Interesting reply, foreshorten3.  What you state, e.g. "However, alongside these mega-lay groups there will always be Christians called to -- who feel called to service-- in more traditional orders -- Jesuits, Franciscans, Carmelites, Trappists, etc. The Dominicans at Providence College, Benedictines at St. John's and elsewhere and Holy Cross Community at Notre Dame all seem to be doing well, too."  This flies in the face of community self-reports that show steady declines, that no matter the size of incoming classes or first professed religious, it never covers the number of religious who retire, are too infirm to do active ministry, or who die (or even leave altogether).  I have the notion that you are reporting out of opinion and not out of established fact.  And the greater number of lay people taking up a religious commitment today in the US are not of the ones you mention.  Look at the sodalities and lay affiliates of many orders, as that is where you find the new religious life.