Here is how a Catholic laywoman, who knows many religious for very long, both as a student and as a teacher, sees religious life today.
- Tell us a little about yourself: Age, studies completed, profession, how and how long you have been familiar with members of religious orders.
I am sixty years old. I am a teacher in the school run by nuns. I have been teaching for forty-two years. From the time I joined the school, I am constantly in contact with the sisters, individually and socially. I belong to a not so well-to-do family of thirteen brothers and sisters. Our house is next to three religious houses, the sisters’ convent, a theological college and a parish. I feel very lucky to have been familiar with the members of the religious orders ever since I was born, and growing up in the vicinity of many religious.
- What is your general impression of religious (both women and men)? Do most look happy and enthusiastic? Do their spontaneous comments show that they take following Christ and living a committed life of mission seriously?
Looking back, I must admit that I used to be very jealous of the religious. They never seem to be either sick or sad. Whenever we saw them, they always wore a captivating smile that enticed us young children to flock around them like bees to a hive. We never knew if they were busy or not. As far as my memory can go, there was never a time when we were shooed away. Come to think about it now, I keep pondering about how Jesus was always followed around by the crowds. The lives they live with love make our religious selfless and tolerant to all situations in life. Their enthusiasm in imparting the Word of God and teaching Catechism whenever the slightest chance was opened left me in awe. Following in the footsteps and living the teachings of Jesus, they never fail to influence us and always lead other people to a holistic way of life. The influence they had on young children was so much that on holidays we were ready to leave our family behind to accompany the sisters on village tours and house visits. I remember that all the children wanted to become religious like the committed and dedicated religious we met. They made it look that religious life is so perfect. We understood nothing about their mission then, but now I realised the greatness of their enthusiasm and their faithfulness in fulfilling their mission.
- What are their greatest contributions to humanity? What are the good things they are doing well, and should keep doing?
Nobody can ever forget what the Catholic religious men and women did and are still doing in various parts of our beloved land. The impact of their works is so great that they are so much revered and idolised wherever they go—by elderly people, youths and small children alike. These good and able people of God left no stone unturned in perfecting the gigantic missionary work even in the remotest villages. Importance was given to areas of character formation and love of life. Persistence in doing even the smallest thing in the proper way is the key for their achievements. It is an injustice to these religious if I fail to mention how they toil and scrape their minds and hearts in schools, youth centres, dispensaries, hospitals, vocational training centres, village tours, prison ministry, youth ministry, counselling, free tuition for dropouts and children from very poor families, orphanages, shelter homes, hospitals, night schools for working girls and boys, old age homes and all types of development, spiritually, psychologically and mentally. The energy spent and regained is simply divine. There is no threat big enough to prevent these religious from reaching out to the poor and the marginal. We owe much to the religious men and women for most of our achievements. Their involvement armed with a proper qualification and knowledge, and the positive influence has greatly and positively affected our society.
The most important field for improvement now, I feel, is ‘youth development.’ It is an undeniable fact that the youth of today are very much advanced in all aspects positively and negatively. The negative influence seems to be so strong that young people become confused and tend to follow the wrong path of life. Suicides are so frequent and drug addiction is so high. This is where the help of all religious is very much needed, and, to be able to do so, they should be qualified and tactful. I sincerely wish with all my heart that the strength of the religious grows from day to day till the end of time, to lead, to inspire, to console and comfort.
- In what ways do religious disappoint the lay people?
Do the religious disappoint the lay people? We should keep in mind that religious are very much human like any of us. They have their own short comings too, but unfortunately the majority of lay people do not accept this reality. Most people seem to expect the religious to be godlike creatures, filled with every good quality imaginable. A slight mistake on their part results in the disappointment of the lay people. To be honest, there are a few areas where religious disappoint us. To name a few, the not too committed attitude towards their religious duties, the materialistic lifestyle, not detaching themselves from the world. Partiality in words and action, hurting comments, senior members speaking harshly to the juniors, especially in front of other people. Not taking proper care of their own health for reasons they alone know is also disappointing.
- Would you recommend this way of life to a young man or woman who is capable and dear to you (e.g., a son or daughter, younger brother or sister)? Why, or why not?
If any youth is capable and has the qualities of a religious vocation, I would whole heartedly recommend him or her to follow this path, because I believe that blessings and graces are in abundance not only to a religious person but to their family and the society as well. This is a mystery that words fail to define. Religious can do a lot more than the lay people in certain specific work. They are revered and idolised and therefore have the upper hand in materialising many issues, especially in the evangelical work of bridging the gap between God and people.
- In any group, there will be heroes, mediocrities and counter-witnesses. If you were to allot percentages, what percentage of religious do you see as: (a) heroic (genuinely committed, inspiring, saintly, exemplary…whatever term you prefer); (b) mediocre (neither inspiring not crooked, but living lives of comfortable mediocrity, doing jobs that anyone can do, avoiding sacrifice, looking neither very happy nor very unhappy, present at community prayer but not spiritual in interests or values); (c) counter-witness (going against what they profess, seeking positions and luxuries, dividing people on the basis of ethnicity, language, etc., creating a bad atmosphere through gossip, harsh behaviour, double life, etc.):
I would categorise the religious as follows:
- Heroes: 86%;
- Mediocrities: ;12%
- Counter-witnesses: 2%.
- What is your greatest expectation from members of religious orders (Sisters, Brothers, Priests? [We understand that most lay people and persons of other faiths tend to speak of “priests and nuns,” without making any distinction between religious and diocesan priests.]
My best wishes to all the members of the religious orders for toiling so hard and selflessly in their mission. The vineyard is vast and there is still a lot to be improved on. This world is becoming such a confusing place that help from dedicated and committed souls like the religious souls is very much needed. We support you dear religious with our prayers. But, equally important, pray much yourselves, since prayer is the most powerful weapon that can fight all evils.
Mrs Amabilis Susngi
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