Only monasteries that serve as bastions against secularization are popular!

Ed.: Which congregations are most affected by this phenomenon?

IJ: Carmelite nuns are particularly affected – in the last 20 years, 40% of their monasteries have been closed (34 out of 85 existing ones). Similar proportions were recorded among Poor Clares (about 40% closures) and Visitandines (30%). A high closure rate also applies to Cistercian nuns (36.4%). In contrast, Dominican nuns (8%) and Benedictine monks and nuns (together, 18%) are less affected.

Generally speaking, the orders with the greatest recruitment difficulties are those with strict enclosure, such as the Trappists or Carmelites, or those whose charism is less understood today, like the Visitandines or Poor Clares.

Ed.: However, the communities that attract the most young people are also those with strict enclosure…

IJ: Yes, but the reasons need to be clarified: these monasteries are attractive today because they have a very clearly defined stance towards society. They are perceived as a bastion against secularization. Among abbots and abbesses, there is a joke that the monasteries that gain new members are those that apply the 3G recipe: le grégorien, la grille et la guimpe (Gregorian chant, the grille, and the wimple, i.e., the veil covering the face and neck of nuns, ed.).

Ed.: The language of the liturgy is an interesting indicator from this point of view.

IJ: Yes, though it should be interpreted with caution, as the samples are not of the same size. In 2007, there were 244 monasteries where the language of the liturgy was French, 36 combining French with Latin, and 23 monasteries where Latin was used exclusively. On the other hand, this criterion is not the only explanatory factor; it is one among many, but it is particularly striking.

Among the monasteries where in 2007 the language of the liturgy was French, 34% have been closed. This percentage drops to 19% for monasteries that used both French and Latin, and drops to 0% for those where the liturgy was exclusively in Latin. This shows that communities that appeal to a specific tradition attract a specific audience today.

Ed.: Are we currently witnessing the emergence of a new model of monasticism, perhaps more rigorous, but in any case more visible?

IJ: It is a paradox. We see communities that advocate for separation from the world, orthopraxy, and very strict enclosure, but which at the same time are extremely present in the media or on the Internet and demonstrate technological proficiency.