Your gift counts double until 5/31: $16,519 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!

Franciscan University’s atmosphere fosters priestly, religious vocations

CWN - April 08, 2011

Terry Mattingly draws attention to Franciscan University of Steubenville’s success in fostering priestly and religious vocations. Seven religious orders have houses near the campus.

“New styles of habits and robes keep appearing here all the time,” says Father Richard Davis, superior of the campus friary. “This campus produces a large number of priests, but I believe even more of our young women become sisters and nuns.”

The students, says Father Davis, seek religious institutes that are faithful to the Magisterium. “They don't want to join a community in which the life they will live looks pretty much like the life they would have lived if they had never joined a religious community in the first place,” adds Father Seraphim Beshoner, a history professor.

“They also want to join a community that has other young people in it. They don't want to be the ones left to turn out the lights someday when their order dies.”

Father Davis poignantly added that some students considering religious life are concerned about the possibility of harassment. “Will I be safe? ... If I visit a monastery or a convent, will someone hit on me?”

Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($16,519 to go):
$80,000.00 $63,481.45
21% 79%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

Show 1 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: Wolf of Gubbio - Apr. 08, 2011 6:35 PM ET USA

    “Will I be safe? ... If I visit a monastery or a convent, will someone hit on me?” -- If you go to the orders not loyal to the Magisterium, you might be! What a strange question.

Catholic World News Email Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Revealing News, and Revealing Christ May 24
The Russell Ford problem May 24
Fr. Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly: Your Letter May Help May 24
The Rise and Fall of the (American?) Church May 23
The Ideal of Pope Francis: the Servant Church May 23

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8