Youth will embrace religious life with right role models, say Cdl. Arinze

"If you have a bishop who is no-nonsense ... a bishop who is transparently joyful in the priesthood, there will be seminarians," Cardinal Francis Arinze said to applause from 625 members of Serra International, a lay group that promotes vocations to the priesthood and religious communities.

"Young women do not want to join a group of old women who seem to be confused [about their mission]. Young men do not want to join a diocese where the priests seem to be angry."

He compared nuns who did not want to wear religious garb to a flight attendant for Alitalia who wanted to wear the uniform of American Airlines. "What do you think Alitalia is going to say? Let's dialogue?" he asked, to laughter from his audience.

Many religious orders are "confused" about their missions...embracing a secular agenda instead of the Gospel - and those orders are (and have been) dying. God's wonderful and mysterious providence can be seen in this by witnessing the fact that those orders who are faithful to Christ and His Church are still attracting young men and women to dedicate themselves to Christ. All this while those who felt empowered to reject the cross fade into oblivion.

Article here.