by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the National Religious Vocation Conference

This report presents findings from a study of recent vocations to religious life in the United States. The study is based on surveys of religious institutes as well as surveys and focus groups with recent vocations to religious life. The study was designed to replicate and extend similar research conducted by NRVC and CARA in 2009, so as to identify and understand the characteristics, attitudes, and experiences of the men and women who have entered religious life in recent years.

by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the National Religious Vocation Conference

In conjunction with the 2014 and 2015 Synod on the Family in Rome and the eighth World Meeting of Families, to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in September 2015, NRVC releases this major study conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) on the role of the family in nurturing vocations to religious life and priesthood.  

by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the National Religious Vocation Conference

This report presents findings from a study of U.S.-based religious institutes about the ways they recruit and integrate multicultural candidates into their communities. We learned from religious institutes about their policies, procedures, and experiences with the formation and integration of candidates from cultures different from the dominant one of the institute. The goal of the research is to provide information that will help promote religious life and strengthen its quality so that it will better attract and retain new members.

by the National Religious Vocation Conference

In keeping with its National Strategic Plan for Religious Vocations, and with help from a generous grant from an anonymous foundation, the NRVC sponsored two workshops in the winter of 2013-14 for men’s religious institutes. The workshops were developed by seven men religious representing a variety of religious institutes, along with the executive director and associate director of NRVC. These workshops had goals of helping the participating communities to better understand the current vocation context, to assess their own needs in regard to vocation ministry, and to begin planning action to further new membership.

by the National Religious Vocation Conference

The Women Religious Moving Forward in Hope program consisted of four regional gatherings for women religious generously funded by the GHR Foundation and sponsored by the NRVC. The purpose of the gatherings was to explore the ethnic and generational demographics of Catholic women in the United States and the opportunities, challenges, and implications these present to religious institutes for new membership. A secondary purpose inspired by the symposium was to provide the opportunity for respectful dialogue among religious women. The Report provides information about findings and next steps from these gatherings.

by the National Religious Vocation Conference

In 2012, through the generous support of the GHR Foundation, a committee of the NRVC developed the Moving Forward in Hope: Keys to the Future process. The process was an adaptable, interactive, and participatory workshop for religious communities. It was designed to help an individual community: 1) Understand crucial points of information that emerged  in the 2009 NRVC/CARA Study on Recent Vocations to Religious Life. 2) Examine the community’s realities in light of the study. 3) Identify and prepare to take positive, concrete steps to encourage new membership with support and participation from the entire community. This Report documents those results.

by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the National Religious Vocation Conference

This report presents findings from a study of the impact of educational debt on vocations to religious life in the United States that was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) for the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC). The study was designed to learn more about the impact of educational debt on the men and women who are coming to religious life today. The study was also designed to learn about the policy and practices of the religious institutes in regard to educational debt and to learn from their experiences with inquirers and candidates who carry educational debt.

by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the National Religious Vocation Conference

This report presents findings from a study of recent vocations to religious life in the United States that was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) for the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC). The study is based on surveys of religious institutes, surveys and focus groups with recent vocations to religious life, and an examination of selected religious institutes that have been successful in attracting and retaining new members. The study was designed to identify and understand the characteristics, attitudes, and experiences of the men and women who are coming to religious life today as well as the characteristics and practices of the religious institutes that are successfully attracting new candidates and retaining new members.