I've known, over the years, many religious sisters, both as teachers when I was young and as friends and colleagues when I was older. I cherish my memories of their dedication and service and I am thankful for all they gave me.

That said, I often wonder whether the future of consecrated life will be found in religious orders, male and female. Those constructs were created in a certain time and place and they served their purpose, but the world changes. New models emerge.

My best guess is that vowed, celibate religious communities will survive and will still serve a valuable purpose in the Body of Christ, but I doubt they'll ever be as robust as they once were. If so, that won't necessarily be a bad thing. It'll just be a reality.