In the Company of Change

In 1949, when Martha Buser joined the congregation of Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, Kentucky, they numbered almost 600 members.When Sr. Martha passed away in 2023, fewer than 40 sisters remained. Their median age is 85. What brought about the change in numbers of this group, which has contributed so much to the community of Louisville and beyond since their arrival in 1858? Quite simply, it is a trend seen in so many religious communities across America and Europe. Is the vocation of religious sisters, rooted in self-sacrifice and service, outmoded? Is the religious vocation for women in the Catholic Church an anachronism in a post-modern world? If so, how did this happen? What is lost? Is anything gained? 

While the primary focus is on the Ursulines of Louisville, the added insights of national figures such as Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, and Kenneth Briggs, former religion editor for the New York Times, provide a wider view of this cultural and spiritual phenomenon. This is not my first look at Ursuline life. In 1987, I wrote and produced a program titled "A Change in Order" that was broadcast on KET.

Sr. Martha Buser, the central figure of the program, was interviewed numerous times from 1985 through 2023. The fruits of these conversations provide insight into a life of faith and the significant changes in America's spiritual climate. The program is not a requiem for the Ursulines but rather a clear-eyed look at many faith-inspired lives and one in particular.