An Augustinian Pope Among Poor Clares: “Don’t Close Yourselves Off Despite Fewer Vocations”

Pope Leo XIV told the Federation of Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns of Italy not to close their monasteries despite a decline in vocations. During a meeting at the Vatican, the Pope addressed the federation, which includes monasteries across several regions and affiliated communities in Brazil, Mozambique, and Benin.

Leo XIV noted that fewer vocations might lead some to decide to close or withdraw. He suggested changing how people view this reality, noting that the decline is not limited to contemplative communities and that vocations across the Church in Europe fell by 3.5%.

The Pope asked what a community can offer when its vocation requires living apart from the pace of the world. He said these communities should offer silence to help people in a society dominated by haste and noise find the space to stop and discern. The Capuchin Poor Clares identified four ideas to guide their future: listening, living in communion, serving, and bearing witness.