Dear Fr. Benedict,

Your message of May 29 hits right at the heart of the problem.  I have a sister who is in a religious order who, unfortunately changed with the times, and many of the sisters live in apartments and they wear regular street clothes.  The convent where my sister is at the moment is up for sale.  They house many aged nuns and have a infirmary.  Sadly, they have more employees than religious and so they have found it necessary to sell the building.  It is so encouraging to see your order as well as other "traditional" orders flourishing and attracting so many young people who want to live the radical life! Kudos to all of you.  Let us all pray for those orders of religious who were fooled into thinking that only in getting in step with the times could they hope to attract new vocations, that the Holy Spirit will breath new life into them by bringing them back into step with their holy founders!  Love and prayers, Michelle, Canada