concept of a simple prayer life. 

Charism also happens to be a driving force of many discerners. According to the report, it is not a question of the viability of the order but the mission. 

There is also a saying that goes, "God does not call the equipped. He equips the called." 

Heeding God's Call

One of those who heeded God's call is Sist. Catherine Noecker. She is a member of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. 

Sister Noecker serves as the moderator for the religious women in the diocese. 

She entered the order in 1959 with 27 other aspirants. Sister Noecker pointed out that the burden of the vocation was particularly noticeable in the younger sisters. 

She told the news outlet that their order welcomed their first novice in 20 years. She asked Sist. Maise Nz if she had any concerns about being the youngest in the congregation of sisters. 

The young sister told Sister Noecker that she felt right at home with the order because her culture valued and respected the elderly. 

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