Monasticism in the United States
Monasticism in the United States has a long and complex history, beginning with the 1727 arrival of twelve members of the Company of St Ursula (Ursulines) in the French colony of New Orleans. Since that time, most women and men religious have staffed and administered schools and hospitals, while others have dedicated their lives to a ministry of prayer. The contributions of the Daughters of Charity, Benedictines, Christian Brothers, and Poor Clares—to name just a few—allowed the US Catholic Church to develop an extensive network of educational, healthcare, and social service institutions to serve the spiritual and physical needs of Catholics and non-Catholics. US monasticism in the twenty-first century is marked by declining numbers and an ageing membership. In 2009, concerned about the direction in which sisters and nuns appeared to be moving, the Vatican conducted an apostolic visitation among congregations of women religious.