God's recruiters

BRITAIN: Have you ever thought of becoming a monk or nun, but were unsure if this role was right for you? In Britain, monasteries and convents are offering “taster weekends” to give potential monks and nuns the chance to experience religious life.

The unusual tactic has a serious cause: the number of people entering religious orders has dropped dramatically. According to the Conference of Religious in England and Wales , which represents about 80 per cent of Roman Catholic religious communities, only 13 men and 16 women became novices in 2007.

The number of people joining religious orders has dropped dramatically.

The Anglican Church in Britain and Ireland has also seen a sharp fall in the number of nuns and monks. In 2000, there were 710 nuns and 230 monks. By 2008, that figure was 470 nuns and 135 monks.

Father Kieran Brady of Bishop Eton Monastery in Liverpool thinks the taster weekends are a good idea. “Like any organization, we have to recruit,” Brady told The Observer. “And this gives people a chance to experience our way of life and to think about joining us. It’s a dip-your-toe-in-the-water experience.”

The method seems to work, too. “From the point of view of people joining the monastery, we have seen an increase, with four novices in the past 18 months,” says Abbot Aidan Bellenger of Downside Abbey, near Bath. “Of course, they can go as quickly as they come. That is the problem with these methods — getting them to stay.”